There are many reasons that North Carolina (NC) stands out as a unique state. The state is the home of the world’s first flight, launched by the Wright Brothers. The epic mountain chains which wind their way through North Carolina (the Great Smokey Mountains, and the Blue Ridge Mountains) are known across the world. The state also hosts some of the most well-known college sports programs at Duke University, the University of NC at Chapel Hill, and Wake Forest University.
The state offers a wide variety of attractions and notable places to visit, but this Southern state has a deeper draw for those looking to move there. In 2020 alone 87,000 people moved to NC from other parts of the United States. In addition to these new residents, an estimated total of 368,000 people total moved into a new residence in NC that same year. There are many reasons as to why the state is attracting new residents, in addition to finding ways to keep their current residents in the state. We’ll get into a few of the top reasons to move to NC below.
Cost of Living
When you decide to move into a new location, one of the first things you’ll have to consider is the cost of living. Cost of living is defined as the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living wherever you are. The changes in the cost of living over time are often operationalized in a cost-of-living index, and calculations for this type of living are used to compare the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living in different geographic areas. The cost of living does vary from place to place, and depends on a variety of factors.
The factors that can often drive up your cost of living in a certain area can include transportation costs, utilities, child care, insurance, taxes, and wages. As mentioned before, different areas of the United States have a higher cost of living rates/ factors than other places around the country. Some of these places include New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Alaska, Oregon, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York.
In NC the cost of living is a major draw for moving to the state. In the Raleigh, NC area alone the median income balances out with areas like it across the United States, though smaller surrounding areas are higher than the U.S. and NC average. In Raleigh, Durham, and most other cities in the state, there is very affordable housing that comes in at average pricing as compared to other cities in the United States.
Housing, transportation, groceries, healthcare, taxes, and utilities in NC are all below the national average of the United States. The great thing about this is that as you save money with these lowered costs of living, it allows you an opportunity to focus on other things in your household. For example, say your gutters are all backed up with leaves and you need gutter cleaning Wilmington NC. The extra money that you’re able to save on the cost of living can be used to get the gutter cleaning services that you need. The cost of living is just one of the many top reasons why you should move to NC.
Education
The Tar Heel state has gotten good marks across the board when it comes to their educational opportunities. With every passing year, the state continues to set and reach educational goals, acting as a draw for those parents seeking the best educational opportunities for their children. In Wake County, the average SAT scores continue to exceed the state and national averages. The state continues to rank among the top four states nationally for pre-kindergarten quality standards according to the National Institute for Early Education Research. In addition to this, the state leads the country in the number of National Board Certified teachers while also cultivating consistently accountable public schools.
When you get to the university education level things continue to stay impressive. Let’s say you have a child who is seeking out a college where they can pursue a degree program, while also enjoying the dorm life experience. Your college-bound child will have no shortage of great universities to choose from, and you’ll soon be gifting them with plant bundles to decorate their dorm rooms with. North Carolina calls itself home to some of the United States’ most prestigious public and private colleges and universities. These include Duke University, the University of NC at Chapel Hill, NC University, and East Carolina University. Duke University alone is a well known and respected research university and ranks among the top five schools in the United States.
Affordable Housing & Different Locales
Falling under the cost of the living umbrella, affordable housing is a factor that should be considered for moving to NC. Let’s first look at the numbers. When first considering the median home cost in North Carolina you’ll find a figure of $187,300. The national median home cost is $231,200. This huge difference in pricing will be an immediate draw alone for people who want to be homeowners and are seeking to save money on housing. For example, in Raleigh, many people who have moved to the area cite the affordability of the real estate market and the low associated living costs as being great draws for moving to the area. The state provides countless opportunities to find a dream home.
In addition to this, you can find many different affordable options when it comes to the type of place you’d like to live in. Whether you’re looking for a modern home, townhouse, ranch house, or bungalow you’ll have a host of choices for where you’d like to live. Another added plus to affordable housing is that you’ll also have a lot of different locales to choose from when purchasing a dream home. Say you’re looking at NC mountain land for sale with a mountain view of Pisgah National Forest, or you’ve found the perfect location for a ranch style house along the coast of Morehead City. Each locale brings with them a variety of different draws for a potential homeowner. Balancing this along with the affordable housing factors that North Carolina brings, provides another good reason for people to move to North Carolina in the long run.