Shopping Bag
NC Best College Cities and Towns
A lot of people have contacted me recently wanting information about where the best places to relocate or retire to in a college or university town in North Carolina.
What a fantastic topic and one dear to my heart so here is a little primer on the best college and university towns/cities in North Carolina.
Frankly, college and university towns/cities are very popular places to relocate or retire and that’s particularly true if you’re interested in moving to North Carolina.
At last count, North Carolina has over 60 four-year public and private universities and 58 two-year community colleges in communities ranging from major cities to small rural towns.
Whether young or old, new student, relocating young family or relocating retirees, living in a college or university town/city in North Carolina may be Your best place to live in NC.
In talking with hundreds of people, here is a list of the reasons I've been given for deciding their best place to retire or relocate is in a college or university town/city in North Carolina.
Great Atmosphere and Diversity:
- College and university towns tend to have younger populations and people really like the vibrancy of the local social, cultural and economic scene.
- You are virtually guaranteed to find people from all over the country and all walks of life meaning you will connect with people like yourself who’ve also made the move to North Carolina.
Education:
- College and university towns have populations that are well educated and tend to be communities that strongly value education and local schools which is fantastic for young families looking to relocate.
- Moreover, many colleges and universities in North Carolina have lifelong learning programs geared toward retirees and others seeking continuing education in the community which I’ve talked at length about before.
Culture and Entertainment:
- College and university campuses are centers not merely for learning but culture and entertainment second to none.
- Museums, orchestra and choral groups, popular national touring bands, movie previews, and on and on. And don’t forget about sports.
- College basketball season is definitely a crowd pleaser in North Carolina.
Affordable Housing:
- Most college and university towns have a housing market geared toward young people with very limited money and invariably offer you great opportunities to save money.
Business and Career Opportunities:
- College and university towns and cities are fantastic places to either start a new business or a new career.
- In several places in North Carolina, entrepreneurial business people from across the country have flocked to take advantage of high quality college graduates and the educational institutions that produce them.
- Look at places like the Research Triangle area (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) or Wilmington, NC to see what I mean.
Now that you have a few of the reasons to look in their direction, here are my top five best places to relocate or retire in a college or university town or city in North Carolina.
As most of you already know, Asheville, NC has long been one of my favorite best places to live in NC and is well known for its great restaurants, nightlife, and its arts and music scene.
It also happens to be home to the University of North Carolina- Asheville.
Asheville is also home to the world famous North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement which provides lifelong learning opportunities for those entering their next new phase in life.
The median home value in Asheville, NC is around $109,100 and an average starting rental cost is around $443 a month which is very affordable.
Boone, NC is a sleepy mountain town in the northwest corner of North Carolina and home to Appalachian State University, with a student enrollment of about 12,000.
Main street Boone, NC is colorful, the atmosphere is friendly, and the surrounding natural beauty is wonderful.
If you've decided a small town is your best place to relocate or retire and you love the college lifestyle, Boone, NC is definitely a place you need to check out.
Best of all real estate in Boone is more affordable than a lot of neighboring mountain towns with a median home value of $137,700 and an average starting rental cost of $591 a month.
Chapel Hill, NC is home to the state’s premiere public university… the University of North Carolina.
Known as one of the best places in the country to live, work and play, there is no doubt that UNC has a lot to do with the Chapel Hill, NC area earning that distinction.
You’ll love Chapel Hill’s small town feel and all the intangibles that UNC has to offer.
While a bit more expensive, the median home value in Chapel Hill, NC is around $229,100 and an average starting rental cost is around $613 a month.
Still by some standards very affordable housing.
Durham, NC is home to Duke University and combines a small town feel with the cutting edge amenities and attractions of a 
larger city including an award winning education system, health care facilities and great shopping.
Duke University is also home to an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.
For those of us whose college years are long gone but not forgotten, this means you can always take classes for a new career or just for pleasure.
The median home value in Durham is a lot lower than Chapel Hill, NC at around $126,100 and an average starting rental cost is around $512 a month.
If you love being not far from the water, Wilmington. North Carolina is a great pick. What many people don’t realize is that Wilmington is also home to some very 
highly rated colleges including UNC-Wilmington and Cape Fear Community College.
UNCW has an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute as well.
The median home value in Wilmington is surprisingly only around $128,400 and the average starting rental cost is around $483 a month.
Now, if South Carolina is where you have decided you want to relocate or retire, come back next week when we look at living in a college or university town/city in South Carolina!
Remember to check out our NC Best Places and SC Best Places sections to find more information on the places we’ve covered not only today but throughout our journey through the best places to relocate or retire to in NC and SC.
See You Next Week!
About Bob Bencivenga
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Bob Bencivenga is a professional site locator and location analyst for major corporations and has been researching the growth of NC and SC to find the Best Places to Retire or Relocate that are still affordable. |
| Visit his blog The Carolina Report and sign up for FREE updates by email,his FREE Affordable Best Places To Live Report and, get FREE Expert Advice on how to find Your Best Place to Retire or Relocate to in North Carolina and South Carolina, additional resources, and a lot more.
Bob does not sell real estate. |
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