There are many good things about living in Raleigh, North Carolina. But as the idiom goes you gotta take the bad with the good and this applies to any place. Nothing is perfect and Raleigh is no exception. But, one should not overlook the good elements just because the negative aspects exist.
First, the bad news is if you’re addicted to the food in North Carolina, you’ll need to exercise. North Carolina has delicious delicacies, and Raleigh is no stranger to these delicacies. From southern barbecue to sweet tea and hush puppies, to Brunswick stew, the list is endless. No meal in the south is complete without a big giant slathering of butter. The portion sizes here are larger than in other parts of the country, like California.
To combat all the carbohydrates from food, there are many ways to get exercise. The good news is many 24-hour gyms, over 27 dog parks, and over a hundred miles of Greenway are available for use in Raleigh. Anywhere in the triangle you live, you will be close to an access point along the Greenway. You can get outside and exercise. This allows you the option to bike, hike, walk, run, or jog.
Next, for bad news, in the spring the ground is coated in yellow pollen. Pollen peak season in North Carolina is between April and May. Allergy-sufferers dread this time of year. As temperatures rise, the yellow dust begins to invade. Pollen covers cars, roads, animals, and everything that crosses its path. The good news with pollen season is it marks the beginning of spring, as the weather begins to warm. Winter in North Carolina is short and spring starts in early March.
Bad news for anyone who is fond of the snow, in the winter the snow usually falls and melts within the day. The good news, the ground can be covered in a few dustings of snow per year. You will see the occasional system with an inch or more blanketing the ground. Raleigh receives approximately four to five inches total per year.
Bad news, the Raleigh-Durham area is expected to have over 3 million people by 2040, up from over 2 million in 2022. Raleigh metro’s population is expected to grow by 72 percent in 25 years. The good news, as the population grows there will be more opportunities to develop new friendships, find a date or love, and even get married.
On the other hand, the bad news is if you add an extra million people, the traffic congestion will increase and add on to commute times. The good news is there is plenty of land available around Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Also, the Raleigh area is not landlocked by the ocean, or the mountains like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other cities. The Raleigh area can accommodate the expansion without becoming overcrowded.
Good news, the triangle does have homes with basements. The bad news is basements are not particularly common. Roughly only 6% of the homes have basements. North Carolina soil is heavy and hard to dig into. The area is known for its humidity and moisture. With moisture comes mold and wet soil, so it makes it tricky and dangerous conditions for a basement. Yet, the more good news is 25% of homes in the triangle have either a second or third-floor bonus room. This is a large room where people can congregate, besides the living room or family room. The bonus room becomes the TV watching, media room center – it is like a basement.
The good news is Raleigh and the surrounding area are lush and green, with a leafy tree cover of 55 percent. Raleigh is known as the “City of Oaks” for its numerous oak trees that line the city and surrounding areas. The bad news, Raleigh area gets over 10 inches more rain per year than the rest of the United States does on average. In the summer months, there is the occasional severe thunderstorm. All the rain is positive for the easy maintenance of lawns, trees, gardens.
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