I was talking to an out-of-state candidate recently who asked what is so great about living in the Triangle area. Without missing a beat I startled rattling off all of my favorite aspects of the area: great college and professional sports, awesome climate, proximity to the beach and the mountains, all the parks and outdoor spaces, museums, the nearby lakes, wonderful restaurants, I prattled on and on…. the candidate was impressed, but wanted to know what a person who wasn’t so totally biased (as myself) would have to say on the subject. So I did a little research and found out that it isn’t just me – the whole country seems to be catching on to what a great area the Triangle is for business and more importantly quality of life.
Quick note here – The Triangle is the region of North Carolina includes Research Triangle Park and the surrounding cities and suburbs of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. This region is home to over 3 million people.
My research consisted of searching for “best places” and RTP and wouldn’t you know the first page I visited spat out 39 links of accolades won by Durham alone since 2000. Even as a resident of the area for the past 19 years I was amazed at what the Triangle has to offer.
Overall:
- Cary is the #1 Best Place to live in the South, Money Magazine
- RTP is the #3 of America’s Hottest Markets, CNNMoney.com
- Durham is one of the Top 10 Best Place to Live, US News and World Report
Business:
- RTP is the #1 Best Place for Business & Careers, Forbes (Durham alone is #3 on that list)
- RTP is the #1 Best City for Jobs, Forbes
- Durham is #5 on the Top 100 Places to Live, Relocate-America
- RTP is #6 Top Tech Town, Wired
Lifestyle:
- RTP is the #1 Place for Commitment to Childcare, Working Mother
- Triangle is the #6 Best City for Singles, Forbes
- Durham is the #1 of 20 Best Places to Retire, Black Enterprise
- Downtown Durham ranked as one of the top 15 Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods, BusinessWeek
Education
With Duke University, NC State University and the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill as the flagship institutions (there are numerous other colleges and universities in the area as well) it is a no-brainer that the area ranks high on all education rankings.
- Triangle area #2 Best Public Education System, Enterprise Management
- Triangle area #3 Most Educated City, US Census
- RTP is the #6 Smartest City, Forbes
Food
- Durham and Chapel Hill together are #1 America’s Foodiest Small Town, Bon Appetit
- Durham’s Magnolia Grill is #11 Best Restaurant in the Nation, Gourmet Magazine
Health
- Triangle area is the #2 Healthiest Place, Outlook
- Durham is the #5 Most Smokefree in the Nation, US News and World Report
Sports
- #1 College Basketball Rivalry Duke and Carolina, ESPN
- Durham Bulls Athletic Park is #4 Top Ten Best Minor League Parks in the US and Canada, MinorLeagueNews
- Carolina Hurricanes, 2006 Stanley Cup Champions
This list doesn’t dive into the intangibles (beautiful parks and lakes, great music and art, and endless activities and entertainment for all interests) that make Durham and the Triangle such a wonderful place to live and work. Hopefully this will just wet your appetite, those looking to relocate and current residents alike, and have you exploring all that this gem of region has to offer. And this blog post just covers a portion, look forward to a series of blog posts exploring the area and what Bronto has to offer. But, in the meantime let me know what you uncover about the Triangle in your exploration!
Stacy Lyons
Corporate Recruiter at Bronto
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Great post! I guess it’s time for the rest of country to catch up.
@Chris Wheeler – Thanks! It seems Austin and Durham are neck and neck for being 2 of the “hippest”places to live.