What are the best cities/areas of NC to live and raise a family?

What areas are best in terms of job opportunities, safety, friendly people, culture and affordable housing? What towns surrounding major cities are best to live? I will have a BS in Accounting soon and my fiance is a plumber/pipe fitter and welder. Where are the best areas for us to live?

Public Comments

1. Henderson, NC Warrenton, NC Oxford, NC Franklinton, NC Stem, NC Middleburg, NC Roxboro, NC Bahama, NC Cary, NC Apex Cost of living cheap, contact Susan Waters in Henderson, NC.. She has an accounting firm there. David Waters is her husband, he is the District attorney in Oxford I am in Seattle HENDERSON, HENDERSON, HENDERSON, NC
2. if i had my choice it would be Asheville..--its small (only 70,000) but very lively, progressive and has some opportunities..plus your surrounded by forests and mountains..it always appears on "best places" lists
3. Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte are the two "major cities" of NC. I believe they each boast somewhere between 200-300 thousand residents. In your situation, I'd live outside of Raleigh. Check out the Cary and Wake Forest (the city, not the school) areas. Durham is a lot more culturally diverse..the Duke area is a really cool area to live, but is more pricey. Other large cities include Charlotte (South Park is a really nice area), Greensboro, Asheville, Winston Salem and Chapel Hill.
4. My favorite is Asheville, NC
5. I have a good friend that lives in Clayton and is an accountant. Clayton is southeast of Raleigh. He really likes it but is also considering a move to Ashville because of the beautiful environment and small-town safe feeling.