map of research triangle nc

Raleigh-Durham International Airport ( RDU   IATA ) is the main airport for the region, located at the center of the metro area near the Research Triangle Park, just off I-40. A former hub of American Airlines and Midway Airlines, the airport today is one of the larger national airports without official hub status - some 9 million passengers embark and deplane annually, making it one of the nation's fastest-growing airports. American's strong continued presence here gives RDU daily direct service from London Heathrow , and Delta runs direct flights from Paris. Traditional and low-cost carriers offer flights from most East Coast cities, and Western cities including Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Denver. Air Canada offers several flights per day from Toronto.

RDU has two terminals; Southwest is the sole airline in the older Terminal 1, while the more modern and architecturally impressive Terminal 2 services the legacy carriers Alaska, American Airlines, Delta, and United, as well as the low-cost airlines Jetblue, Frontier, and Allegiant. There is a large rental car facility on-site. Public transit bus service is offered by Triangle Transit route #100, which runs between Raleigh and a transit center near the Research Triangle Park. Free WiFi is provided by Boingo—it's unlimited, but you have to look at an ad every 45 minutes.

In the winter , even a small amount of snow can cripple RDU, so plan for the risk of being delayed a day or two. That goes double if you're flying Southwest, as they're responsible for de-icing their own ramps.

• Interstate 40 cuts east-west through the Triangle, passing through Raleigh and the Research Triangle Park and along the outskirts of Durham and Chapel Hill, continuing west to Greensboro , Winston-Salem , and Asheville , and east to Wilmington .
• Interstates 85 and 95 run north-south through the area, providing easy access to the region from up and down the Eastern Seaboard. I-85 passes through Durham, continuing north to Petersburg , Virginia (where it terminates at I-95) and west, merging with I-40 to Greensboro before splitting off to Charlotte . I-95 doesn't serve the Triangle directly, but rather skirts the eastern edge of it, where you can take I-40, US-64, US-70, or US-264 into the Triangle.
• US-1 , the East Coast corridor route, cuts through Raleigh on its way from New York to the Florida Keys.

Amtrak serves the Triangle with three routes: the Piedmont runs twice-daily to Charlotte , a trip of just over three hours, serving Raleigh, Cary, and Durham. The Carolinian runs once a day between Charlotte and the Eastern Seaboard, serving the same stops as the Piedmont, while the once-daily Silver Star stops in Cary and Raleigh on its way between New York City and Florida .

There are two intercity bus carriers serving the Triangle: Greyhound serves depots in Raleigh and Durham , while Megabus has a stop in Durham on its Charlotte - Washington, D.C. route. The regional bus system PART (Piedmont Authority for Regional Transit) has one line to Chapel Hill from the Piedmont Triad .

Given the very spread-out and suburban nature of the Triangle, driving is easily the most convenient way to get around. Interstate 40 is the main east-west corridor that links up the main cities of the Triangle, passing through Raleigh, the Research Triangle Park, and past RDU airport and Chapel Hill. The Durham Freeway (NC 147) links the Research Triangle Park and I-40 to Durham, while US-15/501 connects Durham to Chapel Hill. The Triangle Expressway , North Carolina's first modern toll road, follows NC 147 from I-40 to I-540, then NC 540 to Apex and Holly Springs. There are also two loop freeways circling Raleigh and serving many of the suburbs: I-440 circles the central portion of Raleigh proper, while I-540 traverses much of the suburban fringe north of Raleigh before heading south to the Research Triangle Park. South of the RTP, I-540 becomes a state-run toll freeway for the stretch around Cary south to Apex.

Each of the main cities operates a local bus service. Regional service is provided by Go Triangle , which operates all-day service daily (no service during certain holidays) between Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and several other towns in the area, operating out of a hub (the Regional Transit Center, RTC) near the Research Triangle Park. RTC has restrooms, water fountains, and a window selling bus passes, but basically no other amenities. Fortunately, the bus schedules are coordinated so that you can make transfers quickly without having to wait around at the transit center. Fares cost $2.25 per trip (one transfer is free), with $4.50 for a day pass.

The universities ! They're what the region is known for: Chapel Hill has UNC, Durham has Duke, and Raleigh has NC State (as well as several other lesser-known schools). All three have attractive campuses that include historic buildings. Naturally, they also include various other sights within their ecosystems, from varied museums to extensive botanical gardens and arboretums at all three universities (Duke Gardens in Durham are the best).

The area also has its share of historic districts and the like. Especially worth noting are several antebellum and Civil War sites in Durham, Hillsborough 's walkable downtown, and Raleigh's State Capitol building.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences , which hosts an IMAX theatre, and has live presentations by visiting experts (from universities in the area) on certain days, is a very engaging (for audiences ranging from ages 5 to adults), modern, and top-tier institution that is well-worth visiting. The North Carolina Museum of History is located right next to it has many exhibits covering the history of North Carolina. Both museums are in downtown Raleigh.

With the many universities in the area, it should come as no surprise that college sports are a big deal here. The Duke Blue Devils, the North Carolina Tar Heels, and (to a lesser extent) the NC State Wolfpack all have fiercely loyal fan bases, with immensely popular football and basketball programs. The Carolina-Duke rivalry is particularly fierce, with two of the most well-regarded basketball programs in the country. Non-college sports teams in the area include the popular Durham Bulls minor league baseball team and Raleigh's Carolina Hurricanes NHL hockey team.

There are many excellent performing arts spaces in the Triangle, hosting a lively theater scene. The lion's share of these are located in Durham, which is home to the prominent Durham Performing Arts Center , the historic Carolina Theatre , and a number of small, independent local theaters. Downtown Raleigh is home to the state-run Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts , which plays host to the state ballet, opera, and symphony.

And if you're looking to get away from the towns for some outdoor activities, the Triangle and its surrounding rural areas have state parks and nature . Particularly worth a visit are Eno River State Park near Durham , Umstead State Park in Raleigh , Raven Rock State Park near Fuquay-Varina , and Jordan Lake to the southwest of the metro area.

The American Tobacco Trail is a 22.6-mile (36.4-km) trail that runs from Durham in the north, to Apex in the south, cutting across wild forests for the more than 10   mi (16   km) that run south of the I-40, and more urban landscape to the north. The trail supports running, biking, and even horse back riding, and is widely used by residents of the area.

Boasting an impressive list of award-winning and nominated chefs and restaurants, Raleigh has become a hotbed for exciting and modern dining experiences. Durham and Chapel Hill have more than their share of quality restaurants as well. For visitors who want to sample local cuisine, restaurants serving authentic North Carolina cooking can be found in all three of the Triangle's main cities.

Out of the three cities, Chapel Hill is considered to have the best bars, due to the abundance of students in the area. Durham and Raleigh also have a fair share of drinking establishments, mainly centered around the universities.

• Charlotte Metro — centered around Charlotte , the biggest city in North Carolina, a bustling, rapidly growing economic powerhouse (not unlike the Triangle)
• Piedmont Triad — an urban area nearby that's also centered around three main cities
• Wilmington – the beach!
• Kitty Hawk — where the Wright brothers broke us free from the bonds of gravity. It has a museum that honors and explains their achievements.
• Asheboro — home of the North Carolina zoo.

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The Triangle

The Research Triangle, also known as Raleigh-Durham and commonly referred to as simply "The Triangle", is a region in the Piedmont of North Carolina in the United States, anchored by North Carolina State University , Duke University , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , and cities of Raleigh , Durham , and Chapel Hill respectively. The eight-county region, officially named the Raleigh-Durham-Cary CSA, comprises the Raleigh-Cary and Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan areas and the Dunn Micropolitan Statistical Area. A 2009 Census Estimate put the population at 1,742,816. 

The "Triangle" name was cemented in the public consciousness in the 1950s with the creation of Research Triangle Park , home to numerous high-tech companies and enterprises. Although the name is now used to refer to the geographic region, "The Triangle" originally referred to the universities, whose research facilities, and the educated workforce they provide, have historically served as a major attraction for businesses located in the region. The region should not be confused with "The Triad", which is a North Carolina region adjacent to and directly west of the Triangle comprising Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point, among other cities. Most of the Triangle is represented by, and closely associated with, the second, fourth and thirteenth congressional districts.

Primary cities

• Chapel Hill

Suburbs with more than 10,000 inhabitants

Fuquay-Varina

Holly Springs

Morrisville

Wake Forest

Suburbs with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants

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Research Triangle

Learn about this topic in these articles:.

…activities; central to this is Research Triangle Park, just south of Durham, which encompasses 11 square miles (28 square km) and is devoted entirely to research facilities.

…is part of North Carolina’s Research Triangle, a three-county area of cultural, scientific, and educational activities that includes Research Triangle Park to the northwest. The North Carolina Museum of Art is also in Raleigh, as are the North Carolina Museum of History, North Carolina Museum of Natural Science, and Mordecai…

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What is the triangle in nc.

October 02nd, 2020

What is the Triangle in North Carolina?

One of the most common questions we receive is 'what is the Triangle in NC?' - Click here to search for Triangle Real Estate

The Research Triangle area in North Carolina is named after the three prestigious universities of Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University. These three institutions are located in the three cities of Raleigh , Durham , and Chapel Hill , which, if connected by an imaginary line on a map would form a Triangle. This is why the area is referred to as the Triangle area of NC.

The current estimated population of the Triangle or the Research Triangle is estimated to be around 2,079,687 in the combined statistical area. This makes it the second-largest combined statistical area in North Carolina (with the first being the Charlotte area ).

Research Triangle Park

The Research Triangle Park, which is also known as RTP, established itself in 1959 and became a primary driver for economic growth in the Triangle area. It's fairly close to the middle of the 'Triangle' and thus the name Research Triangle Park (RTP). The park is bounded by the cities of Cary and Morrisville , which along with Raleigh, Durham , and Chapel Hill have become hotbeds for the technology industry. Today, the Research Triangle Park is home to many of the world's top technology and healthcare companies and the list of great companies continues to grow. The list of businesses  in RTP currently sits around 300 and includes companies like IBM, Cisco, Microsoft, NVIDIA, GlaxoSmithKline, and more.

Oftentimes the Research Triangle Park is referred to a miniature Silicon Valley thanks to the density of technology companies that operate in the area.

Thanks to the Research Triangle Park the surrounding cities of Cary, Morrisville, and Apex  have seen a large uptick in their economic growth. With so many folks moving to the Raleigh area  for job changes or better ways of life the neighboring towns have experienced a large growth in their populations. Specifically, cities like Holly Springs , Fuquay-Varina , Garner , Clayton , and Wake Forest .

Raleigh-Durham Airport

Located near the Research Triangle Park you'll find the Raleigh-Durham International Airport which is continually growing, adding new flights, and bringing in new airlines to assist with the increased demand of folks doing business and living in the Triangle. The Raleigh-Durham International Airport, also known as RDU is one of the many reasons Raleigh and Durham have experienced so much growth. The airport is clean, efficient, and helps folks to travel for business or pleasure throughout the United States and Internationally.

Moving to the Triangle Area

If you're one of the many folks moving to the Triangle area you'll likely want to contact  a local real estate company to help assist in you researching the area. Additionally, you can visit any of our blog articles which are great local resources for anyone who may not be familiar with the Triangle area. More often than not people are relocating to the Triangle for a job change or a better quality of life. A conversation allows us to help you get to know the area before you even arrive, this way you have a good understanding of what to expect and know all the things to do in the area .

Homes in the Triangle

One of the many reasons so many people are moving to the Triangle is the affordability of homes for sale in our area. You will find homes priced around the $300,000 mark on average and that number continues to grow as more and more people are looking to relocate. Many folks are moving to the Triangle from California or one of the colder cities in the north thanks to the affordability, the weather, and the overall quality of life that North Carolina offers.

Ryan Fitzgerald

Hi there! Nice to 'meet' you and thanks for visiting our Raleigh Real Estate Blog! My name is Ryan Fitzgerald, and I'm a REALTOR® in Raleigh-Durham, NC, the owner of Raleigh Realty. I work alongside some of the best Realtors in Raleigh . You can find more of my real estate content on Forbes, Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and more. Realtor Magazine named me a top 30 under 30 Realtor in the country (it was a long time ago haha). Any way, that's enough about me. I'd love to learn more about you if you'd like to connect with me on Facebook and Instagram or connect with our team at Raleigh Realty . Looking forward to connecting!

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Things to Do in the Triangle, North Carolina

May 21, 2018 eric gamble.

Table of Contents

It’s a Mecca for Basketball Lovers

HOT TIP : Admission is free Tuesday-Saturday at The Carolina Basketball Museum

See the Autumn Leaves Change

Seeing the Autumn leaves change colors is definitely an item on many people’s bucket list. But most people think they have to either go driving in New England or sit on the porch of a luxury hotel in Gatlinburg . Howeveer, there is just something about walking on a picture-perfect fall day around the Triangle of North Carolina. With variations of gold, red, and orange engulfing the area, you will be truly amazed. So, if this is on your bucket list, you will definitely want to head to the Triangle no earlier than mid-October.

Drink Craft Beer

• Raleigh Brewing Company – They offer a brewery tour the first and third Saturday each month.
• Fullsteam Bewery – Instead of “Farm to Table” Fullsteam Brewery follows a “plow to pint” philosophy – using only local produce to make their beers.
• Sam’s Quik Shop – With one of the largest selections in the country, this old gas station is now North Carolina’s largest and oldest craft-beer store.
• Carolina Brewery – Since 1995, Carolina Brewery has been awarded over 100 awards for brewing excellency. You will see why with their wide range of thirst-quenching beers. Experience their look special behind-the-scenes via free Brewery Tours & Tastings on Saturdays.
• Crank Arm Brewing Company – This fun bike-themed independent brewery focuses on unfiltered great tasting beer.

Go to some of the Biggest Film Festivals in the World

• The Carrboro Film Festival – This two day celebration in November, for the past 12 years, has been showcasing short films, feature films, narratives documentaries, and every film genre in between.
• North Carolina Gay & Lesbian Film Festival – Since 1995, the second largest gay, lesbian and transgender film festival in the Southeast, has featured an array of shorts, documentaries and feature films every August.
• Nevermore Film Festival – This film competition festival every February showcases more than 500 features and shorts from around the world. The festival highlights horror, science fiction, dark fantasy, animation, mystery/suspense, and action-thrillers films.
• Full Frame Documentary Film Festival – This annual international festival is dedicated to the theatrical exhibition of nonfiction cinema. For four days every April, they showcase nearly 100 films in historic downtown Durham, North Carolina.

See A Bald Eagle at Jordan Lake

Go Ziplining

Go Hiking in the Beautiful Outdoors

Take a Guided Tour with locals in the Triangle Area

Have you ever been to the Triangle area of North Carolina? Which of the things to do in the North Carolina Triangle is your favorite? Have we left out any other Bucket List Things to Do in the Triangle, North Carolina that you would recommend? Let us know in the comments below!

Don’t forget to Pin this to your Bucket List Board!

Related posts:, 37 thoughts on “ things to do in the triangle, north carolina ”.

I didn’t associate the triangle area with film festivals. I’m a lifelong northeasterner and have seen many of my fellow yanks make the move down south!

When you said it had great beer and lots of awesome basketball, I thought “sold”, where I do I sign up. The Triangle looks like a fantastic place to raise a family and also, to enjoy the outdoors.

I would so love to experience that free fall at the zip line. Also those fall colours! And seems like a picturesque destination for hiking too. The Triangle packs in quite the punch !

North Carolina is one state I’ve yet to visit when in the US, but one I’d really like to visit. I never knew about the film festivals you have there, that’s pretty cool! The outdoors looks fantastic, and those colors are mesmerizing!

My favourite time of the year is autumn so sign me up for the autumn leave change photography! Definitely sounds like my husband and I would enjoy NC as I am into photography and the outdoors and he is into outdoors and film festivals. A place that would indulge both our interests.

From all the list of things to do in Triangle North Carolina, I guess the first thing I would do is to visit the Basketball Museum. I’m a big fan of this! then that season change would be nice to watch. Great list indeed!

I haven’t yet been to North Carolina, but it looks just beautiful in your photos — all the green, especially! I’d love to experience the Xtreme Ziplining and the leaves turning colors for autumn. I had no idea NC was a center for film festivals, but it would be fun to check out one of those, too.

I’ve never actually heard of The Triangle before. I have always heard such nice things about North Carolina and have always intended to visit eventually. Looks like I’ve got a new area to add to my itinerary!

I’ve heard such sweet things about North Carolina but haven’t seen much specific before. It looks like nature takes center stage. I’m always a fan of big birds and would love spying an eagle, hiking trails and be ziplining through the treetops.

Really nice tips and amazing photos. Awesome that you clicked a Bald Eagle in motion.

I lived in North Carolina for a few years, there’s something to do for everyone 🙂

It’s hard to believe North Carolina, home of the transgender bathroom case, also hosts the largest LGB film festival. Then again, I have always heard that life inside the Triangle is different from other parts of the state. It’s amazing how a dense population of multinational research campuses can tend to liberalize a culture. Now that we’re living on the East Coast, we’ll need to head up to NC and check it all out.

This place is great because it has amazing outdoor activities and the beautiful maple trees. it has a perfect combination of nature tripping and sporty surrounding. My husband will really enjoy that zipline and the basketball games.

I didn’t know North Carolina was so cool! I love beer so I definitely need to check Carolina Brewery… 100 awards for brewing excellency… it must be something amazing! And zip lining must also be lots of adrenaline!

I would love to try the ziplining and definitely go hiking. Thanks for sharing about the Triangle!

I have spent lot much time in US and traveled extensively in interiors. But not covered North Carolina. Liked your post with lot of info on this side supported by stunning pics. Love all.

This is a comprehensive guide to visiting The Triangle! I will definitely keep it in mind whenever we visit Nort Carolina.

I haven’t heard of The Triangle and I live in the south. That sounds like a really nice place to go for a min vacation during the Autumn times to see the leaves change.

Also known as the Research Triangle, but you know the area because it includes Raleigh and Durham and we all know how they produce great basketball teams

Thank you for this valuable article 🙂 I’ll send it to my Husband, because he’s the biggest fan of basketball and loves hiking as well 😉 If I get US visa, I can join him in hiking as well and participate in some interesting events.

Btw. Do you recommend also something strictly for families with infants? 🙂

I am actually in North Carolina right now. We are south of Charlotte and will be camping qt McDowell Nature Preserve. North Carolina is beautiful.

Wow, I bet McDowell Nature Preserve is beautiful too! I loved backpacking and camping throughout all of North Carolina when we used to go when I was younger

I’d love to try out the zipline! I think it would be scary but so much fun too!

So Triangle in North Carolina has something for everyone in the store, craft beer sounds amazing! Great post!

Who would have thought it. This would make such a lovely trip. Love the forests and autumn colours. One thing i know is one should not leave without seeing the bald eagle. Yes?

I agree but you have to be there in the summer to see the bald eagles in the Triangle area of North Carolina

You got here a great list of things to do in North Carolina! I can’t wait to go ziplining one day… After reading your post I would consider North Carolina for it.:) Carla The Fashion Mixologist Blog

Love to visit North Carolina and enjoy basketball, craft beer and be surrounded by those beautiful autumn leaves.

I love hiking in North Carolina. It’s a beautiful state

The Autumn leaves change looks amazing! Definitely something worth seeing 🙂

Must do a family trip up there! Those autumn leaves look so gorgeous 😍!

I’d definitely come for the sports…but stay for those hiking trails! Ziplining is always a fun idea, but I never thought about doing it in North Carolina…until now!

Yeah it wasn’t necessarily the first place I thought of either for ziplining but let me tell you for ziplining but in that area of North Carolina, is an absolute must

I had no idea there was so much craft beer in North Carolina! Sounds excellent. The autumn leaves all look gorgeous as well.

Yeah if you Love drinking craft beers then North Carolina is the state for you

it seems you enjoyed a lot your trip, i would go there once in life and want to enjoy like you. Thanks for sharing good trip experience.

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Raleigh-Durham International Airport

Welcome to the research triangle region.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport serves the Research Triangle Region of North Carolina, a multi-county area that includes the state capitol of Raleigh, as well as the vibrant cities of Durham, Chapel Hill and Cary along with dozens of larger towns and small communities throughout the central portion of the state.

Our region’s name comes from the Research Triangle Park, one of the largest dedicated research and industry zones in the nation. “RTP,” as it’s known locally, is located inside a triangle of major universities in Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh when looking at a map.

The area has a rich history dating back to the Revolutionary War period and is known for sports, the arts and culture. From our own National Hockey League Carolina Hurricanes to many college sports teams to theatre and music venues and small town festivals, there are many ways to experience the Research Triangle Region.

Explore our region We invite you to enjoy the best of the Research Triangle Region. During your trip explore the offerings via the links below. When you arrive at RDU, visit our information desks upon arrival for help planning your visit. Each of our Guest Services ambassadors is a certified N.C. Travel Counselor.

• Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitor Bureau
• Durham Convention and Visitor Bureau
• Raleigh Convention and Visitor Bureau
• Visit North Carolina

Chapel Hill Neighborhoods & Triangle Area Real Estate

Marianne Howell Wright-Triangle Area Real Estate

Triangle area nc.

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What is the Triangle Area of North Carolina

Raleigh, durham and chapel hill are towns in nc that form the points of a triangle. the area has been called the triangle since the 60’s, named after research triangle park., what is research triangle park (rtp), counties,towns and cities i would include in the triangle:, population of the triangle area, about triangle counties: wake, durham, chatham, and orange, wake county,  orange county, hip part of the triangle now, chatham county,  johnston county, living in the triangle, is the triangle, nc liberal or conservative, (raleigh, chapel hill, durham, cary, holly springs), the weather in the triangle area, it’s big and varied.

When I get calls from people considering relocating to the Triangle I often hear “We are moving to Raleigh , will you help us find the best neighborhood?” Raleigh doesn’t usually mean Raleigh but one of the many towns in the Triangle. I want to answer the question, What is the Triangle and what towns and cities are included besides Raleigh?

Raleigh is in the Triangle area of NC

RTP is a research and technology industrial park about 7 miles long and 2 miles long located in Durham County in about the middle of the Triangle. It isn’t a town or city, it’s an area in the middle of the Triangle set aside for research and development. Many big companies are located there. Driving through RTP you would never know there is anything there because the buildings are set back behind trees and it really does look like a park. It os very convenient to RDU airport.

Each of the 3 towns has a large university. Chapel Hill is the home of the University of North Carolina (UNC) , Duke University is in Durham and NC State is located in Raleigh. The 3 cities are about 30 minutes apart. Duke University Hospital and  UNC Health  are huge, award winning hospital centers.

As time has gone on more towns and 5 counties are considered part of the Triangle even though they don’t fit in the triangle of Raleigh , Durham and Chapel Hill.

Raleigh, Cary , Apex , Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville,Wake Forest, Wendell and Zebulon and Clayton are in Wake County

Chapel Hill , Carrboro and Hillsborough are in Orange County.

Durham County and Durham City are in Durham County

Pittsboro, and some homes with a Chapel Hill address are in Chatham County.

Clayton  is in Johnston County

The Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill area has a population of around 2 million people.

Wake County has several towns that share a school district, the Wake County Public Schools . Raleigh is in Wake County and is the state capital. There are around 425,0000 people living in Raleigh Metro Area.

Cary , Apex , Fuquay-Varina, Garner,Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville,Wake Forest, Wendell and Zebulon are all towns in Wake County.  You may have heard of Cary (not so little any more with 160,000 residents).

Raleigh downtown

Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough are three towns in Orange County NC. Chapel Hill has a population of around 60,000 and Carrboro 20,000. Carrboro is next to Chapel Hill and has the highest density in the State . These numbers increase when UNC is in session.  Hillsborough has about 6500 people living in that charming small town and is the county seat of Orange County.

There are two school districts in Orange County. the Orange County Public Schools and the  Chapel Hill-Carrboro School District, rated very highly in the State.

Homes for sale in the Chapel Hill School District

Durham is a large county with a  population of around 250,000. The school system is Durham County Public Schools.

Durham was a tobacco town

When I moved to the Triangle back in the early 80’s Durham was pretty much a tobacco town. Not too far out in Durham County farmers raised tobacco and dried it in tobacco barns. In the city of Durham, old factories processed the tobacco. It seemed everyone smoked in Durham back then.

Durham Bulls

The old tobacco warehouses have been converted into shops, offices and commercial space. New restaurants have opened and the music scene is lively. Lots of Triangle residents come to Durham now and many live and work there.

Chatham County Court House, Pittsboro

Chatham County was the forgotten county when I first moved to Chapel Hill. It wasn’t even mentioned in the local news or weather forecasts. Things have really changed over the years and now the area is called the next Cary. Development is moving into the area in a very big way.

Chatham County Developers Paradise. This was years ago and a joke but I thought the County Commissioners had put it up when I drove by and spotted it. My husband looked at the photo and noticed developers paradise was stick on letters. The big neighborhood Briar Chapel had just been approved,

Jordan Lake is a 14,000 acre lake with camping, fishing, boat ramps and kayak and canoe tours . You will see all kinds of wildlife around the lake. There are no homes built on the lake. It’s a reservoir for the area including Cary.

One of 7 Jordan Lake Boat Ramps

Johnston County is south of Raleigh. Clayton is a town usually considered part of the Triangle. It’s around 45 minutes the airport and RTP with no traffic. When the extension of 540, the outer loop road around Raleigh is completed in around 10 years it will be much easier to get to.

I enjoy asking my clients what’s it like for them living in the Triangle and how it’s different from what they imagined and how they feel about the differences. Over and over I hear similar things.

The Triangle is green!

• The roads are so well-kept and wide and there’s not much traffic
• There are so many trees, you can’t tell there are neighborhoods behind them
• It’s much more rural than I expected
• The schools are so new
• It’s hard to tell what isn’t a good area (there aren’t many)
• The houses are more expensive than I expected
• The lots are so small in the new neighborhoods
• I expected it to be more urban

Those are a few common impressions and are characteristics of the Triangle.It does depend where you are coming from too.The area has grown so fast it is new. Cary just had about 6,000 residents when I move to the Triangle. Now there are over 140,000 people living in Cary. Chatham County, right outside Chapel Hill, has really grown  recently but for years it was never mentioned on the local TV stations and weather forecasts. We are lucky that growth has been planned with developers required to leave lots of green space and cluster homes. (that’s why the lots are so small and there is so much woods left). Roads must be widened and turn lanes and sidewalks added with each new development. Larger developments will have to donate land for schools and parks so the schools are new with park like settings.

New homes are very close together

It’s common for my clients to ask  if Chapel Hill ( or Carrboro, Raleigh,Cary, Apex, Holly Springs,  etc) is conservative or liberal . I usually answer that the area has people moving from all over the country and world and there will be people similar to you in any area of the Triangle. There are lots of unaffiliated voters and micro areas where one party may outnumber another but it’s mostly pretty evenly distributed. If you are  concerned about having neighbors with differing views this is an excellent tool. Just put in the street you are considering for your new home and you can see the neighbors and their party affiliation. You don’t need an exact address, just the street. You can get the adjacent streets on Google Maps and check those streets too.

Voter Registration by Address . 

We have seasons and both very hot and very cold weather, at least for a day or two. Most of the year it’s wonderful. The summers are hot and humid from June to September. Sometimes people are surprised that we usually have  a few days of snow every year especially when I say the secondary roads aren’t plowed. It doesn’t matter, everything closes and it melts in a day or so.

Snow in Triangle NC

The Triangle is a huge area . It helps to have an idea what kind of commute you want to the office, school or the airport. If schools are a priority you will want to do some research. I can help with that and have more information on my  Chapel Hill web site  and  Cary web site .

Come for a visit and find out what the Triangle has to offer. The Triangle area real estate market has a lot of options if you are thinking about moving.

What are the best places to live in the Triangle?

Marianne Howell Wright , Realtor. Broker Owner Triangle Area Real Estate ,

919-274-4365

[email protected]

What is a real estate buyer’s agent and why do I need one?

Marianne Howell Wright, Triangle Area Real Estate   +1 (919) 274-4365    I am a Realtor and real estate buyers agent specializing in relocation to Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, Holly Springs, Durham and N. Raleigh areas of North Carolina. YOUR interests come … read more

Cary is different!

Are you curious about cary i have a website for cary too.

Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools

Triangle taxes SAT Scores for 2019. Chapel Hill/Carrboro City School district still has the highest average in the State. There are only 3 high schools in the district and all are excellent. You can see there isn't a huge difference in the scores. Test scores don't tell the whole picture. NC has a … read more

Chip’s Raleigh Web Site

Curious about the best raleigh neighborhoods.

• Research Triangle Park
• Boxyard RTP
• Frontier RTP

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Company listing.

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