Whether deciding to return for family or work, simply seeking a slower pace, or a different location, whatever may be the case, recent research is showing that migration back to Greensboro is becoming increasingly common, in particular, from our states bigger cities. According to Redfin.com migration data, 20% of people moving to Greensboro are moving just from Raleigh alone. When you add Charlotte statistics to that, the number of people moving back increases to almost 30%, and this is the migration data from solely Raleigh and Charlotte, let alone the increase you might see with the addition of other NC cities.
Keep reading to hear our thoughts on why so many people are choosing to come back to Greensboro after having tried their hands in other cities.
Reason 1 – Opportunity
The first reason we can see for moving back is likely because of all the opportunities coming to the city. To give just a few examples, Greensboro is set to house the Toyota Battery Plant for electric vehicles which will provide countless jobs for Greensboro residents and beyond.
Companies like Amazon and Publics, with their distribution centers in Greensboro, also provide a large amount of employment. There is also currently big development underway at Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTI) that is set to bring supersonic jet company, Boom, to Greensboro. This is a huge deal, as economists say just the toyota plant cant bring 12,000 high paying jobs alone.
While future development is worth noting, Its important to keep in mind that Greensboro already leads the state in IT job growth at 146%. There are 2100 IT jobs currently open in Greensboro, a lot of which are very high paying. Last year alone we saw a 48.6% uptick in just 6 figure jobs. This growth does not include blue collar jobs, which provide a whole other level of opportunity. Suffice to say there is no shortage of progress to look forward to, which is a big draw to those seeking to move back..
Reason 2- Overall Affordability
The second reason we believe Greensboro is so attractive to people looking to move back is its overall affordability. Not only are the general cost of food, restaurants, utilities, and property taxes substantially lower than bigger cities, but the price of housing is a huge difference. For example, what you can get in the 300,000 range in areas like Raleigh or Charlotte, which may be a 2 bedroom one bath, likely a fixer upper, when you compare with what that would get you in Greensboro, you’re looking at something much nicer, newer, and possibly even double in size.
Reason 3- Space and infrastructure
While Greensboro is growing, it’s not growing quite as fast as other surrounding cities. With that growth being less substantial, Greensboro is able to stay ahead of problems way more easily. Things such as rush hour traffic, while terrible in bigger cities like Raleigh and Charlotte, is a relatively lacking in Greensboro. This alone is a huge attraction for people who are used to commuting in it every day. Issues like continuously growing population, and demands for housing and space do not strike quite as hard here, allowing for quicker and more thorough improvements to the city’s infrastructure needs.
Reason 4- Overall Better Quality of Life
All of the prior reasons combined help to add up to the number 4 reason for moving back, which is overall quality of living. People who were asked, claimed they were surprised at how much better the quality of life was in Greensboro as opposed to bigger cities. Whether moving back for family, work, geographic location, or just having lived elsewhere and finding themselves in need of a change, answers were consistent. With so much to do and so much to offer in a smaller area, with less traffic, less crowds, not to mention easy access to the beach or mountains within a 3 hours or less drive, it’s no surprise that a lot of folks just feel generally more at ease in an area like greensboro, making it a prime location to settle down.
We find it so interesting and exciting that so many people are choosing to return to the city, and we can say with 100% certainty that Greensboro North Carolina, with its current momentum, will only see more progress and improvements. The city is definitely on its way to becoming an overall favorite amongst North Carolinians. If you or anyone you know has any thoughts or interest in moving back to Greensboro, we would be more than happy to assist in any way we can. Contact Jeff at Valentino Group with any questions or inequities you may have.
