Wilmington NC Info?

[JakeSupTX]

I'm seriously considering a move to Wilmington when I retire next October after 20 years in law enforcement (USCG and local police).  I'll be 42 and still have three kids at home, jr high and high school age. I'm taking a trip out in a few months to confirm that the scenery is what I'm thinking it is but I keep hearing conflicting reports on crime, economy, job market and schools.

Would any of you locals mind taking a minute and giving me the real low down on the area? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[feet]

Yo Jake,

I don't live in NC, but I have family in Wilmington and visit there a few times a year as I have been for the last 15 years or so.  I've also considered moving there, more than once, but I have yet to pull the trigger.  I would definitely retire there, but that won't be for another 25 years or so and I won't have to worry about kids in school.

At any rate, Wilmington is a relatively safe city.  I have walked around the downtown area and driven through the major parts of the city and have always felt safe. 

http://www.cityrating.com/crime-statistics/north-carolina/wilmington.html#.UKRHMoczO8A

My family lives in the Masonboro Loop Rd section of town on the eastern side near the ICW and its pretty suburban over there.  I would suggest that area if you are looking for a safe, relatively quiet place. 

Alternatively, check out Southport, NC.  A very cool, quaint little town about 25-30 minutes south of Wilmington, and right on the water.

As for the schools...well...they're not exactly horrible...  I think a lot of it depends on where you live and how well the local school is run.  NC as a state has a minimum salary for teachers based on years of experience, national certification, etc. and local school districts can vote to increase the teacher salary - the higher performing districts usually are found in more affluent areas.  No big surprise there. 

UNC, NC State, and Duke are all very good universities if your kids are considering attending college in NC and theyre all located in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area.

I can't really comment on the job market.  I'll just say I'd be taking a 50% paycut to move to NC and my cost of living decrease wouldn't come close to making up for the pay cut.  In considering other industries, I can't think of anything huge that would spell high paying jobs.  Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill has large multinational corporations as does Charlotte, but nothing like that comes to mind with the Wilmington area. 

Good luck! 

[Dwight (DW)]

Not sure what you want to know really. Most people only wish they could live here. It's paradise.

Until Winter comes 

Tons of super wealthy. Movie stars everywhere. But plenty of affordable living too.

Or you can live in the country real cheap and be at the beach in 20 minutes.

Companies don't have to pay high wages when everyone wants to live here. But there are high paying jobs too.

[kneil]

Jake, you are way ahead of me, Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach are at the top of my list for possible retirement spots.  While the ultimate dream is the PonoBill Hawaiian life, NC is more practical for me.  I like that their winter is more like an autumn, that rolls right back into spring, no real extended winter season.  AND it seems to be ground zero for SUP racing and surfing on the East coast.  I have been to several races there, each one better than the last, a real fun college town and great beach vibe.  Headed down there Friday for the Surf to Sound race.

[JakeSupTX]

Feet -  Thanks for taking the time to do that. I really appreciate it.

DW - What I am after is a peaceful, pretty area with good water, reasonable safety (compared to Houston....shouldn't be hard to beat that one) and a reasonable economy.

Jobs - I have two degrees and 20 plus years of solid, honest work ethic and experience. Finding a decent job that I don't have to sell my soul to is  the biggest issue for me as far as employment. It shouldn't be too hard to find something to feed us.

Solid schools - My kids are all straight A kids, they are making their own way, I just don't want to handicap them with a crap system. UNCW is attractive from the little I know so far. We don't need Ivy League prep, just a solid start into a decent college.

Winter - I grew up in Iowa, I know all about some cold....that's why I'm not going any further north than NC. Texas is hotter than Mars about nine months out of the year....that's why Florida is out, too, and the economy sucks there.

Peace - I'm burned out on blingy soccer moms, violence, pollution and metropolitan areas. Quiet and peaceful but not too far out into the sticks.

That's pretty much what I'm after.

[JakeSupTX]

Kneil - Sup is what drew my eye to Wilmington, I'm balancing the search with Charleston, SC. Kiting is what put Charleston on the map for me. I'm with you on living the Pono life, it would be great but I don't have those kind of bucks and am not willing to sell my soul to the degree it would take to achieve it. (Not being negative about about anybody else at all....it would take a monumental job for me to elevate myself from a cop to making the kind of bucks to live that good). I have the tools to live well and keep the overhead down, as long as the job market isn't completely dead. Quality over quantity from here on out.

Its all about the balance like you mentioned. I don't see myself completely immersing myself in the SUP life but I'd like to lean heavily on the vibe and a slower pace. The few SUP guys I have spoken with all seem really laid back and the kind of people I'd like to be around.

Thanks for the info so far, everybody. I appreciate it.

[feet]

I was just doing a little research on the schools in Wilmington and came across something interesting - Isaac M. Bear High School.  From the looks of it, it is a magnet high school for honors students and the students main goal is academic achievement, and to a lesser extent community service.  They don't have any art, music or athletic programs.  In their junior and senior years, the students have access to UNCW classes and would actually graduate high school with quite a few college classes under their belt.

I don't know if this is something that interests you, but I was impressed with that type of set up.  The other local HS, John T Hoggard looks like a decent school.  I would do some research before I bought a house on which school my kids would go to.  You should pay attention to things like # of Advance Placement courses offered and the number of 4's and 5's on those AP courses, and the average SAT scores for the school.  Also look at the number of kids accepted to 2-year and 4-year colleges and graduation rate.  Another important piece of info would be the # of kids at the school eligible for free and reduced lunch, student-teacher ratio, etc.  Also do a google news search for the HS and see what comes up.  Look it up on Wikipedia too. 

[JakeSupTX]

  Isaac Bear is one of the of the schools I had looked at, for exactly the reasons you had mentioned. It is an outstanding concept and it seems that if a kid can get in and put in some hard work, they can pretty much write their own ticket.  In our current school district they have a similar program called Clear Horizons, my oldest is applying this spring. Hopefully, a transfer into a similar program somewhere else won't be impossible. I really like the focus on academics although both of my daughters are in band and are going to miss it if they follow that path.

Thank you again for taking the time to give me that information. I assume you are an educator?   My mom, late-grandfather and current girlfriend are/were teachers. I don't know how they do it, it is a tough gig.

[feet]

Yes, I teach high school history.  I can't imagine doing anything else, its a great gig. 

No problem on the info.   I am interested in it, so I am kind of researching it for my own benefit too...no one can be completely altruistic, can they?

Let me know how things work out.

[JakeSupTX]

Thanks, man, I will. I'm hoping it turns into a great adventure.

[supthecreek]

JakeSupTX... errr... JakeSupNC
You sound like a great guy to live next to...
Good luck in your relocation... you must be stoked!

I have spent time on the Outer Banks and Myrtle Beach SC.... but my only experience with the Willmington area was on the inter-coastal while running my boat from Cape Cod to the Bahama's and back. The areas on the Wrightsville Beach side are amazing. Endless waterways to SUP, boat and surf... golf everywhere... what more could you ask for?

Enjoy the research!

[freetobeme]

Perfect living for East side US IMHO. 

Only visited once.  Stayed in Wrightsville beach. My kind of town.

[JakeSupTX]

Thanks  Creek, I appreciate that. I do try to keep the yard mowed and my kids under control.    I am really looking forward to continuing towards a more peaceful existence, I am super stoked for the adventure. I have a ton of logistical issues to wade through, like anybody prepping to uproot, but the journey has been fun so far.

I had the chance to take the dog to Galveston beach yesterday and spent the whole time thinking about clean sand and water up there.  I think it is the right chance to take. 

I've only made it to the Cape Cod area once but it is also a beautiful area. I got to bike the Rail Trail while I was there, talk about a great ride. I hope to push it on my longboard skateboard someday. It too cold and expensive for me to live there but I'm definitely going back to visit. I might wait until you guys get that whole great white thing sorted out, though, before I SUP or kite up there......those things scare the bejeezus out of me. I wonder how many ESDS units a guy can wear before he gets fried?

[JT]

The Wrightsville Beach area is on my retirement radar too, so I hope this thread remains alive, especially since it will be awhile before I cut the corporate umbilical cord. SUPing, SUP surfing, fishing, a temperate climate--all within range of the relatives (but not too close a range!). There seems a lot to like...

Almost slotted a recon/research trip next week, but didn't have enough time before the holiday.

[catdailey]

I think Charleston, SC is at the top of my retirement list right now, but it sounds as if I need to check out Wrightsville and Wilmington