Possible relocation to Durham- school/neighborhood advice?

beckerella

Hello!

My husband is interviewing for a position in Durham later this month (Research Triangle area) so I'm looking for opinions on the public school system (both standard and magnet schools) and neighborhoods. We have a 4 year old who would be starting kindergarden next fall and an almost 2 year old. We have lived everywhere from big city (Chicago/LA) to Amish country PA so we're open to locations. I'm personally drawn towards historic homes with decent sized yards. I'd like to have as much info as possible to help us decide if the move is right for us.

Thanks!

TinyTRex321

We are in the district for Forest View Elementary and it is suppose to be a great school. We prefer the neighborhoods in SW Durham but they aren't historic. The historic neighborhoods sell for a lot more money and don't stay on the market for long. Also the ones I have seen don't have huge yards. Good luck in your search!

beckerella

Thanks!

jsm5684

I've been living in Durham for less than a year now and don't have any children in school yet, but the reputation of Durham's public schools is generally pretty poor. Our home is in the Watts-Hillandale (https://www.opendurham.org/category/neighborhood/watts-hillandale) neighborhood - a very safe, kid/family friendly, older neighborhood with some beautiful historic (1920's-1940's) homes, particularly along Club Blvd. The historic homes are generally quite pricey, but you can certainly find more affordable homes along the periphery of the neighborhood (where we live). It just depends on what you're looking for. If we had been planning a family when we moved here, I would've look for a home closer to Oval Park ... it's packed with young kids and families every day and would be great to have within walking distance. There are at least two homes for sale on Oakland Avenue (I drive by them daily) that are within walking distance, just as an fyi.

E K Powe is the public elementary school for our neighborhood and it actually has an excellent reputation- a rarity for a public school in Durham. Beyond that, I don't know many specifics about the schools in the area.

I hope this is helpful! If I can answer any other questions about moving to the area, I'd be happy to help

beckerella

Thanks @jsm5684!