In order:
- Rent is getting higher, much higher. But you can still get a 1b for under $1700 around here, I think. The bigger issue is just an outright lack of inventory.
- After living in NoVa/DC, you will laugh at traffic and parking complaints here. I was warned about it and braced myself for nightmare rush hour traffic jams that turned out to be 10-minute delays in rolling traffic. Deck parking in central downtown Raleigh is ****ing FREE on weekends, it’s crazy.
- Grocery stores of course depend on what area you live in.
- Homeless people aren’t an issue unless you move to a district where there will obviously be homeless people around (e.g. middle of downtown). Even then, it’s not remotely on the scale of DC.
- Can’t speak to the young people social scene. It’s a purple state, you’ll meet all kinds of people here with most being moderate one way or the other.
- The Triangle isn’t a big city vibe, it’s a cluster of medium-sized cities. Even Raleigh isn’t “built-up density” yet. Most of the surrounding area is suburban or downright rural. The beauty of this area is the range of lifestyles and the ability to pick an entire town (not a suburb but an established town) that suits your desires.
I would suggest not moving to central Durham or central Chapel Hill given your parameters. It sounds like you’re looking for more of a Cary, Apex, or Garner.