Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro is a fairly diverse region, as 55 percent of the city's residents are white; and almost 40 percent are black; with small Latino and Asian populations. A number of Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees have settled in Greensboro over the past several decades. In addition, there has been about a 4 percent increase in the city's Latino population since 2002. The city's population is fairly young, with about 45 percent of people between ages of 18 and 44. The majority of Greensboro's population holds a high school degree or higher, with about 34 percent holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

UNC Greensboro is located here, with a student population of more than 17,000, so you can expect a "college vibe" near the campus. There are a good number of popular places to eat and drink in the city, but it is not as metropolitan as other Southern cities like Charlotte or Atlanta. For Sunday Brunch, many locals enjoy the Green Valley Grill, which has a large buffet of down home country cooking for a reasonable price. The same goes for the Country Barbeque if you enjoy Southern cooking - it is a favorite among the locals. The First Street Draught House is a great place to grab a few drinks in a laid back environment. As far as clubs and lounges, Greensboro is slightly lacking, but there is a definite social scene here. Greensboro does have three theaters downtown, and about a dozen comedy/night club-type places in this area as well.

You can't forget that Greensboro is also home to 4 other colleges or universities (NC A&T, Greensboro College, Guilford College, and Bennett College). Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) is also here with 2 Greensboro campuses and 1 in neighboring Jamestown. It also looks like some of this information is a little outdated. The downtown Greensboro area is now far more crownded and hopping on Friday and Saturday nights than it ever is during the work week. There is a variety of dance clubs, cigar and wine lounges, independently owned restaurants and a great park in the middle of downtown with fountains, free Wi-Fi, benches, etc. The new Civil Rights Museum will be openening in February 2009 in the old Woolworth's building (site of the first sit-in for civil rights- the students involved attended NC A&T State university). Outside the downtown area there are still plenty of neighborhood places to hang. Fishers Bar and Grill (just outside of the downtown area on Elm Street/Fisher Ave), and multiple sports bars and independent restaurants all over town. If you prefer the chain places, like Chili's, Olive Graden, etc.

The cost of living in Greensboro is less than the national average, so renters can find good deals here. The city has lots of green space, but as a whole is not overly pedestrian-friendly. Though Greensboro is on the smallish side for an Eastern city, the crime levels here are considerably higher than the national average. In 2006, the city ranked higher than the national average on every category of violent and property crimes. Greensboro's crime levels are also higher than North Carolina's averages.

The median gross rent in 2007 was $681 per month.

The majority of Greensboro's residents have their own car, which they must use almost daily, though the city does have a public transportation system consisting of buses. The area does have several major highways, and isn't generally thought of as having extreme traffic problems. The closest airport to Greensboro is Piedmont Triad International Airport, which has daily flights with major carriers including US Airways and Continental. The airport is on the smaller side, and often more expensive than bigger airports in the area, but it is very convenient for residents of Greensboro. The city also has its own Amtrak station, which connects to major cities in the north and south.

The Greensboro Housing Coalition advises that before committing to a property, renters should check to see if a particular unit has met all of its inspections. The city keeps this information on file. If a rental unit was built prior to 1978, the owner of a particular unit must present any reports of lead paint, and accompanying literature.

The Greensboro Coliseum is where locals go for concerts and sporting events, and the Grasshoppers play in nearby New Bridge Bank Park. The city is home to a number of film festivals and other celebrations, including the Piedmont Jazz and Blues Festival; the Summertime Brews Festival, the Greensboro Festival of Lights and more. A number of local museums are in here, including the family-oriented Natural Science Center and the Children's Museum, which offers hands-on exhibits. The shopping and retail scene in Greensboro consists mostly of big box, chain stores, but there are several good boutiques here as well.

Southside neighborhood is located, as you might expect, in the south side of downtown Greensboro just to the west of South Elm St, south of the railway and north of East Lee St. It's a walk-able community with a number of restaurants and places to shop in the area. College Hill is located between West Market Street and Spring Garden Street, in and around Greensboro College, and had enjoyed considerable redevelopment during the past decade. The Aycock neighborhood is very historical, and features large houses in a picturesque Southern environment. Aycock is a very classy and prestigious place to live.

Greensboro has all the creature comforts of a mid-sized metropolis, including many large grocery stores, gyms and banks. The main bank branches in Greensboro are Wachovia, SunTrust and Bank of America. These each have more than 10 branches within the city limits. Some of the popular gym chains here include Gold's Gym, World Gym, the YMCA, and City Health Club. Popular grocery chains here include The Fresh Market and Harris Teeter.

Several large companies are located in Greensboro, including the Honda Aircraft Company and Volvo Trucks of North America. While the city is traditionally thought of as primarily being part of the textile and tobacco industries, there has been a movement to bring new businesses to the area.

Greensboro is part of the Guilford County School System, which has many elementary, middle and high schools. Overall, the school system receives above average ratings among parents. Two local high schools have made Newsweek's Top 100 list in recent years.

The average price of a home in Greensboro is in the range of $175,000 to $300,000. For townhouses, the mean price in 2007 was about $132,337. Locals report that Greensboro is "generally a buyer's market."

The city certainly experiences all four seasons, and summer can get pretty hot. Temperatures may get down as low as the 30s during the winter months. Greensboro-area historical tornado activity is near North Carolina state average. It is 3 percent greater than the overall U.S. average.