I missed the question about a possible place to live. I LOVE it in NC! Like I mentioned before, I went to school in Raleigh, but now live about 2 hours west in the country. I love the proximity to both beach and mountains. As CorgiNole mentioned, things are a bit spread out so a car is a must. I met a lady who moved to Greensboro from NY and had to get her drivers license at 26 years old b/c it was so difficult to get around without a car. She tried walking and the bus system (which in our area is just getting started) and neither worked well for her.