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Major North Carolina Metro Area Named 4th Best To Start A Career

Author Melanie Day

Getting started in a career field can be difficult. Entry-level jobs are often hard to come by, not well paying, and half the time still want experience. And with an influx of college graduates every year they can be competitive to get, especially without connections. But there are certain places that are just better to be if you’re looking to start a career. And one of those places just happens to be right here in NC. One of the largest metro areas in North Carolina was recently named the 4th best place to start a career. This is according to Bankrate.com.

This new chapter in your life can be overwhelming and anxiety-inducing, to say the least. But what makes a city one of the best to start your career in?  The availability of entry-level positions, the cost of rent, a community of other young professionals, as well as jobs with flexible schedules are work stations are all important factors. Bankrate says that in order to create this ranking they considered the following factors: “rent prices in relation to affordability, the employment picture and quality of life.” They ranked the 50 largest metros nationwide and these were the top 10:

  1. Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX
  2. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
  3. Salt Lake City, UT
  4. Raleigh-Cary, NC
  5. Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
  6. Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN
  7. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
  8. Kansas City, MO-KS
  9. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA
  10. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

So yes, the Raleigh North Carolina metro area ranked the 4th best to start a career. And this makes a lot of sense. You’ve got Research Triangle Park which is a hub for hundreds of companies, in a variety of industries including science and technology, government, academic institutions, startups, and nonprofits. You also have NC State, Duke, and UNC Chapel Hill all right there giving companies plenty of talent to choose from. Interestingly enough when it came time to start my career I went from Raleigh to Charlotte (though that wasn’t 100% my choice).

You can read the full study from Bankrate here.

Major North Carolina City Named Second Best Place To Live In The South

We all know both North and South Carolina are fantastic places to live. And we love to see that acknowledged by others. Whenever I come across any sort of best cities or best places to live list I’m always jumping to see where the Carolinas rank. And on this one, it’s pretty high! This time it’s the Best Places To Live In The South. And this list comes from a reputable source- US News and World Report. Whether it’s the beaches the Piedmont, or the mountains both Carolinas are great places to call home. There is something for everyone. Each year US News ranks the best places to live in the South. And this year 8 Carolina cities made the top 25.

Yes, the top 10 for the entire South. That’s big, North and South Carolina are home to almost a third of the best places to live in the South! In fact, three made the top 10, with 2 in the top 5. And yes the top 5 does come down to the two cities you’d expect Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham. And one of those two cities? It ranked the second best place to live in the entire South. I’ll spoil number one for you now- Huntsville, Alabama.

I know people have strong feelings about both Charlotte and Raleigh, but I’ve called the two cities home. Though I have lived in Charlotte for much more of my life, and love them both. Also featured on this list are a mountain town, a beach town, and some other North and South Carolina cities. You can read all the information on the methodology US News uses in ranking cities here. Below you’ll find the 8 North and South Carolina cities ranked as the best places to live in the South.

You can read the full list from US News & World Report here.

  • 23. Spartanburg, SC

    Coming in at number 23 on the best places to live in the south is Spartanburg, SC. This northern SC city offers options for outdoor adventure, is home to several performance venues, and is also home to the Spartanburg Regional History Museum. It also has easy access to I-85 to get you to Charlotte or Atlanta.

  • 21. Winston-Salem, NC

    Located in the Triad area of North Carolina, is Winston-Salem. Ranked the 21st best place to live in the south Winston Salem is home to around 250,000 residents. It’s home to Old Salem, the historic town. Winston-Salem also has options for art and music lovers and is home to Wake Forest University.

  • 16. Greenville, SC

    Greenville SC is a city that gets a lot of love lately. The downtown has been revitalized in the last decade or so and has become a destination in northern South Carolina. It’s known for its downtown waterfront park, restaurants, and breweries. The Greenville area gets some major concert tours and it’s host to the Greenville Country Music Festival each fall.

  • 14. Asheville, NC

    If it weren’t for the winters I wouldn’t mind calling the mountain paradise of Asheville home. While it does come with a higher cost of living than other areas, Asheville offers a thriving cultural scene. The area is home to numerous breweries, and world-class restaurants. Plus all the outdoor adventures you could ask for.

  • 12. Hickory, NC

    We may all be sleeping on Hickory. USA By The Numbers recently named the foothills town the “most beautiful and affordable place to live in America“. You’ll find the Catawba County city right at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, giving residents easy access to the NC mountains including Boone and Asheville as well as Charlotte.

  • 9. Myrtle Beach, SC

    Of course, the beach is a great place to live. Myrtle Beach is a tourist hot spot but is also home to around 35,000 year-round residents. They get to take advantage of not only the beach, but championship golf courses, and more restaurants than one person could possibly ever try. Plus any activity you can imagine, is probably available at Myrtle Beach.

  • 5. Charlotte, NC

    These types of lists often come down to the two largest cities in the state, and this time the largest, Charlotte, came in 2nd in NC and 5th overall. Charlotte is growing and changing daily and offers the draw of professional sports teams (Charlotte Hornets, Carolina Panthers, and Charlotte FC), concerts, restaurants, breweries, as well as Carowinds and the White Water Center. Access to a major international airport and a banking hub is great for jobs. Just don’t ask me about the cost of living, while better than many other area, its rising quickly.

  • 2. Raleigh and Durham, NC

    And the number 2 best city to live in the South? Raleigh or technically the Raleigh Durham area. With three major universities in the area and the Research Triangle Park providing numerous tech jobs, the economy is Raleigh is booming. It’s got a slightly more smaller feel than Charlotte with all the luxuries of a major city.

Melanie Day is a graduate of North Carolina State University. She has worked for Beasley since 2012 in a variety of behind-the-scenes roles in both digital and promotions. Melanie writes about a diverse range of topics some of her favorites include travel, restaurants, Taylor Swift, and college athletics. When not at work you'll find her at a country concert or NC State sporting event.

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