For Allison Roberts, the decision to move to North Carolina began with a borrowed phone charger. Stranded at a Miami airport with her son after a canceled flight, she struck up a conversation with a Durham professor that helped turn the Triangle into her next home.

 

From 2020 to 2024, the population increased by 10.2%, far exceeding the U.S. overall average of 2.6%, according to the Axios Raleigh Population Report. That growth can be attributed to both domestic and international migration. The influx is largely driven by job opportunities in the tech, life sciences and healthcare sectors. 

 

Education played a central role in Allison’s decision. After researching schools and communities in Cary, Raleigh and Chapel Hill, she chose Panther Creek High School for her son, Isaiah. The region’s educational reputation extends beyond its schools: A WalletHub study reported by CBS 17 ranked Durham–Chapel Hill second and Raleigh–Cary seventh among the nation’s most educated metropolitan areas.

 

“I knew how bright, intelligent, and capable he was, and I wanted to find a school that would challenge him academically while providing an environment where he could grow, develop, and reach his full potential,” said Roberts.

 

But finding the right school was only part of the transition. When Roberts and her son moved to North Carolina in July 2019, he left behind the friends and familiar surroundings of his childhood in New Jersey. 

 

Building a life in the Triangle meant finding a sense of belonging, too. For newcomers, that search can involve choosing between the region’s urban centers and suburban neighborhoods, each offering a different pace of life. 

 

Raleigh offers museums and downtown entertainment, while Durham has restaurants, local shops and performing arts venues. Chapel Hill’s identity is closely tied to its university and college-town atmosphere. Cary combines suburban neighborhoods with parks, outdoor recreation and a downtown of its own.

 

“The decision to move was about much more than changing our address. It was about creating

possibilities, opening doors, and giving both of us the opportunity to embrace a different

way of life,” said Allison. “Sometimes, the direction we are meant to take does not come through a carefully arranged plan. It comes through an unexpected conversation, a moment of reflection, or a leap of faith.”

 

Adjusting to a new state took some time. 

 

“He had left behind the friends he had known for years and was now faced with the challenge of finding his place among students who already had established friendships and social circles,” Roberts said, referring to her son. “It took him a little while to become acquainted with the school, adjust to his surroundings, and develop new friendships. However, as time passed, things began to fall into place. He eventually formed a close friendship with four boys, and before long, the five of them became practically inseparable.”

 

For Roberts, seeing Isaiah build friendships helped make the Triangle feel like home. But even when they arrived in 2019, housing affordability was already a concern in their new county.

 

That April, The News & Observer reported that nearly 100,000 Wake County households were cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. County leaders backed $12.6 million in loans for nine proposed developments intended to add 920 affordable rental units, contingent on receiving state housing tax credits.

 

Years later, affordability remains a concern. Wake County’s 2025–2030 Consolidated Plan reports that 46% of renter households spend more than 30% of their income on housing. 

 

Housing costs remain part of the larger question of who can build a future in the Triangle. For Roberts, the hope behind that future was personal: a place where she and Isaiah could grow together and begin again.

 

“As a mother, seeing that transformation in my son meant a great deal to me,” Allison said. “I knew how much he had left behind in New Jersey, and it was reassuring to see him building new friendships and creating memories in a place that was once completely unfamiliar to him.”

 

The school search and months of planning had brought them to North Carolina. 

 

Finding a community helped make it home.

 

Edited by McKenzie Acton and Ella Shannon