Climate, economy and even green-ness has made N.C. the No. 1 place to relocate or retire

Two different articles/blog posts recently touted North Carolina as the best place to retire or relocate in America (even jumping the Sunshine State). But both of them had somewhat different reasons for why.

TopRetirements.com goes for the usual reasons: climate, geography, taxes, housing costs, etc.

Florida and Arizona have long been the favorite 2 states for retirement migration. A new study from Del Webb, however, finds that the Carolinas, North and South, have usurped FL and AZ’s traditional positions as the favorite retirement destination states. This new preference is so significant that Florida is no longer experiencing a net gain in retirees. ...

Like Florida, North Carolina has an ample, but not quite as long coastline, where people can enjoy the beach and access to bays and the ocean. NC has pastoral places to live like the sandhills around Pinehurst in the central part of the state, as does Florida in the panhandle and center of the state. North Carolina, however, has towns in its western mountains where people who crave mountains can find their ideal retirement. At a towering 345′ above sea level Britton Hill is the tallest peak in Florida, whereas Mt. Mitchell in NC stands at 6,684′. Overall: NC wins for geographic diversity. ...

The article goes on to say that it's the "intangibles" that are in N.C.'s favor, particularly over Florida. Call it the "Cool Factor" to N.C.'s "secret sauce." Among the intangibles:

- Florida just isn’t cool anymore. In our opinion most of us baby boomers are obsessed with fads - being cool by being in on the latest trend. Too many movies have parodied retirement life in Florida - from “Cocoon” to “In Her Shoes”. A lot of people don’t want to be associated with the blue haired, shuffleboard playing set that is displayed in popular culture about Florida.
- Florida is tacky and crowded. By no means is the whole state that way, but there are many, many towns where everything is new and every store is a big box or a chain. Some people are rejecting that barrenness, along with the intense traffic and development that comes with unchecked growth.
- On the positive side, North Carolina has a cool factor. Towns like Asheville, New Bern, and Chapel Hill have good reputations as interesting places to live. North Carolina represents something new and undiscovered, with the advantage of being not too far away or too different from the northeast many retirees are moving away from.

So, there ya go.

This blog post touts Nawth Cackylacky's embracing of green as to why it's moving up the list.

“Reuse and Recycle” has become a popular phrase showing our growing concern and commitment as a nation to finding the best ways to be stewards of the environment and North Carolina is notably one place that embraces Green trends and Green building practices.

The general principals of green building as set forth by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) division consist of four critical areas:

energy efficiency
water efficiency
use of recycled or environmentally sustainable building materials
healthy indoor environmental quality

North Carolina makes sure all of these areas are at work in building projects across the state.

The Green building projects in North Carolina impressively include everything from projects such as:

Eco-dorm at Warren Wilson College just outside Asheville, NC
Renovating an abandoned building which now holds Brown and Jones Architects in Raleigh, NC and;
Rammed earth walls and radiant heating system of the Philips residence in Pittsboro, NC. ...

We at Places of Value have covered the many ways North Carolina has embraced green trends and environmental stewardship, especially Green building practices.

Quick hits: Why you should relocate to N.C. and Gullah culture gets some recognition

NC Magazine features its annual relocation guide and the top 5 reasons businesses should relocate to N.C.
"Business climate, education, government cooperation, quality of life and transportation are listed in the August issue of NC Magazine as the top five reasons businesses should relocate to North Carolina.

" 'The annual relocation guide is a great resource to people thinking about bringing their business to the area. North Carolina can offer great opportunity,' said Sherry Melton, vice president of communications for the North Carolina Chamber. ..."

N.C.'s Gullah culture gets some recognition
"When Michelle Lanier used to say the word 'Gullah' in Southeastern North Carolina, she was met with silence and blank stares.

"And when Lanier would try to explain the region's connection to the culture, which was formed by West African slaves, people would brush her off, saying the heritage was only a part of South Carolina's and Georgia's history," writes the Wilmington Star-News.

"For years the Gullah culture has been foreign to many people living in the region. Local residents didn't see the area's connection to the African slaves brought to coastal sea islands and towns in several southern states to cultivate rice.

"A federally funded heritage corridor, which extends from Jacksonville, Fla., north to New Hanover and Brunswick counties in North Carolina, was established in 2006 to recognize, interpret and preserve Gullah culture. The Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor includes Georgia and South Carolina. ..."