5 Best College Towns in North Carolina for an Exciting Retirement

The 5 Best College Towns in North Carolina for Your Retirement

             It may seem odd to head back to college during your retirement, but more and more people are rediscovering the joys of living in a college town during their retirement years.  No one can deny the feeling of excitement when young people are gathered together, and if that surge of energy isn’t enough, there are plenty of practical reasons to live in a college town.  There will be plenty to do.  Many colleges have classes geared for older learners, or allow people to audit any class they wish, for a nominal fee.  Even if you don’t go to classes, a college town provides entertainment in the form of sports, the arts, and academic lectures.  If you are interested in real estate, there are great investments to be had by buying a home and renting it out to college students.  North Carolina has a number of great college towns for retirees that can keep you feeling young, with plenty to see and do.  Just limit the keg parties, you’re no spring chicken you know.

            The North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement (NCCCR), is located in Asheville, which is reason enough to make Asheville my number one college town for retirement in North Carolina.  The NCCCR focuses on experiential and community learning, centered around the philosophy that creating a fulfilling retirement is not just about financial planning.  At the NCCCR, you can join in on discussions about spirituality from a number of faith based perspectives, engage in inter-generational classes, help with research on retirement trends, and learn about complimentary medicine such as acupuncture and reflexology.  It is a member based organization, run for and by the members.  The 1,750 members do most of the teaching and volunteering that keeps the center buzzing with activity.  The NCCCR is celebrating its 20^th anniversary in 2007-2008, and accompanying it is the construction of a new Health and Wellness building on the UNC Asheville campus, which will host a seniors’ area where lifetime wellness courses will be taught including Tai Chi, Yoga, and strength training.  The NCCCR is a learning community where the members participate and create together, forming a community of excitement and great personal development.  There is no age requirement for the NCCCR.  Approximately 20% of members are 59 and younger, while 10% are 75 and older. 

The NCCCR offers a variety of courses for seniors ranging from practical skills such as computer operation, to fun classes focusing around lawn bowling or sewing.  The NCCCR also has seminars in leadership, so if you’re interested in leading the next generation, Asheville is a good place to start.  Most of the courses are low in cost and time commitment, so you can get a taste for something you may have always wanted to try without a huge commitment.  Classes are held at the University of North Carolina at Asheville’s campus, and the college is one of the country’s best public arts universities.  You can visit the NCCR online at www.unca.edu/ncccr.  Asheville’s cost of living is just slightly above the national average, but the quality of life soars above it.  In Asheville you have four distinct seasons and enough snow to make things look pretty, but high enough temperatures to melt it off before it becomes annoying.  Asheville is well known for its great restaurants, nightlife, and its arts and music scene.  Natural beauty surrounds the city, as well as charming smaller towns.

            Typically when a person thinks of college and North Carolina, they think of Durham and Chapel Hill, and with good reason.  These two cities are home to a couple of great colleges.  In Chapel Hill, you’ll find the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  With over 22,000 full-time students, the college has a huge presence in the community.  With such a large number of students, Chapel Hill is a great location for an entrepreneurial minded retiree who wants to rent out a home to college students, as an investment.  The area surrounding Chapel Hill is known for its high levels of medical care, and prevalence of information technology companies.  At the college, there are a number of resources for older learners.  The Continuing Education Center (known as the Friday Center) can be found at http://fridaycenter.unc.edu.  One of my favorite parts of UNC Chapel Hill’s offerings are the self-paced courses offered by the Friday Center.  These courses are considered part-time, for credit offerings, ranging from Art and African Studies to Accounting and Statistics.  There are also a number of non-credit, enrichment style offerings.  You can visit http://fridaycenter.unc.edu/pdep/index.htm for a list of current and past events offered as enrichment programs.  With options ranging from full and part-time online courses to in class courses, there is no reason for your education to stop in retirement.

            In Durham, you have Duke University and North Carolina Central University.  Between Chapel Hill’s UNC branch, and these two schools, you can find some of the best collegiate athletic competition in the nation for entertainment.  Both Duke and North Carolina Central University cater to aspiring seniors.  The jewel in the crown of Duke’s continuing education department is the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), which is funded by the Bernard Osher Foundation.  There are 112 Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes across the country, and this Duke branch is known as one of the best, for the range and quality of the courses offered, and the commitment of the community.  The OLLI runs three semesters a year, with over 90 courses and activities offered each semester.  Most of the offerings are based in the Humanities, ranging from music, literature and memoir writing, film courses based around World War II or the 60’s, art, music, philosophy and religion, but there are also scientific offerings, befitting of an area known for its research expertise.  Activities include social groups, band, chorus, dance and many more.  Basically, if there’s a group you want to join or even start, OLLI is the place to do it.  Participation is what makes OLLI the place it is.  Almost 50% of the courses are taught by members, so if you’ve ever felt the urge to teach about your life’s work, you may find a willing audience at Duke.  The OLLI center also brings seminars to the retirement communities for those residents who have a hard time getting to the campus.  The web address for OLLI is www.learnmore.duke.edu/olli/index.htm, and the main address for Duke’s continuing education department is www.learnmore.duke.edu. 

            North Carolina Central University is a small school of about 4,500 students, but also offers continuing education courses on a non-degree credit basis.  The courses range from arts and culture, leadership development, technology, language, computer skills, and topics such as nutrition.  You can find out more online at www.nccu.edu/univcoll/uc/coned.html. 

Both Chapel Hill and Durham have good public transportation systems, making them ideal for older residents who may not wish to drive.  With the great medical facilities, close proximity to a major airport, and three great colleges, it’s easy to understand why more and more retirees are choosing the Durham/Chapel Hill area.

Many retirees want to live by the beach, and Wilmington has been a perennial favorite among retirees.  You’ll have many towns to choose from if you live in the Wilmington area, from Carolina Beach to the south and Wrightsville Beach in the east.  One word of warning though, traffic in the area can be congested, so if you’d like to avoid it, live in downtown Wilmington.  People love Wilmington for its ease of enjoyment.  The main downtown area overlooks the Cape Fear River, and is a walkable area filled with great restaurants and shopping.  Cape Fear Community College, with about 3,500 students, lends a scholastic feel to the downtown.  Cape Fear’s continuing education department can be found at http://cfcc.edu/ce.  The continuing education department offers classes during the year and special summer courses as well.  Some summer courses include free small business classes, computer software courses, and theater classes.  There are also classes which reflect the area the school is located in, based around nautical pursuits such as celestial and coastal navigation, marine captain’s licensure, and small gasoline engine repair.  By the time you’re done at Cape Fear Community College, you’ll be ready to sail into the horizon.  Most of the courses are offered for under $70 or for free, so it’s very affordable to enjoy your retirement and learn some new skills.  The University of North Carolina has a branch about twenty minutes from downtown Wilmington.  The University is also home to an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), whose offerings are similar to those at the Chapel Hill branch.  The web address is www.uncw.edu/dpscs/lifelong.htm. 

The city of Charlotte has been growing by leaps and bounds in the last few years.  Known more for its banking and business roots, Charlotte also has a vibrant university atmosphere as well.  Between the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (13,000 students) and Central Piedmont Community College (8,000 students), Charlotte has a strong attraction for university bound retirees.  Similar to Durham, Charlotte is not your typical college town, which is a big draw for people looking to retire there.  The arts, shopping, medical, and restaurant offerings are far greater than any small college town would typically have.  The University of North Carolina branch in Charlotte does not offer senior specific courses through their continuing education department (www.continuinged.uncc.edu), but they do offer certificate courses in a number of business related pursuits such as web design, business analysis, event planning, and plenty more.  Seniors are able to take classes from the regular course catalog at a discounted rate.  The Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) website is www.cpcc.edu, and they also have a continuing education department.  Like the UNC branch, most of CPCC’s continuing education offerings are based around business development, so seniors interested in a wider variety may be better off looking in the regular catalog.  If attending classes on a daily basis for credit sounds like a bit much to you, you can audit the class for a reduced fee and attend when it suits you.  If you enjoy the arts, both colleges enhance Charlotte’s fine arts scene with their own range of performances.

            North Carolina is famous for the Triangle of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, and the Triad of Burlington, Winston-Salem, and High Point, but there’s another triangle of towns special in its own way.  In the northwestern corner of the state, set in the Appalachian Mountains, you’ll find Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, and Boone.  Boone is the largest of these three sleepy mountain towns, with a population of about 13,000 people, and is home to Appalachian State University, which has a student enrollment of about 12,000.  The town winds around the college campus, made up of small shops and eateries.  The main street is colorful, and the atmosphere is friendly.  Boone is a great place to live because of the college, but also because the real estate surrounding the town is more affordable than around Blowing Rock, fifteen minutes away, or Banner Elk, a half hour away, while being close enough to enjoy these characteristic mountain towns as well.

            Appalachian State University (ASU) brings a lot to the town.  One of the most interesting institutions associated with ASU is the Appalachian Studies Department.  The Appalachian Studies Department studies the local region’s history and development, as well as hosting events such as acoustic open mike jam sessions and environmental preservation initiative groups.  ASU is home to the Community Art School which has ongoing exhibitions, and has a vibrant music scene including summer festivals and shows throughout the year.  Especially for senior is the Institute for Senior Scholars (www.iss.appstate.edu).  At the Institute for Senior Scholars, interested people can take classes in eight groupings of Art, Music, and Drama; Religion, Spirituality, and Philosophy; History and Social Science; Math, Science, and Technology; Language and Literature; Health and Well-Being; Social and Political Issues; and Contemporary Living.  Most of the classes are taught by retired professors or members, and there are group activities such as book club, hiking, and more to add to the classes offered.    

Asheville, Durham, Chapel Hill, Wilmington, Boone, and Charlotte are very different cities.  Depending on your preferred lifestyle, you’ll be drawn to one over the other.  If you like the mountains, Asheville is your place, if you enjoy the bustle of a city and the conveniences it brings, head to Charlotte.  The thing these cities all have in common is their great universities, which draw lifelong learners from all over.  All of these cities also have great healthcare as well as access to airports.  If you're interested in lifelong learning, North Carolina has a great college town for your retirement waiting for you.

Visit www.PlacesOfValue.com for more articles on best places in North Carolina and South Carolina, relocation made easy, top retirement communities, cost of living, and designing and building your Dream Home.

© 2009 Places of Value Inc.

All Rights Reserved.  Reproduction without permission prohibited.