Morris Marketing calls Raleigh, North Carolina home, and we couldn’t be happier to be here. Allow us to tell you just a few of the reasons we enjoy living in Raleigh!
The accolades for Raleigh keep rolling in. In 2014, Forbes placed Raleigh at the top of its list of Best Places for Business and Careers. Raleigh was the only city on the east coast to make the list. Our capital city earned this honor by maintaining business costs 18% below the national average and by facilitating a projected annual job growth rate of 3.7% through 2016. The robust business climate is supported by several major universities that call the area home, including N.C. State, Meredith College, St. Augustine’s University, and just outside Raleigh, Duke University, and UNC-Chapel Hill. Raleigh’s population ranks second in the South for advanced degrees (47% versus a 30% national average).
Along with a robust business climate, Raleigh boasts a family-friendly culture and active outdoor lifestyle. In 2014, Forbes ranked Raleigh #1 on their list of America’s Best Cities for Raising a Family. We enjoy all four seasons in Raleigh, including a colorful fall, low snowfall amounts in the winter, blooming trees in the spring and a full swimming and beach season in the summer. Our outdoor lifestyle is supported by our fantastic network of city parks, playgrounds, greenways, and biking trails. Other valued attractions in Raleigh are the top-notch state museums, all of which boast free admission. Downtown houses the Museums of Natural Science and History, and just to the north of the city center is the culturally significant Museum of Art. All have helped Raleigh earn the nickname “Smithsonian of the South.” Another great reason a family loves Raleigh is the public school system. Parents enjoy the choice of traditional or year-round calendar options as well as base and magnet schools. The Wake County Public School System (www.WCPSS.net) boasts an 86% graduation rate and serves 157,00 students in 171 schools across the county. Lastly, Raleigh’s housing costs are low. Trulia.com reports the median home sales price from August to November 2015 was $215,000, with an average price per square foot of $126. All of these factors make Raleigh a city many families love to call home.
Where’s the growth these days? It’s in Raleigh! In 2015, Forbes ranked Raleigh #4 on its Fastest Growing Cities list. Among the many reasons Raleigh earned this accolade is a revitalized downtown, a much-awarded restaurant realm, and a booming arts scene. The revitalization of downtown Raleigh over the last 10 years has been a huge success. The central, crowning jewel of downtown is Fayetteville Street, which runs from the NC Capitol building to the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Along this busy corridor and the surrounding streets, we find skyscrapers, offices, local shops, hotels, and a huge variety of restaurants. In central downtown alone, we often struggle to choose between take-out gourmet hot dogs and five-star Italian, shawarma and chicken with honey, or steak and eastern Carolina barbecue. Raleigh was once a city that essentially shut down after 6 pm, and was a ghost town on the weekends, but now locals and visitors alike flock downtown to eat, drink, enjoy shows, and attend festivals. One of the most popular events is the monthly “First Friday Gallery Walk”. On the first Friday of each month, the many art galleries and studios remain open late and welcome visitors with food, drink, and artists in residence. Many area restaurants and bars piggyback on this event by offering specials on First Fridays. The best areas to enjoy First Friday are Artspace, City Market, Moore Square, and Glenwood South. (www.godowntownraleigh.com/first-friday-raleigh)
Raleigh is the beloved hometown of nearly half a million people, including those of us at Morris Marketing. We count our many blessings living in this vibrant city! If you need a marketing agency that serves the specific needs of Raleigh businesses, call us today at 919.424.8314.
