Living a Small town Lifestyle in Elizabeth City, North_Carolina

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Where to Retire in Elizabeth City and Home Prices

Zillow reported the median home price was $197,272 in mid-2022. There are spectacular homes on Main Street which might involve some restoration. There are nice suburban neighborhoods outside of town as well as some newer developments coming into the area.

What Is Special about Elizabeth City

Elizabeth City State University, part of the University of North Carolina system and a historically African-American college, is here. The College of the Albemarle is also in town. The (free) Museum of the Albemarle is a very large and ambitious addition to the waterfront area.  Elizabeth City is the birthplace of the Moth boat, a small sailing boat that is celebrated with an annual regatta here. The town was once very wealthy and that is apparent in the beautiful homes and buildings in the downtown. The Intracoastal and a beautiful waterfront are exceptional features for a small town. The community comes together to celebrate things like the high school prom at the Albemarle Museum, which features the Oscar-like arrivals of the prom-goers and their amazing outfits.

What Is Not Special about Elizabeth City

There are plenty of minuses here: vacant lots, for sale signs, the occasional abandoned house, crime or gangs, and poverty. There are plenty of empty windows in the beautiful old downtown, mostly because merchants have fled to strip malls and big box stores just outside town on Route 17.

Climate and Physical Environment

Elizabeth City is located in northern North Carolina, south of Norfolk and just west of Cape Hatteras and the Outer Banks. The Pasquotank River flows through this old seaport on its way to the nearby Albemarle Sound. The average Jan temp is in the low 40s and the average July temp about 80.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

Elizabeth City also hosts the North Carolina Potato Festival, an annual celebration of the potato, one of the region's most important crops. The festival has steadily become one of the most popular draws in northeastern North Carolina. There are several interesting downtown restaurants. The Museum of the Albemarle is very large and ambitious.

Crime

Elizabeth City's crime rate is below the national average, it has shown a steady decrease in crime each year for the past several years.

Medical Facilities

The primary healthcare provider in Elizabeth City is Albemarle Hospital, a 182-bed regional medical center and hub of the Albemarle Health system.

Transportation

The Intracoastal Waterway comes through town.  Norfolk International Airport is less than 1 hour to the north. There is local bus service.

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