About the Triangle

RTP, NC map

Carrboro
Established in 1911, the town of Carrboro, situated next to Chapel Hill and UNC, is hailed as “The Paris of the Piedmont.” The town is made up of writers, artists, musicians, and their followers and thrives on the establishment of locally owned small businesses. Entertainment and restaurants are within walking distance for most of the 21,300 residents.

Cary
Cary is a quiet and peaceful community and is known for being one of the safest cities in America. In 2003, Cary was listed in Money Magazine as one of the best places to live in the United States. The January 2004 issue of Money Magazine names Cary as the hottest town in the East and one of six Hottest Towns in America. Then, in August 2006, Cary was again recognized by Money Magazine as one of the Best Small Cities in America, ranking fifth on the magazine’s 2006 list of Best Places to Live. Cary’s close proximity to the Research Triangle Park (RTP), the 3 main cities (Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill) that make up the Triangle, and the local universities makes this town a great location. Cary is home to 162,000 residents.

Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill stands out as one of the most desirable communities in North Carolina. A picturesque place with year-round attractions, Chapel Hill is not just a small historic town, but also the home to the University of North Carolina and the Tarheels. In recent years, A & E Channel recognized Chapel Hill as the #2 city in their “Top Ten Cities to Have it All” and Money magazine rated the town as the #1 “Best Place to Live in the South.” The Chapel Hill Public School System is considered to be the best in North Carolina. 59,200 year round residents call Chapel Hill home.

Durham
Known as “The City of Medicine,” no other city in America exceeds Durham’s broad diversity of fine hospitals and allied medical facilities, innovative research laboratories, and major healthcare corporations. Durham, with its 263,000 residents, is home to Duke University and the world-renowned Duke University Medical facility. 80% of RTP is located within Durham.  Downtown Durham is growing and is a big draw for people from all over the USA, especially millennials. Durham frequently wins food, art, and livability awards.

Hillsborough
Hillsborough, founded in 1752, was one of the first towns created following the establishment of Orange County. It was an early colonial town and was used as the home of the North Carolina state legislature during the American Revolution. The town captures this historical essence with the remains of its 18th and 19th century buildings and continues to be a flourishing small town. The town of Hillsborough, approximately 13 miles north of Chapel Hill and northwest of Durham, is ideally located at the junction of Interstate Highways 40 and 85. Hillsborough is home to 6,600 residents.

Pittsboro
Pittsboro is the heart of Chatham County, is the county seat, and is one of the fastest growing counties in the state. Its 4300 residents are a diverse group of artists and farmers, merchants and students. Pittsboro is ideally situated at the intersection of US 64 and Hwy 15-501. It is 16 miles south of Chapel Hill, 25 miles West of the Research Triangle Park, and 32 miles West of Raleigh. It’s a short drive to the recreation areas at Jordan Lake State Park. The historic architecture of Pittsboro remains an important visual reminder of the town’s growth since the late 18th century.

Raleigh
Named for Sir Walter Raleigh, Raleigh is home to the state capital, 459,000 residents, and is also the state’s arts center. “The Smithsonian of The South” is best known for its world-class museums, capital area historic sites, professional and amateur sporting events and abundant shopping with nine major retail areas. Greater Raleigh truly offers variety. North Carolina State University (NCSU) is situated just a short distance from the Capital and is the state’s premier engineering, veterinary, and science institution.

RTP, Research Triangle Park
Research Triangle Park, located between Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill was created as a research “park” in 1959 and is the largest of its kind in the world. RTP consists of 7,000 acres and 200 companies. 50,000 individuals are employed. The majority of the companies are in research and development.