The Cost of Living Diaries: Greenville, NC
How much does it cost to live in Greenville, North Carolina? We asked a local to give us all of the details.
Greenville, North Carolina is a beautiful city nestled on the eastern side of the state. So, how much does it cost to live in Greenville? We asked a local to give us the scoop on everything from housing and recreation to having a great dinner out.
Ellen Sheffer grew up in Barbecue, North Carolina. While her hometown sounds positively delicious, when she enrolled at East Carolina University (ECU) and relocated to Greenville in 2007, she found herself falling in love with Pitt County.
Ellen Sheffer
“My anticipation was to do four years [of college here] and go to grad school; I was thinking of Chapel Hill,” she says. “I’m so happy none of that panned out. Greenville is home to me.”
Instead, Sheffer launched Southern Soleil, a luxury spray tanning salon located downtown. Here’s what she has to say about living in Greenville.
How would you describe Greenville and its residents?
I would say it is a hub for young business professionals; it also has a lot of health care workers and professors because of ECU. A lot of people who graduate from ECU stay because they like it. It’s just a very friendly atmosphere; the majority of people are very kind, very nice and are more apt to help you.
All the surrounding counties come to Greenville to do their shopping … but it doesn’t give you Raleigh vibes. It is slower paced; there’s not as much traffic. We’re getting more and more stores, but they’re mom-and-pop shops, and they’re young professionals.
When you’re not working, what are some of your favorite things to do?
Our Town Common is really, really nice. You can rent paddleboards or kayaks from Riverside Recreation and go down the Tar River. I have a yoga membership at Purple Blossom, a yoga studio that a lot of professors go to; I see a lot of familiar faces there. I like to go on the Greenway; it’s miles and miles of biking and hiking. Our Town Common is connected to the Greenway. And Wildwood Park is nice.
What’s the cost of living like?
I’d say Greenville is very, very affordable. … It is easier to come to Greenville and buy a home than to go into a bigger metro area and find something that is affordable. So many people come from the North … because we’re an hour from the beach and 1.5 hours from the mountains, and it’s significantly cheaper than places like Pennsylvania and New York.
What are some popular neighborhoods to look at when house shopping?
Lynndale is a huge neighborhood. It’s connected to all of Greenville, and you can get from one side of town to the other just going through the neighborhood. Many people who live there are retired or super young professionals who just started a family. Then there’s Ironwood, Brook Valley and Greenville Country Club; those are all on golf courses.
What’s your favorite restaurant or bar?
The Starlight Cafe & Farm. They have wonderful cocktails; they have really good mixologists. Their food is farm-to-table, and they have their own farm.
What’s your favorite cocktail there?
The Persephone. It’s pomegranate liqueur, Pinnacle vodka, and topped with prosecco and a little lemon zest ($11). It’s just so refreshing. And espresso martinis are trending now, so their espresso machine comes from Italy, and their espresso is top notch!
Get to Know Greenville-Pitt County
Want to learn more about living and working in Greenville, NC? Check out the latest edition of Livability Greenville-Pitt County, North Carolina.
