Moving from Chicago, IL, to Raleigh, NC

Making your way to the City of Oaks 

Leaving “the Windy City” of Chicago, IL, for Raleigh, NC, takes you just over 800 miles southeast. Embracing life in the “City of Oaks means warmer weather, beautiful oak trees, Southern Hospitality and more. 

One of the first differences you may notice is population. Raleigh is much smaller than Chicago, which has 2.7 million residents in the city and 9.6 million in the metro area. North Carolina’s capital city of Raleigh has only 467,665 residents, and there are just over 1.5 million in the metro.  

Southern Hospitality and warmth in Raleigh

If the Southern charm and friendly people of Raleigh don’t warm your heart, the new climate will. Year-round weather is warmer in Raleigh. You’ll especially feel it in the summer when Raleigh’s average high temperatures reach 90 degrees rather than the average high of 84 degrees back in Chicago. 

While Chicago winters typically reach lows of 19 degrees with a yearly average of 35 inches of snowfall, Raleigh’s lows are usually 30 degrees with only 4 inches of snow per year.  

Chicago gets around 38 inches of rain annually, and Raleigh’s subtropical climate gets more, with 46 inches per year. 

How to get around in the city

Public transportation is robust in Chicago, with multiple options, but Raleigh’s system is smaller and relies on buses. Because of this, many residents rely on cars or ridesharing services to get around.  

The Go Raleigh public transportation system is growing and plans to add additional bus lines, including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines in the near future.  

The city is also increasing walkability downtown and adding bike lanes to help with pedestrian traffic. 

Working in Raleigh

Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina, offers many job opportunities in local and state government. Other residents find work in education, healthcare, information technology and research. 

Unemployment rates are low, and average salaries are higher than national averages. The cost of living in the city is also lower than in Chicago. 

These are some of the top employers in the area:  

  • Cisco Systems Inc. 
  • Duke University (in Durham) 
  • IBM Corporation 
  • National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 
  • North Carolina State University 
  • SAS Institute Inc. 
  • University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill 
  • WakeMed  

Move to North Carolina with U-Pack

U-Pack® can help you move from Chicago to Raleigh through our nationwide network of service centers. We have extensive experience in transporting your things, so you can focus on packing, loading and unloading.  

Request your free, no-obligation online quote today or call 844-362-5303844-594-3077 to speak to a moving consultant. We’re here to help!