[samsonite2100]

I've lived in CH/Carrboro for around 10 years--here are some thoughts:

Carrboro>>>CH, for starters. It's cheaper, there are less retarded undergrad types, it's walkable, and the business district, such as it is, is booming. Carrboro is, and has historically been, a haven for artistic types. A ton of musicians as well as a lot of older grad students live here.

Carrboro is centered around Weaver Street Market, which is a hippyish co-op organic grocery store. I personally get annoyed at the Volvo Hippies that hang out there, but it is a a pretty good store, and the outdoor seating/garden area is really nice.

Also, the best bar in CH/Carrboro is right in that area--it's called Orange County Social Club. Great bar staff, no student-y BS, nice bar, patio etc. I'm 31, and it suits me perfectly--I would think it would you, too.

As far as good restaurants go, here are some:

-Crook's Corner (as aforementioned)
-Acme (especially for brunch)
-Lantern (great, great neo-Asian)
-The Barbecue Joint (self-explanatory)
-Allen and Son (also bbq)
-Piedmont (in Durham)
-A zillion Mexican places, the good ones being Margaret's Cantina, Armadillo Grill, Los Potrillos, Torero's

Good bars--Besides Orange County, there's Hell, Fuse, Reservoir, Milltown, and a ton of others, although most of them are more collegey.

Also, you should check out the Cat's Cradle and Local 506 for live music.

As far as housing and apts. go, my GF and I recently bought a house in Carrboro for 200. The housing market here is booming, so I'd advise you to start looking when you get here, if you're thinking about buying. You can definitely find cheaper places out in the country. I'd also avoid the apartment complexes around here, as a lot of them are kind of student hellholes. Just get on Craig's List and look for housing rentals--they're not too hard to find and aren't much more expensive than apartments.