Wow!! 2 great choices. 2 of my youngest sons top 3 Universities he wants to go to. You obviously know
Chapel Hill is more expensive. The weather is probably a little warmer in Chapel Hill than Charlottesville. I love both of those areas. Take a look at Lake Monticello when you are in Charlottesville. I am interested to hear what others think. This is a tough choice!!

What part of NJ? That is where I moved from over 7 years ago.

bigal....We're from central Jersey...Westfield.

Charlottesville has a lot less traffic and is lovelier IMO than Chapel Hill. There is a peacefulness to Charlottesville that Chapel Hill doesn't have IME.

Charlottesville would be my pick as well.
Given your situation I would also suggest Asheville NC.

Westfield NJ has such a beautiful downtown. I used to work at the Woodbridge Hilton nearby. I lived in Morris County in my youth.

Charlottesville is going to have more snow and ice in the winter. The town itself is more urban than Chapel Hill but the surrounding area seems more rural to me than Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill has the other triangle cities Durham and Raleigh nearby while Charlottesville is an hour from Richmond.

If you like skiing you'd want to pick Charlottesville. It's 45 min from a ski area.

Or maybe rather than Asheville, Hillsborough near Chapel Hill. I sort of wonder about the underlying reasons for these two picks. State residency for college?
YOu'll want to check on the tax structure also, I'd imagine.

Birdie "hit the nail on the head" in regards to my main thoughts that would be on the favor side of Chapel Hill. Charlottesville I think has more charm but like Birdie said it is more rural around the City than Chapel Hill where there are 3 Major Universities nearby and the weather will be a little warmer. But as Janet says, there is more a peacefulness to Chalottesville. One of these areas might be our future main home with a second home on Lake Norman.

If you like great food, a choice of cultural events, city and rural experiences, top hospitals, great weather (no ice storms), then Chapel Hill is your choice. Charlottesville is pretty.

Chapel Hill doesn't get ice storms?

The winters in either choice (plus Asheville) will be MUCH milder than NJ. Winter meetings in NJ were horrid. I had my own NJ winter coat for meetings at our corporate headquarters. I rarely wore (a much lighter) winter coat during the same months working in NC. We're talking apples and oranges here.

I would think that Charlottesville would have more ice and snow than Chapel Hill being further North and not far from DC. I do rememeber living in NJ that DC had some bad snow storms also. But I would not think as bad or as long of a winter season than NJ for either.

A family member lived about 70 miles north and considered their winters mild. Janet lives about 70 miles SE and has said she rarely wears a winter coat. Any of those will have much milder winters then NJ.

Most weather systems that bring ice storms to the SE are large and usually impact more than one state during it's lifetime (the storm's lifetime). I find it interesting that Chapel Hill is ice storm free. It rarely snows in Charleston, SC but I've woken up to snow in Charleston. The snow was on the ground until Columbia but the uplands were clear of snow. Weather happens. It will be colder at the edge of the mountains of NC/VA but many who live there still consider their winters "mild".

Probably not a whole lot of difference in ice and snow between the two. There is a most interesting "line" that is about 20 miles north of Charlotte where the snow and ice hit. When the big ones come,charlottesville will get more, of course. But geez, nothing like NJ as Starrs says.
Winter in NC is mild to non-existent some years, this one being one of them.
Is the OP asking about summer?!!! Hmmmmm. There's a topic.

SO....very interesting insights into both areas. Having lived in the NE my entire life, including an incredibly cold,snowy stint in NH, I'm sure both Charlottesville and Chapel Hill will be an improvement.

I'm sure the summers will also be a bit hotter....however, Jersey is "semi-tropical" and has the humidity to prove it.

One other question which I'm really interested in having an answer for....Does either area have an issue with the 13 yr or 17 yr cyclical cicada emergence? Westfield,NJ is expected to experience this phenom again in spring of 2013, and it's something I do NOT wish to repeat.

No 17-year cicadas in C-ville even though they do happen just a short 2 hours away in NoVa. Bummer for me since I think they're cool insects.

Charlottesville has top medical care, cultural events, and terrific dining. It is more rural in the surrounding areas, which I would consider a "plus"--others may not.

Yes, and we've just had ours a year or so ago.

One of the worst ice storms I have ever been caught in was in Raleigh several years ago when our daughter was competing in a horse show there.

To me, the Research Triangle area of NC is something of a clusterf***. That makes me crazy.

For me, Charlottesville has a good balance of many things and none of the things that are my deal breakers.

"To me, the Research Triangle area of NC is something of a clusterf***. That makes me crazy."

LOL! Janet, that's a perfect way to describe it. I hate it too. I don't want to offend anyone but there is no way I would choose to move to that area. In fact, I quit a job when my manager wanted me to move. I accepted the job with the promise to move to NC or SC within a year. When I realized where HE wanted me to move...I quit.

Gretchen...are you from Charlotte,NC or CH? Where were the cicadas? My 13 year old daughter will need therapy for the rest of her life if ever sees the magnitude of the cicada emergence!!

Also, the reason for these two locations are twofold. First, my older daughter will be going to grad school in 2013 and her top picks are Duke, CH and UVA. It makes sense for us to be in the area. Second, my husband and the girls Dad died on 4/21. He and I had always talked about retiring to the South in about 4 years, after the 13 y/o graduated HS. Following his death, we all felt we needed a fresh start.

As a final note, NJ is the most heavily taxed state in the nation, so NC or Va will be an improvement!

ljv, sorry for your loss. I think the road trip will go a long way in helping you decide where you may want to relocate. Best wishes.

Well, that is sad--just when things were "s'posed" to be working out.
I'm in Charlotte.
Of course, residency won't help you at Duke. It "helps" at the other schools.
It's been a long time since I've been to Charlottesville--DH did his internship there a LONG time ago.
I think CH has more "possibilities" perhaps as a more urban area. BUT with still having the possibility of beautiful living areas.
The cicadas were loud, no doubt about it. I have tininitis and so have them forever!! LOL
They hit DC a couple of years ago. Not sure you'll be able to escape them, but I'll bet if you google, there's a map for them.
If you want to compare medical facilities, CH area will win hands down!! Along with Wake Forest.
Have you considered Winston Salem? Because of our grandson being there with his mother part time (and the rest of the time with our son here), our son has bought a condo there to be there for school things, etc. I am mightily impressed with it on many levels. The university is there, the money from the tobacco and banking is still there, and it is very civic minded. Good schools. Great facilities. Manageable size and accessible to the mountains and the coast.
NC has a LOT of wonderful places to live, in my VERY humble opinion. Also a lot of very very fine educational universities.

"NC has a LOT of wonderful places to live, in my VERY humble opinion. Also a lot of very very fine educational universities."

I completely agree. VA too. She's picked some really good places to choose from.

I live on the border of TN/VA and we just had our cicada "emergence" in early May....they lasted for what seemed a lifetime! They really are fascinating creatures though I can understand the aversion. There is a good site http://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/ that gives you information about brood emergence and shows interesting photos. The one photo near Warriors Path State Park is what my front yard looks like - yuck!
I too would pick Charlottesville for all the above reasons.

Taxes will vary depending on what County you are in, or if you are in a city and County. You are correct, NJ taxes are extremely high. Chapel Hill taxes are high also, not as bad as NJ. But if you lived in Chatham County only minutes from Chapel Hill the taxes will be half the amount yet still very close to the University. Rent in both places for a while if you can, and you will get a good feel for where you like better. Also could depend on which school your daughter get's accepted to. Duke as you know is very expensive compared to the others and since private does not help living in the state as much.

Willowjane, not Virgilina by any chance?
(I just love that name!)