There is an interesting thread on a Reddit Message Board that shows why some people are moving to Danville, Virginia. One person posted the following, “my husband and I are really in love with the town and have found a house we’re considering buying in the historic district. We are mid-30s artsy/nerdy folks with no kids, currently living in Winston-Salem, NC, and feel super lonely and out of place here. Moved here 3 yrs ago for a job I’ve recently moved on from and we find we now have no reason to stay. My new job is a lot closer to Danville than Winston-Salem. We miss living in the small historic town we left behind to move to Winston-Salem, where we had a supportive community of friends, and Danville gives us that vibe.”
One person replied, with the following:
“I’ve lived here for three years. I live in a great neighborhood with affordable houses. I serve on two non-profit boards. There are two breweries that both have events even during the pandemic like trivia and you can make friends for sure.
I will be your friend and tour guide if you are into it.
I love the small town feel and things keep improving. Just heard of a cool artsy project that will be happening downtown. Buildings keep getting renovated and cool restaurants keep popping up.
I’d say go for it and welcome!!
We need more of you because we can affect positive change in a place this size.”
However, another poster noted that there are some bad vibes too from what amount to constant complainers. They remarked,”I live about a mile from the historic district, by Averett. Know most of my neighbors, everyone is friendly. My friend lives on the cusp of the Old West End and is friendly with many of his neighbors as well. Danville is what you make of it. People complain but my wife and I love it. And most people who complain are the ones who never left. Use your judgment on what will make y’all happy and you’ll find your niche.”
As for negatives one person wrote this: “The city has a lot of the same problems as the rest of the country. Economic and racial inequality are high, and the city is still a largely segregated, good ‘ol boys club.It can be insular and has some of the small town trappings of cliques, gossip, and petty small-town thinking.”
You can find this entire thread below. It is interesting as it shows the type of people who are eyeing to move into Danville. The fear crowd and complainers tend to worry about being displaced by outsiders, but there are people like that in every smaller community poised for coming growth.
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-Mike
