Raleigh is indeed a bit rough around the edges. Cary is nearby, and is a bedroom community for the many people associated with NC State and the many high tech businesses in the area. You won’t have any trouble finding places near Raleigh with good schools, including Cary and Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina. Durham, home of Duke, is also a bit rough, but has some good schools.
It’s the South. It’s different from Southern California. If you’re going to move there, make sure that you are willing to embrace that change. I’ve lived in both Southern California (grew up there) and in the south, and I loved both. There are annoying and negative things about the south, but wonderful things too.
