Haw River offers a quiet, small-town lifestyle
The small town of Haw River offers a slow-paced lifestyle on the banks of its namesake in central Alamance County. Thick groves of trees, row crops and grazing fields line the highways heading into town, where only one intersection is busy enough for stoplights. “There’s nothing really going on in Haw River. It’s very rural,” says Realtor Rob Sutter of Howard Hanna Allen Tate, who has several years of real estate experience. “If you want to do anything, you’re going to Graham, Mebane or Burlington.” Sutter says prices here are lower than in Durham and Chapel Hill, which appeals to homebuyers. “You can get new construction – and space – at a decent price.”
Haw River homes sell for below the state median
Haw River’s housing stock is an eclectic mix of Colonial Revivals, New Traditionals, farmhouses, manufactured and ranch-style homes. Broad, grassy front lawns and long driveways are common, and spacious backyards are shaded with tall oaks and tulip poplars. “There are a couple different sections of Haw River,” Sutter says. “There’s the section that’s just rural, lots of farmland and doublewides, then there’s another section, closer to Graham, that’s more suburban,” he says, adding that the area near Graham is growing. “That’s where all the new construction is.”
Single-family home prices range from under $100,000 to about $555,000. The median hovers close to $340,000, below the state median of $370,000 reported by the North Carolina Realtors association. Townhomes, like those in the Lawson Townes community, can sell for between $240,000 and $270,000.
The Haw River and Back Creek are prone to flooding. The risk of high water and wind damage is elevated during hurricane season, and Alamance County is vulnerable to tornadoes.
Graham High offers the Fire Academy program and dual-credit classes
The Alamance-Burlington School System earns a B-minus from Niche. Haw River’s zoned schools vary by address, and the district allows transfers by application. Kids may attend Haw River Elementary (C), Graham Middle (C) and Graham High (C-plus). The Graham High School Fire Academy, which offers honors classes in public safety and firefighter technology, allows students to graduate with their state certification in firefighting. High schoolers can also take dual-credit classes at Alamance Community College. Grace Christian Academy, which doesn’t have a Niche grade, is a private kindergarten-through-12th-grade school affiliated with the Lamb’s Chapel, a nondenominational church.
Red Slide Park connects to Haw River’s land and paddle trails
The town’s parks and recreation department maintains two community parks: Jeffrey H. Earp Municipal Park & Athletic Fields and Red Slide Park. The former has baseball diamonds, tennis courts, picnic areas and a playground. The latter has a playground and paddle access to the Haw River, part of the 40-mile Haw River Paddle Trail. The 20-mile Haw River Land Trail also runs through Red Slide Park, connecting north toward Burlington’s Stoney Creek Marina and south to Swepsonville River Park.
Limited shopping and dining in Haw River
For groceries, there’s a Food Lion on State Road 49. It’s on the north side of town, near the Dollar General in the neighboring town of Green Level. Haw River’s central commercial district, at the corner of U.S. Route 70/East Main Street and State Road 49, has a post office, a convenience store and other small businesses. Rambling River Mercantile sells home décor and dry goods, many of which are made in North Carolina. The little shop shares a space with Dickie-Do’s BBQ, a popular spot for slow-smoked barbecue. Garden Valley Farmers Market, a regional produce shop and plant nursery chain, is just down the road. Downtown Graham has more dining options, including Graham Soda Shop & Grill, a popular diner, and The Commissary, a bakery benefiting veterans and first responders.
Link Transit, Interstate 40, Route 70 connect around Alamance County
Link Transit provides bus service to Alamance County. Orange Route 2 runs along Interstate 40 and into Burlington, with stops at Alamance Community College and Alamance County Offices. Burlington is about 5 miles west of central Haw River via U.S. Route 70, which also connects east toward Mebane. The Cone Health Alamance Regional hospital, off I-40 in southwest Burlington, is more than 10 miles away. I-40 and Route 70 both run west toward Greensboro and southeast toward Durham. Airports in the metropolitan areas, including Piedmont Triad International and Raleigh-Durham International, are less than 45 miles from Haw River.
