charleston area demographics (Hampton: apartments, condos, townhouses)

[wesacat]

Hi Kmalone,
I understand what you mean by diversity but Im not sure HOW diverse you might mean. The Charleston area has quite a mix but the majority of the races are white, black and hispanic. If thats all you're looking for then you shouldn't have any problem.
As to where to live, Mt. Pleasant is lovely but it is also expensive, and growing more so every day. It is close to town and to the best beaches though. Summerville is beautiful small town but rapidly growing. It's a little further to the beach but the traffic from there into downtown (where the hospitals are) is going to kill you. If you are able to get a job at Trident Hospital, Summerville or Goose Creek would be perfect.
I live in Goose Creek which has a little bit of everything, racially speaking. The two homes next to mine are rentals and right now I have a white couple from Wyoming to the right and a black family from upstate to the left. Ive seen many different races over the years though, but primarily the three I mentioned.
As to where to stay in August...the farther away from downtown you get, the cheaper it will be. August is a major tourist month and hotels are booked up and expensive. There are some nice newer hotels along I-26 in Summerville that might not be too much and there's an Econolodge here in Goose Creek thats reasonable.

[dallas76]

Hello, my fellow healthcare professionals. I'm a native South Carolinian and African American. I graduated from the College of Charleston and now currently reside in Dallas, TX.
You all should check out Cross Country Travcorp (Travel Nursing Jobs, Travel Nurse Staffing – Cross Country Travcorps) or American Mobile Staffing. I have done several assignments with this Cross Country company and have met several travel nurses who have worked for both. I am a respiratory therapist and I never had a problem. MUSC does use several travel nurses which is a very good thing. It indicates that travelers are treated fairly inspite of being short staffed.
If I was to move back to Chas, I would choose Mt. Pleasant also. It is a great area that has undergone tremendous growth since I was last there. And it is diverse. Note to the newcomers you must drink sweet tea and you must use the word " Y'all ".

[tsdon]

Originally Posted by scjj

To be honest, no. Mount Pleasant is primarily made up of middle to upper class whites. I believe the ratio is about 91% white and about 6% black. Most of the black families that live there, have been there for many years and are poor. Mount Pleasant was basically built up around them.

Mount Pleasant is probably the most least diverse town in the Charleston area. I call it the land of the clones, because everything and everyone there looks alike.

Why be racist and call a community that is mostly white european-americans clones? Imagine if someone said the same thing about blacks.

[scjj]

What? Racist? LOL. For one thing I am white so your accusations have no merit. My comment had nothing to do with everyone being white anyway, it is more the lifestyle there. You have taken it out of context and you have a lot of nerve calling me a racist when you have started your own little thread about wanting to live in your own white world. You use your twisted wording of just wanting what other blacks or hispanics would want to make yourself not look bad. Like you would know what blacks or hispanics would want? I think what they would want is the opportunity to live in a comfortable home in a safe neighborhood anywhere they want just like anyone else, just like YOU. God forbid if one moved in next to you though. Moderator cut: personal attack

[Rggr]

There are other areas that would be more mixed than Mt. Pleasant. I grew up on James Island and the mix was about 60/40 white to black. West Ashley has a lot of areas that would have a similar mix. Those would be the closest to the water and town. You could throw Johns Island into that as well, but the schools tend to not be as good. Summerville, Goose Creek etc. would be mixed too. They're about 30-45 minutes away. Good luck with your move.

[prosefamily6]

I haven't lived here long enough to know hospitals and such, but I do know that we have a ton of nurses that live in our subdivision and we are in Moncks Corner. I don't know if there is a hospital close by because everything we do is in Mt P or DI, but I see them in their scrubs. The woman across the street is an OB nurse and said there were alot out here too.

Good luck.

[kmalone4]

try google-ing travel nursing. I found out lots of information that way~ they ere extremely helpful and seemed forthcoming. Exactly how much they are willing to pay is a mystery to me. The quote I received was anywhere from 20-40/hr, plus housing, utilities and perks.
It almost sounds too good to be true... theonlinedesign: how did you like the experience? Anyone lese have any experiences to share?

[kmalone4]

I just wanted to say thanks for all the feedback from everyone. I've decided to take wesacat's advice and visit when the rates are a little cheaper. I think perhaps I should visit before making such an important decision. I never even considered places such as Ladson and West Ashley which seem to merit further investigation. Are these towns included in the Dorceshter II school district? That was a major reason for my original choice of summerville.

[kdann]

Mt Pleasant has East Cooper Hospital and very good Elementary schools, esp. Jennie Moore, Whitesides and Belle Hall. They are pretty diverse as far as ethnicity. There are a lot of great apartment complexes around here, with new ones going up. I know you said you would want to get an apartment first. Mt Pleasant may be more expensive but it is very safe and there are tons of activities, sports, for kids! Good Luck with your decision!

[Boof1199]

Hi Kmalone: I don't know if you've made your decision yet, but I would honestly reconsider Mt. Pleasant. I am a real estate agent in Charleston and also a resident of Mt. Pleasant. One of your respondents was right: it is primarily upper middle class whites, but the folks who said it was "touristy" must not actually be Charleston residents, because I would never describe it as such; nor would I consider it the land of clones. It may not be the most diverse place in the Tri-County (Berkeley Co, Charleston Co, Dorchester Co) area, but it is enormously convenient to the beaches, to downtown, to shopping/hospitals/grocery stores/etc, but the people are very nice, and it's clean, it's safe, it's very family oriented, and the quality of life there is very good. Movie theaters, great restaurants, the water, and the farmers market (every Tuesday) are literally within 5 minutes of almost anywhere in Mt. Pleasant. So, if you have found an apartment in Mt. P, it is definitely a great place to start. You can always feel out the area and move wherever you see fit down the road. Best of luck, and welcome to Charleston!!