Possibly relocating to Gaston County (Charlotte, Gastonia: to rent, crime, house)

[Lovinladyd]

I've been offered a job in Gaston county and I would love to know about the area - pros, cons....safe places to live (or not so safe places to avoid) Any tips you'd like to share! If you live there - please share your knowledge with me.

THANKS=)

[the 7 oh 4]

Originally Posted by Lovinladyd

I've been offered a job in Gaston county and I would love to know about the area - pros, cons....safe places to live (or not so safe places to avoid) Any tips you'd like to share! If you live there - please share your knowledge with me.

THANKS=)

I would look at living in Belmont or Mount Holly. Those are 2 of the better areas and also puts you right between Gastonia & Charlotte. Great location.

GOOD LUCK!

[ssd3]

My husband works in Gastonia and we are building a house in Lincolnton/Denver. His drive will be about 25 minutes and the traffic is very light as opposed to what I hear about everywhere else in the Charlotte area. The schools where my children will be going are suppose to be very good also(I did a lot of research). Do you like rural, urban or suburbs? Good luck. I wish I could be more help but we are just moving down to the area too.

[Lovinladyd]

Wow - thanks for the responses already. I like a more rural area - I'm used to driving 20-30 minutes to Walmart. Is it a nice area?? Are the public schools pretty good? I'm just starting to look at the cost of living and places to rent. I'm excited but a little overwhelmed!! I'd love any details and I'm glad the initial replies are positive. Is there any kind of relocation or welcome package I could request?
Thanks and I'm looking forward to hearing from more people=) *hint, hint*!!

[ssd3]

Originally Posted by Lovinladyd

Wow - thanks for the responses already. I like a more rural area - I'm used to driving 20-30 minutes to Walmart. Is it a nice area?? Are the public schools pretty good? I'm just starting to look at the cost of living and places to rent. I'm excited but a little overwhelmed!! I'd love any details and I'm glad the initial replies are positive. Is there any kind of relocation or welcome package I could request?
Thanks and I'm looking forward to hearing from more people=) *hint, hint*!!

I wanted rural too, that is why we decided on the Lincolnton/Denver area. I drive 25 minutes to Walmart and Shop Rite too. This seems to be the most like home too me. I also wanted some space between me and my neighbors. How old are your kids? My kids will be going to the Pumkin Center School then onto North Lincoln Middle and High Schools. I have heard great things about them. We also looked in York, Clover, Tega Cay and Fort Mill SC. All seem to have good to very good schools. What town in Gaston County will you be working?

[LAMF]

I love it here in Gaston. Some parts of Gastonia as you get closer to downtown are kind of sketchy, and you aren't going to see too many of the McMansions that dominate much of the Charlotte burbs, but overall I have found this area to be a very nice place to live.

There is a ton of shopping on 74, nice little downtown areas in Belmont and Mount Holly, some decent restaurants scattered about (mostly chains and barbecue joints, although there are some fine dining establishments such as Lotus in Gastonia and the restaurants in downtown Belmont) and some really nice parks. Crowder's Mountain is a great place to go hiking if you are into that. We have the prettiest college in the area in Belmont Abbey (at least as far as I am concerned). Crime exists, but hasn't really leaked out into the more suburban areas yet. I don't have kids so can't comment about the schools, although I live within walking distance to the elementary school in McAdenville and can tell you that they don't have barbed wire fences or metal detectors up.

The smaller towns around here like Lowell, McAdenville and Cramerton are mostly working class with very well maintained, smaller homes and not many new subdivisions going up. In McAdenville, we do have our new Saussy Burbank homes, which don't feel at all like a subdivision. I heard that a new community of 700 homes is coming our way soon on the banks of the South Fork River I think in Cramerton. Not sure how I feel about that.

Now, my experience here is mostly in the more suburban parts of the eastern side of the county, along the I-85 corridor. I haven't ventured too far north or west to really give you an accurate portrayal of those areas.

[cgballer]

Newcomer guide to eastern Gaston county: Visitors & Newcomers