Whats up with the CRIME??! (Columbia, Charleston: 2009, condo, townhouse)

[HermieCKX]

Originally Posted by sneako

SG,

I don't think anyone is questioning the residents of SC. It is as you say a matter of due dilligence. Like I said in an earlier post, I live in Farmington Hills, MI (very Safe-I leave my garage wide open everyday and some nights-it is filled with thousands of dollars of musical equipment) and have NEVER had a problem. That being said, when I travel I tell people I am near Detroit, they almost always say things related to violence, I.E. are you in a gang?, you must be tough, how crazy is it there? FROM THE MURDER CAPITAL EH?etc.

Sneako-
We just moved from Rochester Hills, Michigan to Camden, SC in July. I have to say, the biggest crime I think you'll find out here is cow tipping. Camden is nice - but it's sure not Michigan. It's been a struggle for us to get adapted. Nothing to do. NOTHING to do. No lakes to swim in, no good shopping.... it's very different from Oakland County, Michigan. But the crime has not been an issue at all. Sure there are areas that are a little rougher than others, but that's true for any area. It's not as bad as say, a city like Pontiac.
I looked up Farmington Hills' crime rates on City-Data, the murders/rapes/assaults are higher in that city then all of Kershaw County.
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I thought of something I had to add:
You cant drive a mile in Camden without passing a cop car on the road. That alone makes me feel safe. Our next door neighbor is a cop - and here they drive their cop cars home and park them in the driveway. That's a deterrent.... there are 4 cops living on our street.... maybe that adds to our feeling of safety here.

[Dolo]

The crime rate has alarmed me too and I have lived here for 14 years. With that being said I have never had anything major happen to me, but I am getting paranoid. I read the newspaper everyday (that does not help). I boil the recent crime problem down to gangs and domestic violence (and throw in some drug problems in lexington). At least that's what the newspaper seems to be saying. I think those problems are everywhere, and the crime seems to be isolated to gang on gang crime or domestic problems. I have found Blythewood to be quite charming and safe. I moved here after living in Irmo, Shandon and Garners Ferry Road area. I am looking at places all over the US to relocate too and I haven't found any place better than Blythewood (yet).

[Huckleberry3911948]

Originally Posted by dlwdolly

WOW! I am amazed! We are thinking of relocating to the Lexington, Irmo area and did some reseach on the crime rates. I am dumb-founded, I never would have imagines the crime rates were so high. The national Average is 100 and most area in sc are well over that! Whats the problem there? Seriously, I dont get it! Such a beautiful place!

you can run but you cannt hide.
its pretty much everywhere if you read these posts.
we need to start treating each other different huh?
stephen s
san diego ca

[justNancy]

I just got off of the Greenville board and there was a link to an article about all the gangs, as many as 50, in the area. So I figured "maybe I should reconsider Columbia" and this is the thread I see! Yikes. So now I'm wondering if I need to move to Antarctica to feel safe. I don't think too many people will be hanging out at night because of frostbite, although I've heard those emperor penguins can get pretty rowdy during mating season. Actually where I live in FL the scariest thing is the job market, second only to the property taxes and insurance premiums. I picked SC because I thought it would be a quiet, friendly place to live.

[Akhenaton06]

I think you should realize that just about any urban area these days has to deal with gangs. Heck, they're even popping up in homogenous rural areas.

You should also realize that gangs will be limited to certain neighborhoods, which is typically directly correlated with socioeconomic levels. In other words, pick your neighborhood wisely.

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by Akhenaton06

You should also realize that gangs will be limited to certain neighborhoods, which is typically directly correlated with socioeconomic levels. In other words, pick your neighborhood wisely.

I have a question about neighborhoods. If I can only afford a house for $130,000 or less, does that mean I will end up in a "bad" neighborhood. What I mean is that I see a lot of houses for $250,000 and up but I am just one person and only need a small place. I don't like condos or townhouses because you never know who is going to turn up the surround sound next door. There is no such thing as a "soundproof wall" IMHO. So if I choose one of the $129,000 homes I see listed in Irmo or Lexington, am I also moving to a less desirable area? Even if I could afford one, I don't want a big house.

[settlepa]

I just moved to Lexington and love it here, feel very safe. If you believe everything you read, then I feel sorry for you. Everything I read and hear about is in West Columbia area and Richland school districts, Lexington has some of the highest rated schools in the state.

[Brandon Hoffman]

You can get a nice home in a good area for $130k. Some examples are Foxport, Riverwalk, Coldstream, Millstream, Chestnut Hill Plantation, Foxboro, Concord, and Heatherstone. Foxboro, Foxport, Coldstream, and Chestnut Hill Plantation are probably your best bets because the 130k range are the most affordable homes. Especially CHP where some of the homes now go up into the 400's.

[DadofTwo]

i am curious about the crime. we just moved here from fl and it seems to be nowhere near as bad as it was getting to be back there. we have seen a few questionable places but overall seems to be a pretty safe area.

[DEBRAINKY]

Hi My Name Is Debbie. What About Irmo. I Found A Nice House There. Thanks, I Love This Sight.