VT vs SC (Columbia, Charleston: crime rates, houses, neighborhood)

[Batada]

My husband and I are looking to relocate to South Carolina with our two young children (both under 3). I have been researching on-line but I figured the best way to find out about life in S.C would be to ask people who live there. If anyone could answer some questions for me I would really appreciate it.
1. Are there any areas that I should avoid due to higher crime rates and bad schools?
2. Do we need to be worried about hurricanes and tornadoes? Do you get a lot of either? (remember I'm from VT and we don't get any here)
3. Do I have to worry about sharing my home with huge spiders and snakes. I know they are around but I just don't like the idea of having them in my home.
4. What kind of poisonous "critters" are native to SC? Do I need to worry about my children coming in contact with them?
5.My husband is a master electrician. How hard will it be for him to find work and what is the average pay?

Any help I could get with these questions would be great. Thanks in advance!

[anonymous]

I actually live with a transplanted Vermonter, who is dealing with some culture shock. I've never been to Vermont, but given the things we've talked about, I gather than there is a pretty big change in the two places. There are a few common themes I hear from:

-How many bugs there are / How difficult they are to get rid of. Mainly American Cockroaches - The large, dark colored ones that live outside.
-How many poor/uneducated/indigent people live here, and "Why doesn't the goverment help them?"
-How odd it is that public schools involve religion, and lack a lot of the extra programs that Vermont had.

To answer your questions, though, I would only worry about things like snakes and alligators if you plan on spending time in the water, or around floodplains. Every neighborhood is different, but my neighborhood growing up was about half a mile from the swamp, and I never saw snakes in my backyard. Most folks out in the country would see snakes routinely, and alligators depending on what part of the state you're in.

[Batada]

Yes it definitely is a different way of life up hear. We have snow (and I mean a lot of snow) but in return we don't have to worry about hurricanes and tornadoes. I am a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to large bugs and alligators. I guess it is all a matter of what you are used to. I just don't want to have to worry about walking outside and having an alligator or poisonous snake/spider where my children and dogs are playing (let alone in my house). Now that you mention cockroaches, how common are they? Do most people have them in their houses or just in older houses or certain locations? You are probably going to chuckle but I have never even seen a cockroach and I really don't like the idea of having one in my house. (yuck).

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it.

[waccamatt]

I'll answer some of the questions about Columbia since you posted in this forum. We do not have alligators this far north on a regular basis. There are some in Congaree Swamp National Park, though, which is about 15 miles south of Columbia. The Palmetto Bugs are scary, but basically harmless and they live outside. Every once in a while, they do come in to say hello. The large roach baits do a good job of controlling them. I attended public school here in Columbia and don't recall any religious influence other than a few Christmas pageants. If you live in the city you don't have many snakes to worry about and I've never seen a poisonous spider, though they do exist. I'm speaking for Columbia in this post; I'm sure things are different in rural areas and in the more conservative upstate.

[transplantct]

I live in Columbia and as far as bugs go, we have Orkin come out every other month, to keep them out. It's a tropical climate and you're bound to share space, at some point, whether you're inside or out.

I'm from CT and would advise you to visit SC a lot before visiting. It's a great place for some and not for others. It really depends on your lifestyle and sensibilities.

My husband is a high school math teacher and has worked in urban and more rural areas. Schools in more urban areas tend to not involve religion. In the more rural area, it was common to say a prayer before a game, assembly, etc.

[transplantct]

oops, please ignore that last paragraph!

[justNancy]

I don't have to live in SC to know that running into an alligator is going to be rare, if ever. I've lived in FL for a long time, even near the Everglades where most of them live. You will never walk outside and see an alligator just hanging around your house. For the most part, they stay in the water except when stupid humans tempt them with food. Alligators are nocturnal, so when I lived on Sanibel Island, where there were many of them, I didn't take strolls at night except in well lit areas. Actually, it was very quiet there..kept the burglars away! LOL Seriously, attacks on homeowners are very rare. I think there have been 6 deaths in FL from alligator attacks in the past 30 years. (AFAIK, none in SC.) With a population of 18 million, even FL only averages 7 attacks per year. So I doubt if Columbia has a problem.

In 14 years of living in some of the hottest, most humid places in the country, I've never gotten a single spider bite. Spiders are very good for the environment because they eat insects. I keep spiders on my porch. (okay, I'm weird. I can't kill anything that isn't bothering me.) Snakes are more afraid of people than people are of them. They do their best to get away from us. As I said, I don't live in Columbia, but I've been in a lot hotter & wetter places, and they're really not a problem.

What about rats in SC? The most rats I ever saw were in Boston. They are so disgusting! However, one summer in FL I worked for a pest control company and it freaked me out to find out how many homes have rodent problems, especially the ones on fresh water canals. Yuck!

[anonymous]

As far as gators go, you do have them in parts of the midlands. I don't think they're in Lake Murray, but they'll live directly south or east of Columbia. Unless you plan on wading through the swamp in neck-deep water, then I wouldn't be concerned.

Originally Posted by justNancy

As I said, I don't live in Columbia, but I've been in a lot hotter & wetter places, and they're really not a problem.

I'm curious where you've lived that was hotter than Columbia. I don't know of anywhere on the east coast that gets hotter than Columbia in the summertime. I know Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jax, etc. don't get as hot as Cola in June, July, and August.

[Brandon Hoffman]

Originally Posted by Batada

My husband and I are looking to relocate to South Carolina with our two young children (both under 3). I have been researching on-line but I figured the best way to find out about life in S.C would be to ask people who live there. If anyone could answer some questions for me I would really appreciate it.
1. Are there any areas that I should avoid due to higher crime rates and bad schools?
2. Do we need to be worried about hurricanes and tornadoes? Do you get a lot of either? (remember I'm from VT and we don't get any here)
3. Do I have to worry about sharing my home with huge spiders and snakes. I know they are around but I just don't like the idea of having them in my home.
4. What kind of poisonous "critters" are native to SC? Do I need to worry about my children coming in contact with them?
5.My husband is a master electrician. How hard will it be for him to find work and what is the average pay?

Any help I could get with these questions would be great. Thanks in advance!

1-Depends on price range. There'll be good and bad areas whatever part of town you go.
2-Hurricanes are not a concern this far inland and tornadoes are not real common.
3-Probably be more buggy than VT but if you're intown no concerns. Snakes, particularly venomous snakes, are uncommon in homes.
4-Black Widow (I've seen 3 my entire life here and they were all under rocks), snakes shouldn't bother you if you don't bother them.
5-I know several electricians and they always seem to be busy. I don't know what average pay is.

[waccamatt]

It does get hot in Columbia, but if you factor in the heat and the humidity I think Charleston and Savannah are more inhospitable during the summer. The most miserable place I've ever visited during the summer is Houston.