Columbia is 50th out of 331-best places to live. Thoughts? (Charleston: top neighborhood, neighborhood)

[eureka1]

Thanks very much. I appreciate it.

[nukeboy]

Hi,
We are looking at relocating to the Columbia/Camden area. All of the postings have been very helpful.
Currently, we live 1 1/2 hours north of NYC. We're rural, but can easily go into NYC if we crave a little culture, or excitement.
My daughter, 16, rides horses. This is the main focus in her life. I'd like to find somewhere she can easily commute to a reputable college.
My husband will have to commute. He will be working (possibly!) in Hartsville. We know that there isn't enough there to actually live there.
I'd really appreciate input concerning both CAMDEN and COLUMBIA.
We have 2 big dogs, and my parents coming along for the relocation.

[nukeboy]

Thanks so much for the info.
We currently live in the Mid-Hudson valley area. One of my daughters actually attends SUNY Buffalo.
Have you been through a summer in SC? The humidy is a big worry for us. It gets hot here, but if I remember correctly, the humidy there (at least in the Charleston area) is sticky and almost unbearable.
Any more insight you can give me, I would apreciate.

[Newberry Mike]

Waccamatt said it best. I am a Columbia native and still visit family and friends 2-3 times a month there. It is a great town. Not too big, not too small. It has no more of a homeless population than any town its size and the crime level is also relative for any city with similar population.It has it all at a reasonable price.

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by nukeboy

Hi,
We are looking at relocating to the Columbia/Camden area. All of the postings have been very helpful.
Currently, we live 1 1/2 hours north of NYC. We're rural, but can easily go into NYC if we crave a little culture, or excitement.
My daughter, 16, rides horses. This is the main focus in her life. I'd like to find somewhere she can easily commute to a reputable college.
My husband will have to commute. He will be working (possibly!) in Hartsville. We know that there isn't enough there to actually live there.
I'd really appreciate input concerning both CAMDEN and COLUMBIA.
We have 2 big dogs, and my parents coming along for the relocation.

Camden could be described as an exurb of Columbia and it is loated about 35 miles from downtown (almost all interstate, about a 40 minute drive), but only about 20 miles from the shopping, etc. in Northeast Columbia. Columbia and Camden have virtually grown together now. There is a large horse presence in Camden as steeplechasing is very big in Camden with both the Colonial Cup and the Carolina Cup held there every year. USC's Equestrian Team is also the best in the country, having won the national championship several times in recent years. They compete at a farm in Blythewood, which is in the Northeast area of Columbia, about 20 miles from downtown. There are a lot of horse farms in both Camden and Blythewood, with Blythewood a shorter drive into Columbia.

[mustangtiff21]

Originally Posted by herethereandeverywhere

Out of 331 metro areas Columbia rated 50th according to Sperlings Best places which is one of the more reputable sites in my humble opinion. Certainly it must have something to offer like affordable living, decent climate and job opportunities. ?

You would think though after reading many of the posts here that it ranks around 300th. Nearly every city has crime so what makes Columbia's so especially bad? Is the crime just that exaggerated? Most warmer climates also have high numbers of homeless, so again, why is Columbia worse than everywhere else?

What makes Columbia so great, so average or so bad? What has your experience been like in Columbia?

Please share your thoughts.

Yay for Cola!!!! I personally love it here. I'm a "yankee" and yes, I love the south and proud to be here. Don't get me wrong, I will always remember my roots but there is so much more here than where I am from that it is really hard to find soemthing negative about Cola. I guess my only gripe...some don't use turn signals and people LOVE to rubberneck near clemson road in the mornings. Oh and who in the heck ever thought of the wonderful idea to have the prisoners out collecting trash on the side of I-20 near Clemson road during the morning rush hour.

[mustangtiff21]

Originally Posted by moparboy

Having moved to Columbia within the last several months, I'd like to weigh in on this thread.

I moved to here from Rochester, NY, which is a statistically larger metro area, has high crime stats within the city limits (especially violent crime), moderately low unemployment, a highly educated and skilled workforce, etc. On paper, Rochester ranked very high (I think in the top 10), as did Buffalo and some other northern cities. That town has become more education and health care based, albeit with a strong, but gradually shrinking, high tech manufacturing base. Very white collar these days (like Columbia).

Here's what I see in SC, in general, and Columbia, specifically. I see an area that was in a state of flux, if you will, perhaps trying to find itself after Jim Crow, the decline of various industries (mainly textiles), etc. The state has come out smelling like a rose, in my humble opinion. NC got the jump on other parts of the U.S. with the research triangle, years ago. Charlotte and other areas of NC are perking along, too. What I see in SC are several small metro areas, that are more manageable than what I'm used to, yet are experiencing growth I haven't seen in my lifetime. Moderate population and job growth, without being too "sprawl-ish". The character of the people and the area is still there, despite the transplants and retirees which have discovered what a great state SC is.

Columbia has a lot of transients, because of the base, the colleges, etc. That makes the local economy even more diverse. Seems to be job growth outside of the public sector, here, which is a good sign. There seems to be plenty of jobs around here, even though things have slowed a bit in the economy. With everything I've mentioned, I think this state is poised for more growth and an even better economy, for at least another generation.

The same cannot be said for my hometown, or, for that matter, some other regions of the U.S. Excessive taxation, regulations, etc., have caused some northern states to be in a steady downward spiral for the past 50+ years. Other similarly sized metro areas to those here, have had declines in population, which erodes the tax base, and drives successful folks out to places such as SC.

These survey stats can be somewhat deceiving, as it's obvious they don't tell the full story. I know folks who would love to live here, but can't for various reasons/obligations. Other transplants I've run into say some of these cities (Aiken/Columbia/Greenwood/Greenville, etc.) are some of the best kept secrets in the South.

As opposed to other cities, the cost of living here is pretty low. Property/school tax rates are low, comparatively, to other places. Utilities are reasonable. The list goes on, so far as cost of living is concerned.

Quality of life here is outstanding, for those who make the effort to enjoy what Columbia has to offer. My only concern is the city should make itself more pedestrian/bicycle friendly, with more trails and paths for active folks. Seems to be a lot of active people, here. The nightlife is top notch, for a small metro area. This indicates a diverse, albeit somewhat increasingly affluent workforce. The universities and colleges around here ad to this, without a doubt.

In a nutshell, I've fallen in love with SC, and Columbia, specifically. Might migrate towards Upstate, in the future, but I like the Forest Acres/Spring Valley part of Columbia. There are some nice parts of the city, too.

Hi Moparboy! Just wanted to say Hi to a fellow former "yankee". I myself am originally from NY...more specifically the Binghamton area, about an hour south of Syracuse. Glad to see that others feel the same way I do about Columbia!

[mustangtiff21]

Originally Posted by nukeboy

Thanks so much for the info.
We currently live in the Mid-Hudson valley area. One of my daughters actually attends SUNY Buffalo.
Have you been through a summer in SC? The humidy is a big worry for us. It gets hot here, but if I remember correctly, the humidy there (at least in the Charleston area) is sticky and almost unbearable.
Any more insight you can give me, I would apreciate.

SUNY Buffalo, I graduated with kids that went there. Being from NY/PA, SUNY is a common "name" that I haven't heard in a while! As far as humidity, the first summer is tough, I will not lie to you. However, honestly your blood does thin out and you get more used to it as time goes on. My first summer here after I moved from back home I thought I'd die...central air became my best friend! LOL However, the summers here and actually all year round is great and a breath of fresh air not to have to deal with snow!

[NancyM]

I am so excited about moving to Columbia. I'm busy packing and will be leaving NJ for good 2/29. I know it will take a while to adjust to the heat during summers.....but I'm guessing if one tries to stay relatively thin, they'll be less bothered by the heat. I've gained about 20 lbs the last 5 yrs and find the heat bothers me more since. So I plan to lose that weight by walking once I get down to Cola. I can't STAND cold weather. It snowed today and then turned into sleet. It's been sleeting all day and is about 23 degrees, with wind chill I think in the teens or single digits. Is obnoxious. I get sinus infections every single winter here. I'll be SO HAPPY to leave this all behind.

[mpaquette]

Originally Posted by mustangtiff21

Oh and who in the heck ever thought of the wonderful idea to have the prisoners out collecting trash on the side of I-20 near Clemson road during the morning rush hour.

I really like the fact that SC puts prisoners to work doing things like picking up trash. I wish they would expand the trash pickup to more of the county roads.