Charlotte or Columbia? (Forest Acres, North: subdivisions, income, restaurants)

[birdsnflight]

cola............... much beter ! Char. is over rated.

[gsupstate]

Originally Posted by Nausikaa

Right!

Every time I go to Greenville to visit friends, when I meet someone new they will say. "You live in Columbia! Oh, I've heard it's SO HOT there." After I'd heard this about 10 times, I realized it was "folk lorel" to make Greenville sound more livable than Columbia!! At first I just laughed - Greenville is as hot as hell! Greenville is also 90 miles from Columbia, and Charlotte about the same. How much difference could there be?? I've looked at the weather charts in summer, and There will be a 2 degree difference. Um, when it's 92 outside, does it matter if there is a 2 degree difference? The big difference comes in WINTER, when it can be 10 degrees colder in Greenville/Charlotte than Columbia.

You are overlooking summer EVENING temps. While daytime temps in Greenville may be only 2 or 3 degrees cooler than Columbia, once the sun goes down, the temps in Greenville drop rapidly, thanks to the location near the mountains. Comfortable summer "evenings" in Greenville are the norm, while the evenings I've spent in Columbia tend to stay rather hot and muggy.
Aside from real temps, humidity plays a role in the feel of each. Greenville with drier mountain air, tends to feel cooler, even on days with the same real temp as Columbia.

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by gsupstate

You are overlooking summer EVENING temps. While daytime temps in Greenville may be only 2 or 3 degrees cooler than Columbia, once the sun goes down, the temps in Greenville drop rapidly, thanks to the location near the mountains. Comfortable summer "evenings" in Greenville are the norm, while the evenings I've spent in Columbia tend to stay rather hot and muggy.
Aside from real temps, humidity plays a role in the feel of each. Greenville with drier mountain air, tends to feel cooler, even on days with the same real temp as Columbia.

If you look at the average low temps in July, there is the same 3 degree temperature difference as the daytime highs. The average low difference between the Columbia NWS station and the Charlotte NWS station is only 1 degree. Since Greenville has higher average annual rainfall it will take more research to see if the humidity tends to be lower. I think the huge differences being touted are more myth than actually based in fact.

[gsupstate]

The sweat on my body (or lack thereof) is enough research for me. Most would agree.

[Reneewhitehe]

Here is the deal. Charlotte is a beautiful city. Faster paced. LOTS more traffic to deal with. Plenty of culture (good and bad). Lots of very good shopping. Etc. It is usually a little cooler in Charlotte - 3 - 5 degrees I'd say. Not that big of a difference. Charlotte has more trees. They have very strict laws about cutting down trees. If you are tree hugger then go to Charlotte! Be advised if you have children in school, they do bus the kids.

Columbia. NE and Irmo area are where you should consider. The NE is growing with lots of new homes and our new multi use shopping complex called Village at Sandhills. (It is one of 8 as finalist for an international award for best mutli use shopping centers.) There are plenty of cultural opportunities in Columbia. The University of SC is here and that lends itself to some cultural opportunities. There is great local theatre here! Town Theatre and Workshop offer some great shows! There is ballet here and symphony. If Columbia isn't enough for you, then Charlotte is only slightly over one hour away! Riverbanks Zoo and botanical gardens are here and they are great. Also, the State Museum and Edventure offer great programs for young and old alike. Last year, I went to the State Museum to see the works of Norman Rockwell and a film of his life. It was wonderful and very extensive. Columbia is very accessible. Charlotte not so easy to get around in. The shopping is not quite as upscale as Charlotte - no Nordstroms or Sax here, but as I said before, Charlotte is just an hour and a few minutes away. AND the best shopping in Charlotte is on the south side of town at South Park Mall, and since Columbia is south of Charlotte, that works to the travelers' advantage.
Schools in Columbia that you would want to put your child(ren) in are Richland 2 School District (nationally ranked schools) or Lexington-Richland 5 School District (Irmo area). Avoid Richland 1 Schools like the plague!
There are very nice neighborhoods in the NE. If you like golf - no problem here! Lots of opportunity for that!
I have lived in Columbia for 12 years and it really is what my cousins' wife told me when we were being transferred here. She told me that Columbia was really a well kept secret. It was easy to manauver in traffice wise. There is enough shopping and culture and the weather is mild. There is enough to do here and become involved in. It is a large city with a slower pace. There is a major university here along with CIU - Columbia International University (formerly Columbia Bible College).
I have tons of family in Charlotte and lived there as a child for 2 years. But as far as easier lifestyle etc. - Columbia fits that bill!

Good luck in your move wherever you decide! WE are moving to Kansas this summer!

[the 7 oh 4]

Originally Posted by birdsnflight

cola............... much beter ! Char. is over rated.

Matter of opinion!

Charlotte is a WONDERFUl city too or it would not have grown like it has!

[marndt]

Lived in Columbia for 2 years... now in Fort Mill. The Charlotte area is much, much, much, much, much, much, much and again much nicer...

[the 7 oh 4]

Originally Posted by marndt

Lived in Columbia for 2 years... now in Fort Mill. The Charlotte area is much, much, much, much, much, much, much and again much nicer...

We lived in Fort Mill for almost 5 years before moving to Uptown Charlotte to 4th Ward in 2001. We liked Fort Mill but it wasn't Urban enough for us...although Baxter Village is really nice!

Looking forward to checking our downtown Columbia & Riverbanks ZOO in about a month when it really warms up.

They are calling for a high of 45 with a rain/snow mix Monday morning in Charlotte. 30's at night. Glad I am headed to Miami Beach Tuesday for a week.

[Akhenaton06]

No difference between Fort Mill and NE Richland or Irmo. Except that generic sprawl has totally subsumed Fort Mill, which is rapidly losing any identity it ever had.

[sonofaque86]

I love living in Columbia. People talk about shopping and stuff. It's good to have best of both worlds. From my house in NE Columbia, the Charlotte border is about 50 minutes away. I can randomly go to Charlotte like that if I feel the need to get something Cola doesn't have without actually moving there. And it's funny how almost everyday I see those big old Charlotte Mecklenburg buses all up and down 126 and 277 going to Riverbanks Zoo and even the Statehouse (i guess its a capital closer than going to Raleigh0. Apparently we have things Charlotte doesn't have either.