Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Like many people have mentioned earlier I think it depends on what you are looking for. For me they are pretty much the same city with the only things differing for what I look for (professional/ personal) is that Charlotte is larger, and has a couple major professional teams (but so does Green Bay, WI). Columbia is slightly smaller but has the university which offers quality sporting events as well. Both cities are relatively cheap to live in, both are about 2-3 hours from the beach or mountains, both have accessable recreational lakes. I will say though that Charlotte probablly has a stronger new job market, not too familiar with the IT market in Columbia, but Im in healthcare so go fig.
Charlotte is known for being a great place for raising a family, very family-friendly. The IT job market there is bigger than Columbia, there are jobs in Columbia but they'll be harder to find.
Columbia gets HOT in the summertime. I've been in both cities in the height of summer [July] and the heat is much more intense feeling in Columbia, and it gets pretty humid in both cities but moreso in Cola. The heat is absolutely blistering, for me, but I'm hot-natured. The sand in Columbia plays a factor as well.
Average July high in Charlotte: 90. Average July high in Columbia: 95. Record July high in Columbia: 109. Record July high in Charlotte: 103. Source: weather.com
I agree with Akhenaton's statement:
"So in the end I'd say if you want a large, faster-paced, rapidly-growing metropolitan area with big city amenities and a burgeoning corporate profile, go with Charlotte. If you want a mid-sized, steadily-growing capital city home to a large university with all of the amenities that entails, go with Columbia."
Don't get me wrong, Columbia is a nice place and worthy of consideration, but make no mistake--it is VERY hot in the summer. When considering the ratio between temperature and humidity, it is one of the very hottest of any city in the US. As one poster mentioned, part of the reason is the sandy soil there---Cola is right in the middle of the Carolina Sandhills---which holds heat and also retards the growth of large trees and other vegetation which would moderate temperatures (its not the best place for gardeners). If you decide on Columbia, just be sure you have excellent air conditioning systems and money to pay the electric bills in the summer.
Columbia is hot during July and August, sometimes September. Its mild the rest of the year. The temps are just part of life. People live with coldness up north for much longer than Columbia lives with heat. Just something to think about. Columbia always ranks pretty high on those quality of life studies. There's plenty to offer on all fronts- sports, arts, nightlife, restaurants.
If I had to choose between Columbia and Charlotte, I would let the job decide. Either city would be a great place to live.
Between these two options, Charlotte far exceeds Columbia in nearly every category in the book, in my humble opinion. Perhaps someday this will change, but we may never live to see that day. If you are a fan of a city that revolves around a large university, you may prefer Columbia, but I prefer to live in a city that stands on its own feet without the majority of aid coming from a university.
The heat in Columbia is far worse than that in Charlotte. Ever hear of the "heat index?" The humidity that builds up in the "bowl" where the city was built can be unbearably stifling. But hey, some people prefer hotter climates.
The best thing about moving to either city is that you would be within a 2-hour drive from Greenville and the Upstate mountains, which is the perfect place to escape the unbearable heat and enjoy uninhibited natural beauty - both urban and wild. Stroll along Greenville's award-winning Main Street under the thick canopy of cool shade trees and dine on the sidewalks as you enjoy the truly eclectic and international cosmopolitan setting. While downtown, you can pick up a free copy of the new Michelin visitors guide, a handy and extremely helpful booklet which includes many of the Upstate region's top highlights to explore.
Between these two options, Charlotte far exceeds Columbia in nearly every category in the book, in my humble opinion. Perhaps someday this will change, but we may never live to see that day. If you are a fan of a city that revolves around a large university, you may prefer Columbia, but I prefer to live in a city that stands on its own feet without the majority of aid coming from a university.
The heat in Columbia is far worse than that in Charlotte. Ever hear of the "heat index?" The humidity that builds up in the "bowl" where the city was built can be unbearably stifling. But hey, some people prefer hotter climates.
The best thing about moving to either city is that you would be within a 2-hour drive from Greenville and the Upstate mountains, which is the perfect place to escape the unbearable heat and enjoy uninhibited natural beauty - both urban and wild. Stroll along Greenville's award-winning Main Street under the thick canopy of cool shade trees and dine on the sidewalks as you enjoy the truly eclectic and international cosmopolitan setting. While downtown, you can pick up a free copy of the new Michelin visitors guide, a handy and extremely helpful booklet which includes many of the Upstate region's top highlights to explore.
I spend quite a bit of time in Greenville/Greer - seems like an oven to me in the summer time. But there again, the OP was deciding between moving to either Columbia or Charlotte, not Greenville.
Last edited by Nausikaa; 05-21-2007 at 01:47 PM..
Reason: //
Between these two options, Charlotte far exceeds Columbia in nearly every category in the book, in my humble opinion. Perhaps someday this will change, but we may never live to see that day. If you are a fan of a city that revolves around a large university, you may prefer Columbia, but I prefer to live in a city that stands on its own feet without the majority of aid coming from a university.
You're giving your opinion a second time? Hmmm, wonder why....
At any rate, people always say this (what's quoted above), but I find such a sentiment misguided. The fact of the matter is that USC is to Columbia what the banks are to Charlotte--a huge economic generator. The university is part and parcel of Columbia, just like BOA and Wachovia are to Charlotte, so Charlotte is no more "standing on its own feet" than Columbia. At least USC isn't going anywhere, but there have always been whisperings of BOA bolting for NYC. Let's also not forget Columbia's state capital status, which also gives the city a greater sense of economic stability. Today, college towns/cities and state capitals are getting lots of positive press, especially as it regards the cultural contributions that are associated with that.
Secondly, the only categories I would say that Charlotte "far exceeds" Columbia would be the local economy (and in that respect, Charlotte far exceeds any SC city--yes, including Greenville), amenities related to shopping and major league professional sports (and for the latter, only the Panthers really count--even Charlotteans struggle to support their NBA team), and mass transit (because it is a bigger city). I have already given my assessments earlier in the thread, but Columbia beats Charlotte when it comes to geographical setting (Charlotte's is pretty boring to say the least, whereas Columbia is a fall line city beautifully nestled at the confluence of two rivers, creating a third), recreational amenities (Columbia has the greenway looping around downtown, downtown rapids along the Saluda River, a nationally-acclaimed zoo, a national forest [which is the only one in SC], etc.), open spaces (a signature park [Finlay], Riverfront Park, Granby Park, etc.), historic preservation (not a whole lot left which testifies to Charlotte's history), and a downtown environment that feels more inclusive (in uptown Charlotte, sometimes you feel left out if you aren't in "banker attire"), as you get a good mix of professionals, government workers, and college students. This is not to say that Charlotte doesn't have anything to offer in these categories (again, I mentioned some in an earlier post), but I just think Columbia has an edge.
People talk about the heat in Columbia like it's a desert. I grew up roughly midway between Columbia and Charleston, so it's nothing to me--actually, I find Columbia's summer climate more bearable in that light. There is an earlier post that shows that the average summer highs in Columbia aren't significantly higher than in Charlotte.
I live in the Charlotte metro area (actually work in the city itself) and I'm intimately familiar with Columbia, visiting often, so I know what I'm talking about when it comes to a knowledgeable, objective comparison between the two cities.
I dont' see what Greenville has to do with this discussion either.
I think hot is hot, no matter what temp it is. The difference between 90 and 95 doesn't mean much. Charlotte is just as sweltering as Columbia.... Columbia just gets a few more 100+ days.
I'd stay away from Charlotte and Mecklenburg county. If you are going to move to Charlotte, move into a different county. There are a lot of things to do here though. Not only the aforementioned Panthers, but that is only 10 weeks minimum at home, the Bobcats (attendance is poor because the front office has made some bad decisions and the whole arena issue which I won't get started on.). The Charlotte Checkers AA hockey team which has the 3rd highest average attendance in their league is an excellent entertainment value. The Charlotte Knights also play AAA ball in the SC suburb of Fort Mill. I have really found some hidden gems in the Charlotte area and Charlotte is also an easy drive to several places (mountains, beaches, Columbia, the NC Zoo in Asheboro, which is imo a much better zoo than Riverbanks, but is a large natural habitat zoo, so you will do some walking). The Charlotte area is a bit too yuppyish and corporate unfortunately, but I guess that is part of is uniqueness. There is not really a small town feel left anywhere in Charlotte unless you visit some of the smaller suburbs in neighboring counties. I have a to do list on tripadvisor.com about Charlotte if you wanna check that out. I should probably update it as I have since found some new to do's.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
