Charlotte or Columbia? (Sumter, Orangeburg, Newberry: 2010, estimated, title)

[Skyliner]

Originally Posted by Carolina_1690

I dont' see what Greenville has to do with this discussion either.
...

I threw Greenville/the Upstate in there as a great nearby destination to find relief from the heat in either city. Never did I mention looking at Greenville as the better place to live instead. But since you brought it up...

[Akhenaton06]

It seems that Charlotteans and Columbians much prefer go to the beach to beat the heat. Charlotte would annex Myrtle Beach and Charleston if they could.

[Skyliner]

I'll take the endless variety of mountains anyday over the beach, but I do enjoy occasionally vacationing along the coast.

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by Scathy

Which city is nicer? greener? more cultural? a better place to raise a family?
Is the weather much hotter in Columbia? What is the IT job market like it in Columbia?

I would like to dispell a few discrepancies in this thread; first:

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

The temperatures being compared above are comparing the Charlotte Airport station with the downtown Columbia weather station, not with the Columbia Airport. Since Charlotte does not have a downtown NWS station, I'll insert the Columbia Airport figures to the above statement:

Average July high in Charlotte: 90. Average July high in Columbia: 92. Record July high in Columbia: 107. Record July high in Charlotte: 103. Source: weather.com. In January the average low in Columbia is 34 and the average high is 55 with a record low of -1. In Charlotte, the average January low is 32 and the average high s 51 with a record low of -5.

Then there is this statement:

---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

This is very interesting since Columbia is full of mature trees and is a "Tree City USA". I have 150 foot tall hardwoods all over my neighborhood in Columbia. Part of the metro area is in the sandhills, but part of it is not.

Then there is this statement, obviously made by someone who has never been to Columbia, since Columbia is built on a hill and not in a "bowl", as the picture shows below.

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.

Yes, like anywhere in the South, Columbia is hot during the summer. If hot weather bothers you terribly, the South (other than the highest mountains) will not suit you. As far as IT jobs, Columbia has a large university presence - not just USC, but there are 7 other colleges and universities in the city. USC is a major research university, which creates alot of job opportunities. It is also a major insurance hub and is the center of state government. The job market here is always steady with low unemployment. As far as outdoor activities, Columbia sits at the confluence of 3 rivers, with challenging rapids a stone's throw from downtown, and is also the home of Lake Murray and Congaree National Park. My website has alot of photos of the Columbia area if you'd like a visual tour. Charlotte and Columbia are 2 very different cities so choosing between the 2 should be pretty easy. The best time to visit Columbia is on a fall football weekend.

Hardly a city in a "bowl"


Here are a number of other pictures:

http://www.freewebs.com/waccamatt/

[Akhenaton06]

Originally Posted by Nausikaa

well.... why are we discussing Greenville, in the middle of a conversation about Charlotte and Columbia? It gets confusing.

I think you misunderstood me. It was a statement of affirmation. You would need to hear me actually say it to understand, LOL.

Nice pic, waccamatt. Columbia is a fall line city, which is where the coastal plain ends and the piedmont begins, so the city being in a "bowl" is pretty much geographically impossible; we aren't talking about New Orleans here. The city's geography is also the reason why the city's skyline is prominently perched when looking from the junction of I-26 and I-77.

[mpaquette]

waccamatt, lot's of great pictures on your site.

[Nausikaa]

Originally Posted by Skyliner

I'll take the endless variety of mountains anyday over the beach, but I do enjoy occasionally vacationing along the coast.

I enjoy reading all your posts, you provide a lot of very interesting information. I've learned a lot about the Greenville area from you.

But this poster was interested in Charlotte and Columbia, probably having job interviews in both places.

[gsupstate]

Originally Posted by Nausikaa

But this poster was interested in Charlotte and Columbia, probably having job interviews in both places.

Charlotte is a hard city to beat. One of the better in the nation and would be an excellent choice. Friendly people, beautiful lush trees, great shopping and a great business climate. It's the center of the I-85 boombelt (Raleigh-Durham / Winston-Salem / Greenville-Spartanburg) so easy travel to a variety of other cities. USAirways largest hub, so easy flights to any city.

You can't go wrong with Charlotte.

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by Akhenaton06

I think you misunderstood me. It was a statement of affirmation. You would need to hear me actually say it to understand, LOL.

Nice pic, waccamatt. Columbia is a fall line city, which is where the coastal plain ends and the piedmont begins, so the city being in a "bowl" is pretty much geographically impossible; we aren't talking about New Orleans here. The city's geography is also the reason why the city's skyline is prominently perched when looking from the junction of I-26 and I-77.

You mean this one?

[friendnc]

They are two nice, but different places.

Charlotte is MUCH (not "slightly") larger (city pop. Charlotte about 687,000; Columbia about 115,000 -- metro pop. Charlotte about 2 million; Columbia about 560,000. 2007 est.).

I'm very familiar with both areas and Columbia feels much hotter to me. When you're talking about an "average scale" in tempeture, a 5 degree difference is pretty large, and that's not even including the heat index.

For a smaller metro, Columbia actually has quite a bit to do. But clearly Charlotte has much more due to the size of the area.

Charlotte has one of the hottest economies in the nation, so it's really hard to beat them head to head. But Columbia's is very good as well. There are IT opportunites in Charlotte, but I'm sure there are some in Columbia too.

The cost of livng is lower in Columbia, but average household incomes are higher in the Charlotte area according to "Places Rated Almanac"'s cost of living chart(Clt=$74,700; Col=$66,800).

Both are really nice, but like others have said, it really depends on what you're looking for.