will answer Columbia questions! (Irmo, Lexington: real estate, insurance, violent crime)

[sandlapper]

It's exciting to see all the intrest in not only SC but my hometown! I grew up in Columbia, great city with a ton going for it! I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have about "the metro", Cola, or the Riverbanks Region in general.

Anyone else please feel free to jump in and add your expertise about the area!

[vacuumed]

Sandlapper: In a separate post I wrote the following. If you can address any of my questions/concerns, I would be most appreciative! Thanks!

My wife, my two kids (8 and 6), and I are thinking of moving to Columbia. I would be working at Fort Jackson, which suggests that I would likely want to live on the East side of the city. (I currently have an 8 mile commute to work and with gas prices continuing to rise, don't want to increase that by much.) Anyway, I see a LOT of general comments about SC; e.g., it's hot, it's great, it's okay, etc. I am looking for specific answers to specific questions. Take on whichever ones you know the answers to:

1. I've done some research on the crime there and violent crime in particular is waaaaaayyyyy above the national average. Is that violence concentrated in some lower class areas or pretty much spread throughout the city?

2. Is there a "black area" and "white area" to Columbia or is the city pretty much integrated?

3. My kids just finished K and 2nd grades. Their class sizes averaged around 18 students. Assuming that we live in say the Richland 2 school district, what would be an average 3rd and 1st grade class size?

4. What would be a typical racial makeup of those classes?

5. There was zero violence in their school. Is that reasonable to expect the same in Columbia?

6. We used to live in Fayetteville, NC (the town by Fort Bragg). It was TOTALLY a military town, with massage parlors, pawn shops, cash advance and check cashing businesses, and lots of strip joints, tattoo parlors, drugs, gang activity, and other crime. I saw my only prostitute in Fayetteville. My only bar fight in Fayetteville. My only mall fight in Fayetteville. My only shoplifting arrest (wrestling the man to the floor right in front of me) in Fayetteville. Is THIS Columbia?

7. BECAUSE Fayetteville was such a military town, it was totally a buyer's housing market. Houses sit empty in Fayetteville for a year or more. People have lots of trouble making money on a sale. Is THIS Columbia?

8. Traffic was heavy, brisk, and people drove recklessly. I saw more rear-end collisions in Fayetteville than anywhere I ahve ever lived. Fayetteville had the second highest insurance rates in the state of NC, right behind Charlotte. Is THIS Columbia?

9. Fayetteville was poor! And there was a LOT of racial tension. It was as if the message was clear that the white man had caused the poverty in the black community. Is THIS Columbia?

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by vacuumed

Sandlapper: In a separate post I wrote the following. If you can address any of my questions/concerns, I would be most appreciative! Thanks!

My wife, my two kids (8 and 6), and I are thinking of moving to Columbia. I would be working at Fort Jackson, which suggests that I would likely want to live on the East side of the city. (I currently have an 8 mile commute to work and with gas prices continuing to rise, don't want to increase that by much.) Anyway, I see a LOT of general comments about SC; e.g., it's hot, it's great, it's okay, etc. I am looking for specific answers to specific questions. Take on whichever ones you know the answers to:

1. I've done some research on the crime there and violent crime in particular is waaaaaayyyyy above the national average. Is that violence concentrated in some lower class areas or pretty much spread throughout the city?

I don't find Columbia to be a violent city. One thing you'll find about South Carolina is that most crimes seem to be committed by people tat know each other so if you hang out with the right people and stay out of known problem areas (very few), you should be fine.

2. Is there a "black area" and "white area" to Columbia or is the city pretty much integrated?

Absolutely not. I live in an area that is about 50/50 racially mixed although there are some areas that are predominantly one race.

3. My kids just finished K and 2nd grades. Their class sizes averaged around 18 students. Assuming that we live in say the Richland 2 school district, what would be an average 3rd and 1st grade class size?

Anyone here know about district 2?

4. What would be a typical racial makeup of those classes?

Any public school in Richland County is going to be racially mixed - te county is almost evenly divided between white and black populations with some asian and hispanics thrown in.

5. There was zero violence in their school. Is that reasonable to expect the same in Columbia?

Some schools are better than others, but those with kids can better answer this.

6. We used to live in Fayetteville, NC (the town by Fort Bragg). It was TOTALLY a military town, with massage parlors, pawn shops, cash advance and check cashing businesses, and lots of strip joints, tattoo parlors, drugs, gang activity, and other crime. I saw my only prostitute in Fayetteville. My only bar fight in Fayetteville. My only mall fight in Fayetteville. My only shoplifting arrest (wrestling the man to the floor right in front of me) in Fayetteville. Is THIS Columbia?

Columbia is nothing like Fayeteville; Columbia is much bigger and the military base a much smaller infuence than in Fayetteville. The University ad other colleges and state government are much bigger influences unless you're right next to Fort Jackson.

7. BECAUSE Fayetteville was such a military town, it was totally a buyer's housing market. Houses sit empty in Fayetteville for a year or more. People have lots of trouble making money on a sale. Is THIS Columbia?

Not at all, again Columbia is nothing like Fayetteville.

8. Traffic was heavy, brisk, and people drove recklessly. I saw more rear-end collisions in Fayetteville than anywhere I ahve ever lived. Fayetteville had the second highest insurance rates in the state of NC, right behind Charlotte. Is THIS Columbia?

I only pay $650 a year for insurance on my Volvo so if you have a good driving record it shouldn't be bad.

9. Fayetteville was poor! And there was a LOT of racial tension. It was as if the message was clear that the white man had caused the poverty in the black community. Is THIS Columbia?

I'll reiterate that Columbia is nothing like Fayetteville. I'm sure there is some racial tension, but living in a racially mixed neighborhood I don't see any of that. Please lighten up a little bit; I understand Fayetteville seems a bit rough, but every place has god and bad.

If you'd like to see Columbia, I have pics on my website:

Waccamatt's page ·

[sandlapper]

Vacumed, I’ll do what I can to answer your questions.

Question 1. Crime well just like many cities and states in the south crime is a problem, just a fact. Now is it the type of thing where you should fear for your and your families life and stay inside the house all day because it’s like a warzone out there hardly. Like most crime in cities it is usually located in pockets/ areas throughout the city/ metro/ or region. So if you avoid these areas your chances of being assaulted drop to pretty much nil.

Question 2. Yes, No, and all of the above. Columbia has areas that tend to be all black, and all white, and there are neighborhoods where both black and white residents live together.

Question 3. Can’t answer, I don’t have kids

Question 4. Can’t answer, I don’t have kids, but I would agree pretty much with what Waccamatt stated, being a product of the Richland County School District myself.

Question 5. same as above

Question 6. Iv’e never experienced any of that in Columbia but I can only speak for myself. Typically I would say the average person in Columbia wouldn’t experience that either. “massage parlors, pawn shops, cash advance and check cashing businesses, and lots of strip joints, tattoo parlors, drugs, gang activity”. Again as in any city in the US there are parts of town where this exist but as long as you don’t frequent it then it shouldn’t be a problem.

Question 7. Couldn’t tell you I don’t own real estate in Columbia.

Question 8. Don’t know If there is a way to research that I’d say check it out.

Question 9. Columbia’s per capita income is 26,416, Fayetteville 22,789, and Charlotte’s is 28,875 just for comparison. “Is it the white man’s fault”, A lot of your questions seem to stem from race and social class just keep in mind that they are not one and the same.

Come down and visit the area, talk to the locals, go to the schools, and decide for yourself. There are pros and cons of any city, I won’t blow smoke up your ass and tell you that Columbia is Shangra-la, and as soon as you cross the city line all the problems of the world go away, but it is a great place, and If I were to move back to Columbia northeast Richland County would be my #1 destination, but my criteria for choosing are a little different than yours.

And as Waccamatt said Columbia is a different city than Fayetteville. If you name any other cities you have experienced I could tell you what Columbia is more like as a reference point for you.

Hope that helps, and good luck.

[leevester]

Sandlapper, what do you know about Lake Murray? We are considering moving from Lake Norman, NC to Murray but I am concerned about the heat and humidity around Columbia.

Thanks!

[sandlapper]

Well if himidity is a concern of yours then get ready for one heck of a ride! SC is for the most part a humid state and Columbia is no different. Lake Murray is a nice area there are many established communities on or around the lake. The towns of Irmo, Lexington, and Chapin are minutes away. Lake Murray probablly isn't quite as well developed as Lake Norman but it still has many nice communities around it. Just google Lake Murray, SC if you want to investigate the area a bit more.

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by leevester

Sandlapper, what do you know about Lake Murray? We are considering moving from Lake Norman, NC to Murray but I am concerned about the heat and humidity around Columbia.

Thanks!

The Columbia area is only marginally warmer than the Charlotte area - an average of 3 degrees in July - so I doubt you'll notice much of a difference.

[sunstate]

Originally Posted by sandlapper

It's exciting to see all the intrest in not only SC but my hometown! I grew up in Columbia, great city with a ton going for it! I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have about "the metro", Cola, or the Riverbanks Region in general.

Anyone else please feel free to jump in and add your expertise about the area!

What area would you recommend for someone from Florida who is worried about culture shock and is not a republican? I am a 47 year old divorced woman who is worried that I will go insane in the suburbs. I have family near Lake Murry and they want me to move close to them. I hope to be working in the legal field as a paralegal. I just need a small house with some charm and a yard for my dogs. I hope to be able to travel no more than 20 minutes to work. Too much to ask?

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by sunstate

What area would you recommend for someone from Florida who is worried about culture shock and is not a republican? I am a 47 year old divorced woman who is worried that I will go insane in the suburbs. I have family near Lake Murry and they want me to move close to them. I hope to be working in the legal field as a paralegal. I just need a small house with some charm and a yard for my dogs. I hope to be able to travel no more than 20 minutes to work. Too much to ask?

Well, Richland County is heavily democratic. South Carolina is not all republican as some would believe. The city of Columbia and most of Richland County is heavily democratic. Anywhere in the metro area will be within a close drive of Lake Murray. Checkout Irmo, NE Columbia and the in-town neighborhoods. I've got some photos on my website if you want to look around. Good luck.

Waccamatt's page ·

[JohnnyBreakdance]

Originally Posted by waccamatt

Well, Richland County is heavily democratic. South Carolina is not all republican as some would believe.

waccamatt,

I think that it bears pointing out that the label "Democrat" does not necessarily equal "liberal" in the South. There are plenty of Dixiecrats active in state and local politics. Most people in the Carolinas are politically conservative but for many people the Republicans are still the "rich man's" party.