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My first post on this site. It seems a wonderful place to discuss cities and locals, so I thought I would dip my toe in the discussion.
I am married, 47 years old with no children. I live in San Diego, CA and all my adult life I have wanted to relocate back to the southeast. I spent some years as a child in Tennessee and have visited the area many times over the years. Much of this time has been spent pining for Asheville NC, for when I speak of wanting to locate to the south, I specifically mean to those areas that are touched by the Blue Ridge mountains. I would find it ideal to be 20 or so miles outside of a city (like Asheville/Greenville/Spartanburg...etc) and in a rural setting. I could see Pickens or Traveler's Rest or Marietta as nice options. I would like a house with a bit of land, etc. The pedestrian friendly vibe of a city is a non-factor for me.
I have been to Asheville, Greenville and Spartanburg and loved them all, but it has been a few years (15+). Reading on this forum, perhaps Asheville's cost of living makes that a less ideal location. I am a RN and am not too worried about finding work, so that should not be that big of an issue. Also, don't bother complaining about conservative politics or 'bible belt' mentality. While I am not religious, neither bother me in the least.
So, what are some thoughts about the three cities listed?
Well, Asheville is in the mountains, where as the towns you mentioned in SC are near the mountains. It makes a difference with weather; the altitude affects temperature quite a bit. We're in Tigerville, about 15 miles north of Greenville, and have a nice mountain view. the nearest mountains are about 10 miles away.
If you haven't been to Greenville in 15+ years, you'll see a big change down town, with Main St completely re-done, and a nice park along the Reedy River. Travelers Rest is on the upswing, with small businesses along Main St, and basic shopping and fast food along Hwy 25. Pickens is a cute little town, although I don't know much about it. Marietta is not particularly attractive.
I believe the cost of living is cheaper on the SC side of the mountains, and the weather is a little milder (as well as hotter in the summer).
And here we go! These city versus city discussions tend to get out of hand. Sartana, good luck with the answers. My advise is to visit each city for a few days to get a good feel for each one. Your heart will tell you where you need to live.
I wouldn't knock the other cities, but I've chosen to live in Greenville and think it's the best. Charlotte is a little more cosmopolitan, while Asheville is a little more artsy. Greenville is, well, right in the middle. It is still up-and-coming, fueled by a very family-friendly atmosphere that is also open to young couples and singles. This weekend is just one very good example: Fall for Greenville, a weekend festival of food and music spread from the upper end of Main Street all the way to the West End, drawing people from across the upstate.
What do you like to do in your free time? That may drive some of where you want to live. Asheville is a high cost of living area and jobs tend to be harder to find there but RN jobs seem to be available almost everywhere.
There are some smaller towns outside of Asheville with smaller hospitals like Waynesville, Morganton, Hendersonville, and others that would offer employment in a more rural setting.
Pickens, Seneca, Travelers Rest, and Greer in South Carolina also all have hospitals that would allow you to live in a rural setting.
Any reason to rule out TN? Maryville in Eastern TN has a hospital close to the mountains. Sweetwater, Athens, Madisonville, Newport, and other towns in East TN also have hospitals near the mountains.
But Greenville, with thousands & thousands of apartments being built downtown, is such a wonderful place full of innovation, growth, high end retail, international flights, great public transit, museums, the arts, high school football, the best baseball stadium (in the upstate)...and....don't forget Greer, Easley & Pickens, they are the best places to live in SC, can't beat living on 2 acres with a Hardees, Wal Mart, firing range and/or trailer park down the road. I am only surprised that less than 10k people move to the metro each year...the word must not be out....although, Greenville (via EP) does make it a point to be in every magazine that will give them ink......interesting.
I grew up mostly in Charlotte and have lived in Greenville now for 7.5 years. I've spent/spend a lot of time in Asheville. In isolation, I like Asheville the best between Greenville, Spartamburg, and Asheville. However, once I add in factors of infrastructure, cost of living, and weather, Greenville edges ahead for me for a place to live year-round. I have nothing really bad to say about Spartanburg, but I have spent a lot of time there over the years as well and it's just not for me. It has definitely improved though.
I lived in Asheville, and moved to Spartanburg for work about 6 years ago, so I have familiarity with both, as well as having spent a lot of time in Greenville. Nothing wrong with Spartanburg, although certainly not as much to do here as there is in the other two cities. Much lower cost of living on the SC side of the border, housing, gas, etc. Jobs more plentiful down here too. Winters are colder in Asheville, usually around 10 degrees colder, which can make a big difference in the winter. Summers less humid and a bit cooler up there too, which is nice. Between Spartanburg and Greenville, there are more jobs on the Greenville side, homes maybe a bit more expensive there, but traffic is worse there than in Spartanburg.
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