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.
Here is a serious response because I truly understand your concern, or curiosity moving to a new area. I have liived in Louisiana most of my life, moved to the Denverv area 3 years ago and moved here to Greenville in March of this year. First there is no comparison to the scenery in Colorado thats obvious, but people are 100% friendlier here in greenville and surrounding areas. What has been dissappointing is when you travel around the state the roads and the way the median areas are kept are horrible here, kind of run down looking. Having been here 4 months or so and having traveled to North Carolina, Tenn, Georgia, I would live in North Carolina. It is a beautiful state, people still very friendly, roads are kept well, clean shopping areas etc. Although real estate is cheaper in South Carolina than North Carolina. Given that either state is nice because in a few hours you can be in the mountains or at the ocean.
There's not much to argue with in this post. I definitely agree about the friendliness of the people and the overall, kind of trashy look of SC. So many people brag about the lower taxes here, and when you drive around the state you can easily see that lack of investment. Fortunately the city leaders of Greenville have not followed the state trend and have made some really good investments in the city of Greenville, although there is a long way to go. Greenville, and SC especially, seem like 10-20 years behind other states in things like roads, rest stops, bike lanes and paths, power lines, signage, etc.
Driving in from Atlanta at night recently, I noticed after you cross the SC border, the road signs are very hard to read. It looks like they are so dirty that they no longer can reflect your headlights? I don't know if they are just dirty, old, cheap or whatever. But some were nearly impossible to read.
My wife and I would definitely live in NC over SC and are looking to make that move in the long run. A big reason behind that is that we are visual people. We both work in fields where we are making things look/feel/sound/be their best aesthetically. And the aesthetic contrasts between North and South Carolina are pretty obvious.
I regret moving here from NC. I should have known better since we lived here 14 years ago. NC blows SC out of the water. Neighborhoods are friendlier in NC. There are more options for children in NC as well. The people in NC are nicer, diverse, outgoing, and more environmentally conscience. This has been a long, boring month for my children. My husband loves his job but I am over Greenville and will count down to a dream of living someplace better.
I regret moving here from NC. I should have known better since we lived here 14 years ago. NC blows SC out of the water. Neighborhoods are friendlier in NC. There are more options for children in NC as well. The people in NC are nicer, diverse, outgoing, and more environmentally conscience. This has been a long, boring month for my children. My husband loves his job but I am over Greenville and will count down to a dream of living someplace better.
Sorry to hear. Your experiences regarding friendliness seem to be the opposite of what the vast majority of folks have expereinced here.
It's unfortunate that Falls Park, Cleveland Park, the SWT, The Childrens Museum of the Upstate, Roper Mountain Science Center, Paris Mountain State Park, Discovery Island Water Park or Frankie's Fun Park, along with all the usual summertime kids' things to do couldn't keep your kids occupied.
In NC you have museums that are free or nominal cost to attend. The ones you listed are costly for a family. We have gone from attending an event frequently to minimal activity. The Children's museum here is outrageous in cost! Even the annual pass is ridiculous. When comparing cost of living families should consider that very little here costs less than $10 a person.
In NC you have museums that are free or nominal cost to attend. The ones you listed are costly for a family. We have gone from attending an event frequently to minimal activity. The Children's museum here is outrageous in cost! Even the annual pass is ridiculous. When comparing cost of living families should consider that very little here costs less than $10 a person.
Well, costs do need to be covered.... Perhaps NC has found some magical source of revenue in these economic times?
Here are some actual stats, rather than general feelings about crime, in Greenville, SC and Boca Raton, FL:
GREENVILLE Crime Report
General Information:
State: South Carolina (SC)
City Population: 56,728
Murder: 2
Forcible Rape: 33
Robbery: 106
Aggravated Assault: 430
Burglary: 781
Larceny or Theft: 3,192
Car Theft: 291
Arson: 13
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitors sites is not allowed
Boca Raton Crime Report
General Information:
State: Florida (FL)
City Population: 78,828
Murder: 1
Forcible Rape: 10
Robbery: 46
Aggravated Assault: 118
Burglary: 597
Larceny or Theft: 1,722
Car Theft: 203
Arson: 3
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitors sites is not allowed
Greenville has more murders, rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults, larceny/theft, car theft, and arson. And that's with 20,000 fewer people.
I know it's hard to compare crime between cities because different cities record crime differently. However, Greenville does not seem to fair very well (statistically) against Boca Raton.
I'm only bothering to reply to this for the sake of the "newbies" here who have yet to find out who you are or what your intentions are, don't think I didn't notice a very long time ago...
As you yourself said it, it's HARD to compare crime between cities, etc. Personally, I always take statistics (including weather and even cost of living) with a grain of salt, and prefer much more to hear it "straight from the hose's mouth" as I've found each time I've moved somewhere (and it's been several, covering 2 coasts and in-between...) that things are never the way you see them "on paper". It's true I haven't lived there yet to speak on a personal level but I've already checked with several ex-Floridians and they all tell me it's much worse down here in S. FL, so nice try Art123...
Well, costs do need to be covered.... Perhaps NC has found some magical source of revenue in these economic times?
I understand they tax all food in NC, which I think is almost criminal... At least Greenville doesn't do that...
Never mind, I guess my friend (who just was in NC) confused prepared foods with groceries, I just checked and that's all it is, plus soda which I think is taxed everywhere or almost everywhere.
Last edited by TiredOfSFL; 07-12-2010 at 02:00 PM..
Reason: correction
Here are some actual stats, rather than general feelings about crime, in Greenville, SC and Boca Raton, FL:
GREENVILLE Crime Report
General Information:
State: South Carolina (SC)
City Population: 56,728
Murder: 2
Forcible Rape: 33
Robbery: 106
Aggravated Assault: 430
Burglary: 781
Larceny or Theft: 3,192
Car Theft: 291
Arson: 13
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitors sites is not allowed
Boca Raton Crime Report
General Information:
State: Florida (FL)
City Population: 78,828
Murder: 1
Forcible Rape: 10
Robbery: 46
Aggravated Assault: 118
Burglary: 597
Larceny or Theft: 1,722
Car Theft: 203
Arson: 3
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitors sites is not allowed
Greenville has more murders, rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults, larceny/theft, car theft, and arson. And that's with 20,000 fewer people.
I know it's hard to compare crime between cities because different cities record crime differently. However, Greenville does not seem to fair very well (statistically) against Boca Raton.
Art123,
I did not specifically cite boca raton, my home, as a place that has been historically seen as a 'crime-haven'. Check pompano beach, lantana, and west palm beach - or better yet, read the links I've provided below. I wouldn't say Boca doesn't have a crime problem - much of the crime in Boca Raton comes in the form of white collar form, i.e. fraud, embezzlement, mob activity, etc. These are facts. Most areas of South FL, including Oakland Park, Sunrise, Deerfield Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth-less etc. have areas that are VERY shady and are worse than ANYTHING you'd see in Greenville. Lake Worth is a dump. People get shot to death in the Boynton Beach Mall. Heck, even Wellington, which 15 yrs ago was VERY nice aka Polo-town usa home to Madonna, Springsteen, etc has turned into a ghetto. If I were to buy a 2nd place down there, it would ONLY be in Boca or Weston.
I think i'm quite qualified to speak on the comparisons between that area and the Upstate. From a shock-value perspective, from a quantity standpoint and from a sheer brutality standpoint the crimes down there are off the charts....the links I show rest my case. Torture at Dunbar Village: What drove teens to such heinous acts? Justice required in horrendous burning case - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com Judge denies bail to Wayne Treacy, accused of beating teen Josie Lou Ratley in Deerfield Beach - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
I regret moving here from NC. I should have known better since we lived here 14 years ago. NC blows SC out of the water. Neighborhoods are friendlier in NC. There are more options for children in NC as well. The people in NC are nicer, diverse, outgoing, and more environmentally conscience. This has been a long, boring month for my children. My husband loves his job but I am over Greenville and will count down to a dream of living someplace better.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ncbacktosc
In NC you have museums that are free or nominal cost to attend. The ones you listed are costly for a family. We have gone from attending an event frequently to minimal activity. The Children's museum here is outrageous in cost! Even the annual pass is ridiculous. When comparing cost of living families should consider that very little here costs less than $10 a person.
That's one of the ironies of moving here. People move here because taxes are low and housing is cheap (and getting cheaper every day). However, nearly everything here is privately owned and operated. So, you end up paying in the long run anyway. When I lived in Colorado, there was TONS of free stuff to do, especially outside. And if it wasn't free, it was inexpensive. I was a member of a city-owned Rec Center that I paid $25/month for. That got me swimming in a lap pool and a play pool, including two-story slide, two hot tubs, steam room, sauna, racketball, insane climbing wall, huge weight rooms, huge cardio room, running track, spin classes, etc. Also for nominal fees there was day care, tai chi classes, physical therapy, personal trainers, indoor tennis courts, other classes including cooking. They offered a booklet of classes that cost very little.
Hopefully some people on this board who have kids can give some suggestions for some inexpensive things to do in the area that is actually fun. I know the summer pool down the road from me costs $860 to join. I guess that keeps us riff raff out of their pool!
Art123,
I did not specifically cite boca raton, my home, as a place that has been historically seen as a 'crime-haven'. Check pompano beach, lantana, and west palm beach - or better yet, read the links I've provided below. I wouldn't say Boca doesn't have a crime problem - much of the crime in Boca Raton comes in the form of white collar form, i.e. fraud, embezzlement, mob activity, etc. These are facts. Most areas of South FL, including Oakland Park, Sunrise, Deerfield Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth-less etc. have areas that are VERY shady and are worse than ANYTHING you'd see in Greenville. Lake Worth is a dump. People get shot to death in the Boynton Beach Mall. Heck, even Wellington, which 15 yrs ago was VERY nice aka Polo-town usa home to Madonna, Springsteen, etc has turned into a ghetto. If I were to buy a 2nd place down there, it would ONLY be in Boca or Weston.
I think i'm quite qualified to speak on the comparisons between that area and the Upstate. From a shock-value perspective, from a quantity standpoint and from a sheer brutality standpoint the crimes down there are off the charts....the links I show rest my case. Torture at Dunbar Village: What drove teens to such heinous acts? Justice required in horrendous burning case - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com Judge denies bail to Wayne Treacy, accused of beating teen Josie Lou Ratley in Deerfield Beach - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
I only used Boca Raton because that was place you mention in your post. However, a few links of anecdotal evidence doesn't convince me of much, nor should it for you. Say I were to give you these links:
Deputies: Man Punched, Killed Because He Was Gay - Greenville News Story - WYFF Greenville (http://www.wyff4.com/news/13345546/detail.html - broken link)
Sex with horse? S.C. man charged 2nd time - CharlotteObserver.com (http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2009/07/29/858947/sex-with-horse-sc-man-charged.html - broken link) S.C. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer Compares Helping Poor to Feeding Stray Animals - Political Hotsheet - CBS News
Does that mean SC is full of horse-lovin', gay-hatin' bigots?
Nope.
Stats are much more convincing than individual stories.
I have no doubt that parts of S Florida are ugly, violent places. I also have no doubt that the crime rate in Greenville, SC is higher than the national average - no matter the feelings or intuitions of (some) people who live here, or are planning on moving here.
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.
