Anderson Area (Greenville, Clemson: crime, house, YMCA)

[Greyfox24]

I was looking through the maps and thought Anderson might be nice...do any of you live there or know about the area? I like that there is a bit of water nearby. We would be moving and wanting to find affordable housing and a job there. How is either market and how is crime?

Any suggestions?

[Tommy1981]

Anderson is a pretty nice, medium sized city in SC. I lived in Clemson and worked in Anderson while I went to school.

Crime is particularly a problem there. I'd say its on par with the rest of the state.

Jobs there probably aren't as strong as Greenville, but is probably better than some places. There are a few major factories there, Electrolux and Ryobi are 2 that come to mind. The Anderson Medical System is strong, and like most places I'm sure they need more doctors and nurses.

The lake systems in that part of the state are fairly nice. They're all long and skinney. Clemson and Anderson both are on the shores of lake Hartwell, despite being 20+ miles apart. If you like boating, you'll have plenty of different areas even on one lake like Hartwell. There are other options if you want a change of scenery. Jocassee is a little further north from Anderson, but it is surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. Russel and Secession are 2 other lakes just south of Anderson. Most of the lakes have at least one State Park with places to stay and boat ramps. Some of them have SC parks on one side and GA parks on the other.

I'd search on a job posting website to find what kind of jobs might be in the area that would be suitable to your qualifications. If you find something you like, I'm sure you could find a house and enjoy yourself there.

[southerngentleman]

Anderson, Known as the Electric City , is a NICE town, It is the closest town of any size to Clemson University. Has a nice main street,one of the nicest YMCA's , close to lakes

[Skyliner]

I would rate AnMed Health Campus on S.C. 81 as the best in the Upstate for service and cleanliness.

Anderson is in the midst of a slow but steady turnaround from a once completely blighted place into an attractive small town with a bustling (over-developed, in my opinion) suburban corridor nearby. I recall the days when downtown was a rundown, drug and crime ridden place that you hated to visit as a caring citizen. Today, those same buildings where crack heads and drunks stood at the front doors awaiting their next innocent victims have been transformed into attractive store fronts, restaurants, and small business offices. There is much work left to be done, but much has already been accomplished.

As Tommy 1981 mentioned, there is a serious problem with poverty and crime in parts of the city. It is still quite "small town Old South" in many ways, so don't be surprised by some lack of progression in certain areas. For a small city its size, you can expect decent amenities, mostly due to the nearby presence of Clemson University. Dining in town on the weekends can be a hassle during school season, but if you allow enough time to wait, you'll be fine.