Looking for sm. to md. liberal city in the South (Columbia: transplants, crime)

[sassykat&joe]

I moved here almost 2 years ago, and feel it is a very conservative area. Heavily Republican, very religion-oriented, very insular and small-town. There are 2 wally's but you can't buy anything other than groceries before 1:30 pm on Sundays.

[liberal chic]

Originally Posted by Frankie117

There aren't many neo-Liberal small towns in South Carolina or Georgia. But then again, what exactly would be small to you? (under 20,000?). Columbia would be a close match, but most of the "Liberal" population is college age.

Asheville has a slightly higher median age, and would better suit your needs. It is somewhat more expensive than the other places you mentioned, but still for a Liberal town, Asheville is quite inexpensive.

Here in the South, much of our industry is modern, concealed and barley noticeable. It shouldn't be a big concern like it would be in the Northern portion of the country.

thanks for the response. I guess a small city for me would be around 40,000. I was hoping for a city between 40,000 to approx. 200,000. closer to the 100,000 marker though...

[elvislives]

Originally Posted by sassykat&joe

I moved here almost 2 years ago, and feel it is a very conservative area. Heavily Republican, very religion-oriented, very insular and small-town. There are 2 wally's but you can't buy anything other than groceries before 1:30 pm on Sundays.

Depends on who you know and where you go ....get out much? i know as many libs as cons and you'll see just as many Mcsame yard signs as Obama.Depends on the area i guess.I think there is a nice mix here in Aiken.But i think heavily Republican is stretching it a bit.

[Frankie117]

Originally Posted by elvislives

Depends on who you know and where you go ....get out much? i know as many libs as cons and you'll see just as many Mcsame yard signs as Obama.Depends on the area i guess.I think there is a nice mix here in Aiken.But i think heavily Republican is stretching it a bit.

If anything I've seen more Ron Paul signs in yards more than Hussein or McSame. But that doesn't really have any bearing on political orientation, especially with all the mixes and crossovers this time around...

According to 2004 and 2006 election maps, Aiken county is as red as they get, but that doesn't necessarily mean it is 100% Republican (South Carolina has a large Conservative Libertarian crowd more than anything...).

Aiken county migration data shows that most residents moved from Columbia and Richland counties in Georgia, as well as Edgefield and McCormick counties in SC. Based on that, I see no immediate reason for Aiken or Aiken County to be Liberal aside from the proximity to USC. New York, California, and New Jersey migrations are steadily growing, but it has not yet affected the political aspect of the county.

[leggo]

Asheville NC. We spent a few days there last year, reminds me very much of Vermont - similar leaning politics, mountains, bohemian atmosphere.

For me, that is exactly what I wanted to leave behind in VT, so that is why I chose Greenville SC.

Definitely check out Asheville NC, it's just like VT but without the 7 month winters.

Good luck.

[sassykat&joe]

Originally Posted by elvislives

Depends on who you know and where you go ....get out much? i know as many libs as cons and you'll see just as many Mcsame yard signs as Obama.Depends on the area i guess.I think there is a nice mix here in Aiken.But i think heavily Republican is stretching it a bit.

yeah, I get out a lot. I stand by the heavily Republican remark. Case in point - in the latest state/local primary season, there were no Democrats to vote for in my precinct. My favorite political sign is on Whiskey Rd - says "no incumbents".

[liberal chic]

Originally Posted by leggo

Asheville NC. We spent a few days there last year, reminds me very much of Vermont - similar leaning politics, mountains, bohemian atmosphere.

For me, that is exactly what I wanted to leave behind in VT, so that is why I chose Greenville SC.

Definitely check out Asheville NC, it's just like VT but without the 7 month winters.

Good luck.

So, if you don't mind me picking your brain more....

What do you see as the differences betwen Asheville and Greenville?

As much as I would love to live in a liberal oasis surrounded by mountains, I do have a couple of concerns. First, there doesn't seem to be any large body of water near Asheville, or at least none that I could see from the mapquest map. Boating is pretty important to me and so am hoping to be no more than 40 mins. (tops) from a large body of water (i.e., lake). My second concern is employment. It wouldn't be in a sort of typical service oriented position, but rather in the mental health field and/or higher ed. My concern is that Asheville will have limited opportunities in those areas as a result of it being a fairly small city, as currently where I am, the opportunities are limited due to that very factor.

So, is Greenville liberal, and just doesn't have the Bohemian vibe or is it more conservative? From what I have gathered on this forum and others, S. Carolina in general tends to be more conservative than N. Carolina. Is this the case?

Thanks again!

[elvislives]

Originally Posted by liberal chic

So, if you don't mind me picking your brain more....

What do you see as the differences betwen Asheville and Greenville?

As much as I would love to live in a liberal oasis surrounded by mountains, I do have a couple of concerns. First, there doesn't seem to be any large body of water near Asheville, or at least none that I could see from the mapquest map. Boating is pretty important to me and so am hoping to be no more than 40 mins. (tops) from a large body of water (i.e., lake). My second concern is employment. It wouldn't be in a sort of typical service oriented position, but rather in the mental health field and/or higher ed. My concern is that Asheville will have limited opportunities in those areas as a result of it being a fairly small city, as currently where I am, the opportunities are limited due to that very factor.

So, is Greenville liberal, and just doesn't have the Bohemian vibe or is it more conservative? From what I have gathered on this forum and others, S. Carolina in general tends to be more conservative than N. Carolina. Is this the case?

Thanks again!

Gman over in the Greenville forum could help you a lot.and lake Lure is right near Asheville..http://www.lake-lure.com/

[Skyliner]

Originally Posted by liberal chic

So, if you don't mind me picking your brain more....

What do you see as the differences betwen Asheville and Greenville?

As much as I would love to live in a liberal oasis surrounded by mountains, I do have a couple of concerns. First, there doesn't seem to be any large body of water near Asheville, or at least none that I could see from the mapquest map. Boating is pretty important to me and so am hoping to be no more than 40 mins. (tops) from a large body of water (i.e., lake). My second concern is employment. It wouldn't be in a sort of typical service oriented position, but rather in the mental health field and/or higher ed. My concern is that Asheville will have limited opportunities in those areas as a result of it being a fairly small city, as currently where I am, the opportunities are limited due to that very factor.

So, is Greenville liberal, and just doesn't have the Bohemian vibe or is it more conservative? From what I have gathered on this forum and others, S. Carolina in general tends to be more conservative than N. Carolina. Is this the case?

Thanks again!

You are close on each of your guesses. I would definitely recommend Asheville first in your case (small, very liberal city), but if you are unable to find employment there, Greenville will certainly be a better option in that regard. Greenville is definitely more conservative, but has a surprisingly decent and growing bohemian vibe, mostly in and around downtown. There are lots of liberals living in the Greenville metro area, but obviously they are outnumbered by the conservatives. Greenville wins hands down regarding nearby large lakes, with Hartwell, Keowee, and Jocasee each within a short drive from the city.

My recommendation is to visit (in person) Asheville, Greenville, Spartanburg, Columbia, Charleston, Savannah, and Chattanooga before making your decision. Spend a bit of time in each city to get a feel for life there. In the end, you will be glad that you invested in experiential knowledge in addition to your acquired information from online sources.

[Jimrob1]

When you find this place let me know. Quite frankly Im not sure it even exists. I hope you find your place though.