North or South Carolina? (Columbia, Charleston: transplants, crime, chapel)

[dawn193]

I know this a south carolina board but I want to relocate from NJ and am stuck between which carolina to go too. I'm thinking of the upstate of SC or the Raleigh area of NC. Does anyone have any opinions on this? I was leaning toward the upstate then I hear all of a sudden SC is more "unfriendly". I have also heard they are very friendly people in the upstate. I'm looking at a few towns outside the Raleigh area but then I worry since a lot of people are moving there it will in a few years be unaffordable like florida now is which used to be a cheap place to move. I'm so confused! Does anyone know both the Carolinas well and can make a comparison? Please help!!!!

[anonymous]

dawn, South Carolina is culturally more southern than North Carolina. Both states have sort of an underlying native population of true southerners, spread out all over. Transplants tend to cluster in the cities - very few want to live in small towns. North Carolina has more, and bigger cities.

North Carolina has more money, more jobs, and a better education system. So you get many more transplants from all over, and many places really aren't all that "southern" anymore. Charlotte, the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill research triangle, Asheville, and others all have very significant numbers of transplants. (The nickname for Cary, NC is "Containment Area for Relocated Yankees) So, it's generally more expensive to live in North Carolina.

South Carolina does have some transplants, but they are mostly spread along the coast, in Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and Hilton Head. Columbia has lots too, being a college town. While this forum seems to indicate that many people are moving into the upstate, traditionally, that's not the case.

As far as friendliness, there are only two people I've ever heard say that NC was more friendly than SC. Those two people have posted this week, on this web site. I'm not sure what to say, I guess I'm biased. But it's a situation where you get out of it what you put into it. In either state, if you don't make an effort to assimilate and act somewhat southern, then people won't be friendly (Because they will think that you aren't friendly). I believe this is the case for most people who don't like SC.

Anyway, remember that everything you read on these boards is just an opinion. I've seen people say that SC is wonderful, and they love it. I've also seen people say SC is a bunch of unruly rednecks, and they hate it. I've seen both things said about North Carolina. The "answer" depends on exactly what you're looking for, and I can only assume so much. So caveat emptor.

[nctarheel]

If you go to the Raleig area, you will be right with all the other yankees. But that is what alot of yankees are moving here for, to get away from each other. The problem is they keep going to the same places.

Im joking, but then again its true. NC will probably end up like the overtaxed northern states in a few years. Bigger cities are naturally more accepting of outsiders because most people there are outsiders. Like the other post said, NC is on a better track economically than SC, so alot of people prefer NC to SC.

[salatheel]

I have made 3 trips to both states the past 15 months trying to figure out what area would be best for my family and myself. My wife and I are divided on the issue. She prefers NC. Especially the more "yankee" areas. I kinda prefer Sc but because of her uncomfortableness we will probably end up in NC or maybe just over the border in a town like Fort Mill,York, or Lancaster. Really she was just spooked by the honesty given by ssome of the locals. She asked a few about some areas and they told her which were good and which to avoid. It was they way they described some of the more "undesirable" areas that spooked her.

[KMT]

Originally Posted by salatheel

I have made 3 trips to both states the past 15 months trying to figure out what area would be best for my family and myself. My wife and I are divided on the issue. She prefers NC. Especially the more "yankee" areas. I kinda prefer Sc but because of her uncomfortableness we will probably end up in NC or maybe just over the border in a town like Fort Mill,York, or Lancaster. Really she was just spooked by the honesty given by ssome of the locals. She asked a few about some areas and they told her which were good and which to avoid. It was they way they described some of the more "undesirable" areas that spooked her.

Hi salatheel!

Just curious what areas in SC you visited and where were the ones you were told to avoid?

We are researching the upstate region and will hopefully make a trip there next month.

Keith

[dawn193]

Thanks everybody for your replies! Anonymous, I was wondering what you can tell me about racism in the upstate of sc. I'm white but wouldn't appreciate my son learning racist opinions of people. Just wondering. My son has black friends here and I wouldn't want that to be an issue. I know there is racism all over but I was just wondering what your opinion on the matter was. Thank you. The reason I'm asking was someone on the boards hinted at this.

[salatheel]

Hi KMT! The Charleston area was the area in question. North Charleston has a real crime problem. We stayed 3 days this last visit in Summerville and liked it quite a bit. We spoke to many very friendly people but also a few who seemed a little upset about how crowded they percieved it to be getting. Summerville is still a possibility for us but we can't get the land there we wanted. To do that we would have to look at Ravenel,Moncks Corner,Ridgeville or Cross in the Charleston area. The realtor and a couple waitresses all said they would not send their kids to schools in those areas. Only private schools. And they cautioned that some people in some of those areas were not what they would desire for neighbors. I did not feel nervous or really uncomfortable in any of those areas beside North Charleston. We also looked in Myrtle Beach and Conway. The people were very nice in Conway and it is a smaller town growing rapidly as well. But again we heard the same things there too. Of course any town has it's less desirable areas. These areas were not as......hmm......polished? well manicured? northernized? as say Cary,Holly Springs,Fuquay Varina, ect... but as people here have covered so many in those areas are transplants. Wilmington is very nice but man 17 is a killer there at rush hour! I guess there is no perfect place! We still want to check out the Charlotte area and Columbia area in August. And I'm sure we will end up back in Charleston and Myrtle Beach as there is no denying our love for those areas. We will have to look closer at the Summerville area again as we just had contact with a possible job for my wife in Summerville that looks very promising.

[anonymous]

salatheel, you're not kidding about north charleston. it is a very bad area. even the northern side of the downtown peninsula of Charleston is a ghetto. downtown charleston is funny like that - you have crime-ridden ghettos a few blocks from $1.5 million homes with Benzes and Jaguars parked out front. there is no "normal" housing in downtown charleston. I'd suggest Mt. Pleasant or James Island - but you won't be able to buy much land there, if that's what you're looking for.

but you're facing the classic dilemna in SC - property values are very closely tied to the quality of the public schools. you'll pay a premium for a house with a decent public school system. and local property taxes fund their local schools
so..
-If you want sizable land, it'll have to be in a rural area.
-If you move into a rural area, it's going to be poor.
-If you move into a poor area, you're going to have awful schools.

this is why i'm suggesting that people move into metropolitan areas, or suburbs. if you're coming from the northeast, or the west coast, then the rural lowcountry of south carolina is going to feel like the Congo.

[KMT]

Originally Posted by salatheel

Hi KMT! The Charleston area was the area in question. North Charleston has a real crime problem. We stayed 3 days this last visit in Summerville and liked it quite a bit. We spoke to many very friendly people but also a few who seemed a little upset about how crowded they percieved it to be getting. Summerville is still a possibility for us but we can't get the land there we wanted. To do that we would have to look at Ravenel,Moncks Corner,Ridgeville or Cross in the Charleston area. The realtor and a couple waitresses all said they would not send their kids to schools in those areas. Only private schools. And they cautioned that some people in some of those areas were not what they would desire for neighbors. I did not feel nervous or really uncomfortable in any of those areas beside North Charleston. We also looked in Myrtle Beach and Conway. The people were very nice in Conway and it is a smaller town growing rapidly as well. But again we heard the same things there too. Of course any town has it's less desirable areas. These areas were not as......hmm......polished? well manicured? northernized? as say Cary,Holly Springs,Fuquay Varina, ect... but as people here have covered so many in those areas are transplants. Wilmington is very nice but man 17 is a killer there at rush hour! I guess there is no perfect place! We still want to check out the Charlotte area and Columbia area in August. And I'm sure we will end up back in Charleston and Myrtle Beach as there is no denying our love for those areas. We will have to look closer at the Summerville area again as we just had contact with a possible job for my wife in Summerville that looks very promising.

Thanks for the response. Living on the eact coast of Florida makes us not want to live on the SC coastline. We are done with Hurricanes. I know someone from N. Charleston so I believe you there.

Thanks again,

Keith

[KMT]

Originally Posted by dawn193

I know this a south carolina board but I want to relocate from NJ and am stuck between which carolina to go too. I'm thinking of the upstate of SC or the Raleigh area of NC. Does anyone have any opinions on this? I was leaning toward the upstate then I hear all of a sudden SC is more "unfriendly". I have also heard they are very friendly people in the upstate. I'm looking at a few towns outside the Raleigh area but then I worry since a lot of people are moving there it will in a few years be unaffordable like florida now is which used to be a cheap place to move. I'm so confused! Does anyone know both the Carolinas well and can make a comparison? Please help!!!!

I lived in Raleigh during the late 1970's and would go back in a second. My Aunt, Uncle, and two cousins still live there as do many old (but not contacted in a while) friends.

I live in south east Florida and many people I know are moving to the Western NC/Eastern Tennessee area. They joke about Floridians up there like we do about New Yorkers here. There is a bumber sticker that says "I love New York" that I'm sure you have seen. The counter is "If you love New York, take I-95 north.

All in good fun.

Anyway, I have not heard of many Floridians looking at SC...especially the upstate region. I hope it stays that way!!!

Keith