Life in Hartsville, SC (Sumter, Florence: low income, sales, apartment complexes)

[gcctrumpeter]

Hello to all you South Carolinians from the state of NJ.

I was looking at an interesting job in Hartsville, so I thought I'd go exploring through the forums here. I think I'm a long-shot for the job, but at least if I do get an interview, I'd know whether it is worth my time to go.
It seems as if Hartsville is a quaint town, pretty safe, and pretty quiet. As a married man (turning 30 this year), the area seems like a nice place to raise kids, and the taxes and housing prices are actually affordable. To buy a $175k condo here = $3,000/taxes + HOA fees; you can imagine the single-family homes.
I'm getting mixed reviews about the schools, though. I don't know what to think yet. If you can, could you answer the following:

1) What are the schools like? I'm interested in applying for the principal position at Thornwell School of the Arts. As a current music teacher, I think I'm pretty qualified for the job, but like I said before, I'm still probably a long-shot.
2) What are the surrounding areas like? If we moved, we would probably rent, not buy, and I understand that rental options are few. Are the schools any better or worse in those towns?
3) Can you tell me a little more about Hartsville?

Thanks!

[Ceezer]

I didn't even know there was a school for the arts in Hartsville. We drove up one day several months ago to look at the Governor's school for science & math, but it was a Sunday morning and most everything was closed, so we didn't really get to experience a whole lot.

I was looking at the web site for Thornwell and got a kick out of this, from their 'School mission' page: "I show Intrest in all school activities."

Except spelling, apparently... ;c)

[Rophlmao]

I'm originally from Jersey (Bergen County) and enjoy living in SC. It's a great place to retire, and drastically cheaper than Jersey. Don't expect culture, but it's excellent if you are self-sufficient.

[SCGamecock]

Hartsville is the headquarters for Sonoco packaging products and Stingray boats. When you combine these with the presence of Coker College and the Governor's School for Math and Science, it gives Hartsville a more affluent feel than similar sized towns in the region. I agree that it's a nice, quiet, and generally safe town. As with most other towns, there are parts you don't want to drive through at night.

The public schools in Hartsville are average for rural SC, which means they are not that great. Most who can afford it send their children to Emmanuel Christian School or Thomas Hart Academy and then to the Trinity Collegiate School for high school.

Most apartments in Hartsville are for the low income. Florence is closest city with more apartment choices, usually running $700-$1000 per month. The commute is about 35-40 minutes from Florence to Hartsville. I would say the public schools in West Florence (Carver Elementary, Sneed Middle, and WF High) are better than Hartsville.

Lake Robinson is located near Hartsville and is nice to visit in the summer. It was created to cool the reactors at the Robinson nuclear power plant. Florence does not have a similar lake for public boating. Hartsville has a Super Walmart and Lowe's Home Improvement but Florence has a mall and more shopping and restaurant choices. Myrtle Beach is 90 minutes from Florence and 2 hours from Hartsville. Charlotte is 2 hours from Florence but 90 minutes from Hartsville.

[gcctrumpeter]

What about Camden or Darlington?

Any idea how easy or hard it is to get teaching jobs down there? My wife is a special education teacher and would have to look for a new position if she moved.

How are the taxes compared to NJ?

What are the rest of Darlington County schools like? I imagine that the school I applied to takes students from across the county.

Thanks for the help.

[SCGamecock]

I didn't mention Darlington because you probably would not want to live there if you have a family. The public schools are well below average, unemployment is high, and crime is increasing as the economy suffers. Either Hartsville or Florence would be much better alternatives to Darlington.

The only other towns in Darlington County with schools are Society Hill and Lamar. Society Hill is a small town with an elementary school. Lamar has an elementary and high school that are about as bad as Darlington. Even though Lamar has a public golf course, I would personally choose Hartsville over Lamar.

The state and local school districts are in financial distress and are trying their best not to lay off staff for the upcoming school year this fall. I know several students who have graduated from the local colleges with degrees in teaching and have applied to all the school districts in the region and they never hear anything back.

Camden is roughly equal in size to Hartsville with the same stores and restaurants. You would need to go through Bishopville to get to Hartsville, and that would increase the commute time. If you're willing to live that far from Hartsville then you need to throw Sumter into the mix. Sumter is larger than Hartsville/Camden/Darlington, but slightly smaller than Florence. Sumter would have some apartment complexes since it is home to Shaw Air Force Base and they turnover personnel. If you're working in Hartsville, I would choose Florence over Sumter.

I'm not familiar with the taxes in NJ, but in SC the sales tax is dependent on the county and city where the item is purchased. In general, groceries are taxed at 2%, restaurants at 9-10%, and other items at 8% including local taxes. There is a $300 cap on the automobile purchase tax, however, there is an annual property tax on automobiles based on age and value. There are other threads on this forum which go into details on the SC car property tax. The state income tax is 7%. Homeowners property tax is dependent on the school district the home is located in and can vary widely.

A friend lives in Darlington County and received a $300 power bill from Pee Dee Electric Co-op. I live in a similar home serviced by Progress Energy and my bill was $150 for the same month. The local paper has been trying to explain why the co-op's have started charging so much more for electricity.

[gcctrumpeter]

Here in NJ, our sales tax is an even 7% (except hotels - 14% and alcohol/tobacco, and I don't know what their rate is). My electric bill averages $150 a month for a small two bedroom apartment. We don't pay a tax on personal property, but for a condo the same size as my apartment, I can expect anywhere from $3000-3500/yr. A small 3-bedroom house on a 1/4 acre lot in the town I work in ($175k) would be at least $5k/year in taxes. The average property tax in the state is now $7,000.

As far as living, my wife and I don't have kids yet. We'd like to start a family soon, but I figure that gives us at least 6 years to figure out what to do about schools, so if I were to move, I would be most concerned with what the surrounding community is like and whether there is crime in the area.

Thanks for all the help!

[SCGamecock]

I would have a heart attack if I received a $3000 tax bill in the mail! Most of our government functions are supported through the state and local sales taxes.

For properties located in West Florence just outside of the city limits, the annual property tax on a 3 BR/2 BA condo with an appraised value of $100K was $250 for 2008. For a 3 BR/2BA house worth $200K, the 2008 property tax bill was $490. For a 4 BR/2.5 BA house worth $330K, the 2008 tax bill was $830. I am not familiar with Florence city property taxes. Most of the property tax goes to support the public schools and the West Florence school district is known to have lower than average tax rates even though the schools are the best in the area.

I think West Florence and Hartsville have the lowest crime rates in this part of the state. Hartsville would give you the small town, tight community atmosphere where as Florence offers more events and functions to attend.

[gcctrumpeter]

The property taxes are ridiculous. It's the only reason I haven't bought a house. I could have afforded the price when I first moved here in 2001, but at the time I wanted to rent and get on my feet. When I married in 2003, the prices were just starting to skyrocket, and they're only now coming down (although I haven't heard of too many foreclosures in the area).

I just can't believe the tax is that low in SC.