What do you know about Sumter, SC?

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by kimbo123

Anonymous, Thanks for sharing this with me.
You said, "in that part of South Carolina". Is there a section of SC that is more racially segregated than others? We visit North Myrtle Beach, little river area year. Every year we make friends of different race with the local people. I am African American, but my husband and I have friends of all races we just get along good with all people. So far we have not felt any racial tension at all in the Myrtle Beach area. We dont choose to live in Myrtle Beach because it is too close to the coast and houses cost a little more there. I was looking for some place right in the middle where the coast and the mountains was a short drive away. What do you think about Columbia?

Columbia is a very integrated city, especially in the city and almost all of Richland County and metro Columbia is in the top ten nationwide for African-American in-migration. We also have a growing overall population and a growing job market. There are 2 large lakes, a national park and 3 rivers in the Columbia are so there are alot of outdoor opportunities as well. Sumter would be a little less expensive, but depending on your career, you'd find more job opportunities in Columbia.

Here are some pictures if you want to see a little bit about the city:

Waccamatt's page ·

[kimbo123]

Thanks Waccamatt,
Your picture's are beautiful. In reading post after post I found that some people are moving to South Carolina for all of the wrong reasons. I am sure my family and I will end up in the perfect place for us. I won't be ready to move until this time next year and I am soo glad I am doing my research now.
Thanks again.

[SCGamecock]

Sumter falls within the I-95 corridor of SC, which is an economically depressed area of the state. Any growth in Sumter is due to expansion at Shaw AFB and not private industry. Sumter has a Super Walmart and Lowe's Home Improvement with a second Walmart and Home Depot opening soon.

I live about 35 miles from Sumter and visit when our high school plays theirs. Their private schools, Wilson Hall and Thomas Sumter Academy, are nice but the town seems to consist of mostly lower and middle income families. Unless you are being transferred to Shaw AFB, I believe you would find Columbia to be a more enjoyable place to live and raise a family.

[kimbo123]

Thanks, Sumter or Summerton are not on my list to visit anymore.

[shellbee]

Originally Posted by kimbo123

Anonymous, Thanks for sharing this with me.
You said, "in that part of South Carolina". Is there a section of SC that is more racially segregated than others? We visit North Myrtle Beach, little river area year. Every year we make friends of different race with the local people. I am African American, but my husband and I have friends of all races we just get along good with all people. So far we have not felt any racial tension at all in the Myrtle Beach area. We dont choose to live in Myrtle Beach because it is too close to the coast and houses cost a little more there. I was looking for some place right in the middle where the coast and the mountains was a short drive away. What do you think about Columbia?

Kimbo,
I'm not really sure what they mean by racially segregated, but I think that you would love Sumter. I have lived my whole life in Sumter and I love it. Everyone is super friendly and the schools are not as bad as some people have made them seem. My daughter is a student at millwood elementary and she loves it. They have a lot of extra programs for the children and the teachers are wonderful. I teach preschool at Trinity Day School and if you have little ones between 2 and 5 it is also a wonderful program. Bottom line is, don't believe for a minute that your family would not be safe and happy in Sumter. Just like any other town you will learn that there are some places that is is best to stay away from but, I'd think that being from Maryland, you would understand that. Also, the beach is 1 and 1/2 hours away and columbia is about 30 minutes away. They are both really easy trips to make.

[kimbo123]

Thanks Shellbee,
We decided on Columbia. We didn't want to take any chances, we need to get this right the first time.

[anonymous]

Originally Posted by shellbee

Kimbo,
I'm not really sure what they mean by racially segregated, but I think that you would love Sumter. I have lived my whole life in Sumter and I love it.

shellbee,
when I said Sumter is racially segregated, I mean that different races don't often live in the same neighborhoods.

For example, some of the neighborhoods are 80-90% white. South Sumter, on the other hand, is overwhelmingly black:
http://www.city-data.com/city/South-...-Carolina.html

Population (year 2000): 3,365



Race:
Black (89.9%)
White Non-Hispanic (8.9%)
Hispanic (0.9%)
Two or more races (0.8%)
American Indian (0.5%)


Another important measurement is the poverty rate for Sumter County as a whole (pop:105,517)
http://www.city-data.com/county/Sumter_County-SC.html
8.6% of White residents are below poverty rate
27.2% of Black residents are below poverty rate


Which is a pretty big gap compared to where she was moving from in Maryland - I don't know where exactly, I'll assume it's in Baltimore County.
http://www.city-data.com/county/Balt...County-MD.html
5.0% of White residents are below poverty rate
10.8% of Black residents are below poverty rate

[Sierra2Caden]

kimbo, all I have to say is I hope you like heat. It is very hot here in SC. I live in Camden. Have been here in SC since last Jan. both my husband and I can not wait to move. A lot of times I wish we took the job offer in Ohio, then here. I know we probably would of found problems there too, but at least we would not be dying of heat, lol. I know yesterday it was 84, by 9 am. By the way I am from CT.
Columbia is nice, it's big. There is things to do there. As for living there, you just need to find the right area of town.