How "Southern" is Charlottesville? (Richmond, Jefferson: apartment complexes, job market, private school)

[NCN]

I found Charlottesville, Virginia, to be a beautiful Southern city that has a lot of traffic, but very polite drivers. I go through it often. Most of the people seem to be intelligent. They need a couple of extra road signs to tell people coming from the Washington area how to get on the 29 by-pass though.

[goodgirl49]

Originally Posted by cassidygal

I'm a native New Englander, and love the Northeast. In particular, I adore Portland, Maine. Generally speaking, I love everything about Portland (and New England in general) ... except the weather. I am looking for a city in a warmer & sunnier part of the country, but which has a culture similar to that of Portland.

A few people I know have recommended Charlottesville, Virginia -- but from what I can tell, Charlottesville is a lot more conservative/Bible Belt than Portland & New England more broadly speaking. Now, I'm not a knee-jerk liberal. But I am looking for someplace where, on average, people are tolerant and open-minded, and where the populace is generally well-educated. If we start a family, I don't want my children exposed on a daily basis to overt racism, sexism, and religious bigotry as part of the culture. I have lived in the South before, and, unfortunately, have found far, far more of those ugly characteristics than in New England.

Any ideas on other warmer/sunnier cities that a Portland-lover would love?

California would be great as far as the weather and people are very open minded. However, tradition isn't as important here as in New England. I don't know how open minded the larger cities are in the south, but my daughter has a friend that moved to Atlanta from LA and he doesn't have any complaints.

[sweetpotater58]

I have found more closed minded folks in the north, than in the south, as for not wanting your children exposed to the so-called bad stuff in the south. I have traveled up and down the east coast and found Maine-Portland for example full of self righteous "Blue Necks", yes the college town of Charlottesville will suit you, it will be filled with enough of your like minded folks-the quick to judge northern liberal. The South is far from perfect, but neither is the north.

[jrampy]

Wow, what an interesting thread. I am glad to see that someone finally got around to distributing some pertinent information. That being said, I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents. I am Florida born and raised. So is my husband, and my 9 year old daughter. We are a rarity here due to the overwhelming influx of northerners and foreign hispanics. Even getting a job here without being bi-lingual is next to impossible. We are a "redneck" family. We enjoy boating, fishing, 4-wheeling, heck my hubby is an over the road truck driver. We are also intelligent, and enjoy concerts. We are moving to the VA area because of the scools (which in Florida are horrible) and the hometown atmosphere. I have lived in my home for 4 years, and can honestly say that we have 1 couple we are friends with. I want my child raised in an atmosphere where people are neighborly and sex offenders aren't living on every corner of the neighborhood. From the stories my mother tells of growing up in Florida, I could enjoy that lifestyle if people from other places hadn't come here and converted this state. To anyone who complains about other places, maybe you should just stay where you are. And DONT come here lol.

[spudwrench1973]

I would say there is more racism, bigotry, intolerance and uneducated people in the great New England town of Boston than in all of Virginia combined. And it sounds like there will be one more when you get there.

[epack]

Originally Posted by badger74

C'ville is what I would call high southern meaning it is more educated and wealthy and they value thinks like good horses, polo, beauty in homes and dress (conservative), and manners. They go to nicer more upscale churches, drive nicers cars, and don't drink beer or watch Nascar. They do love good liquor, fine food, and their college sports.

While much of the above is true, IMO, CV is NOT a southern city at all, at least not the same way, say, Richmond is. This is definitely a college-dominated town, with all the good, bad and ugly about that, but it's not very conservative (area consistently votes Democratic, and it's very accepting of alternative lifestyles, the City anyway). There are more northern transplants here than native born folks, at least middle class and above, primarily due to the University and a couple of larger employers. Most of the lower end folks were pushed out of the city and county long ago to the adjacent counties because the city and county are way more expensive to live in than they ever used to be.

JMO of course

elaine
charlottesville, va

[ms.canada2005]

North,south,east or west...stupid question here...the north and south seem to have an ongoing issue with each other...do the east and west coasts have issues like the north and south...?

[j1n]

Originally Posted by ms.canada2005

North,south,east or west...stupid question here...the north and south seem to have an ongoing issue with each other...do the east and west coasts have issues like the north and south...?

Yes. But I think even more than "east vs west" or "north vs south" is everyone vs California.

[Rhett_Butler]

Originally Posted by ms.canada2005

North,south,east or west...stupid question here...the north and south seem to have an ongoing issue with each other...do the east and west coasts have issues like the north and south...?

Well, when the east and west fight a war let me know..... Yeah, I know it was 143 years ago that the Civil War ended, but the rivalry is still pretty intense...

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by cassidygal

I'm a native New Englander, and love the Northeast. In particular, I adore Portland, Maine. Generally speaking, I love everything about Portland (and New England in general) ... except the weather. I am looking for a city in a warmer & sunnier part of the country, but which has a culture similar to that of Portland.

A few people I know have recommended Charlottesville, Virginia -- but from what I can tell, Charlottesville is a lot more conservative/Bible Belt than Portland & New England more broadly speaking. Now, I'm not a knee-jerk liberal. But I am looking for someplace where, on average, people are tolerant and open-minded, and where the populace is generally well-educated. If we start a family, I don't want my children exposed on a daily basis to overt racism, sexism, and religious bigotry as part of the culture. I have lived in the South before, and, unfortunately, have found far, far more of those ugly characteristics than in New England.

Any ideas on other warmer/sunnier cities that a Portland-lover would love?

cassidy I love where I'm at now, which is Hampton Roads but one thing I'll tell you is that people can be very discrete, which to me is offensive and quite honestly insulting to my intelligence. I prefer it out in the open where I can deal with it than having to read between the lines. It may be the history of that in the South as the real reason for it I'm not entirely sure, but it feels more "apologetic" and I like it a bit more "unapologetic" if you understand where I'm coming from. You might want to look into Northern Virginia if you can afford it. HR is sunny most of the year, it rains a lot though, but has a nice mix though it can be big and intimidating and overpopulated. Look at Northern Virginia though; not conservative at all very liberal, and it may have that diversity you're looking for.