Staunton...what is it really like to live there?

[Nebat]

Hey swagger, i'm new to these boards so bear with me. If you move to Staunton you might be stuck with Comcast cable internet. I use it and it seems fine. But my needs are different than yours and I don't know if it would suit your business needs or not. Someone else might be able to help with that better than me. Verizon FIOS might be available but not sure.

As far as schools go, I don't know. I was not rasied here. I do know that the county schools are generally more desirable than city. I haven't heard many nice things about the city high school. But again thats just heresay based on no real experience on my part.

Politically the area is generally seen as being fiercely conservative. There are some moderete to liberal leaning people here though. Especially in Staunton city. Staunton actually voted democrat this past election! The surrounding counties is a whole other story. But most people seem to mind their own business, so I don't think you will have any problem there.

If you're tired of big city problems this is definitely the area to be! A lot of wide open space. The older neighborhoods of the city can actually be pretty dense, but most houses even downtown have at least some yard. And the farther from downtown the more space you can find. In the county, which is Augusta by the way, you can find houses with acres of land. There is a little over 100,000 people in the confines of Augusta county. This includes the other little city of Waynesboro. Much smaller and much less density than where you are now. The Martin's grocery store here is also 24 hrs. as is the Wal-Mart supercenter. There is really nothing else open 24 hrs. except a couple gas stations and the waffle house.

Another place you might want to consider is Charlottesville, a 35 min. ride east on I-64. It has everything Staunton does and more plus it's a major college town(UVA). It's bigger but not that much and it's a little pricier. They also have Comcast internet. And if you do need a big city fix, D.C is 2 hrs up Rt. 29 and Richmond is another hour east on I-64. Hope this helps.

[NY2Staunton]

Listen.....Staunton is a great little city. I left NY to come here (alone!!) and have had no trouble making friends here. Yes, you will always be somewhat of an outsider. That will be true for anywhere you go. There are tons of things to do in Staunton...you just have to open your eyes. I come from NY where there are always a million things going on. Yet, I have never once been bored in Staunton. Gypsy Hill Park offers tons of wide open space and activities, we have an independent movie theater, several nice coffee shops, The Shakespeare theater, Nice restaurants, The Wharf which boasts a farmers market april-novemeber, AND Live outdoor music every thursday evening throughout the summer. It is literally minutes to all kinds of hiking (GW National Park) and less than 45 minites from either c-ville or harrisonburg. Now the downside......We are starting to get a bad gang problem. Staunton Police need to nip this in the bud. People would prefer to bury their heads in the sand about this....it gets worse and worse. I know it sounds hard to believe for a small city but......there it is.

[Deruyter]

I grew up in Staunton. It's a great place to raise kids, especially with Gypsy Hill Park to play in. You have the mountains and ski resort nearby, several lakes and rivers for the outdoor types. It's unmatched for historic architecture and homes, which are quite expensive now. There are jobs around, but you have to go to Stuarts Draft for what's left of Amercan manufacturing jobs that pay over minimum wage.

Bottom line is that if you don't have money, or if you just want a nice place to retire, Staunton is the place for you. If you're a young person, or a couple, you have limited options for jobs and housing. Don't fall in love with that Victorian on Gospel Hill if you can't afford to stay a while.

[nisie]

Originally Posted by swagger

Our political leanings are best classified as Libertarian. We both think that the federal government is out of control, and should be scaled back. On social issues, we don't care what people do, as long as they're not hurting anyone else or soaking up tax dollars to do it.

We don't really want to live in an ultra-liberal city - we'd considered Asheville, until I discovered that it's kind of like a "Berkeley East". We also don't want to be in an ultra-conservative area, as my girlfriend's religion could be an issue and while we're not very socially active, we don't want to be ostracized in the community, either.Ideally, we'd like to find a more rural location (i.e. where you're neighbor's house is more than 20 feet away from your own), but with some of the urban conveniences that city living provides (grocery stores open late, etc).

We'll be looking at renting a house, with a possible purchase ~5 years or so down the road if everything works out.

So, with all that said, how well do those of you "in the know" think that Staunton would fit us? We're pretty flexible on most of those things, but the one thing that is an absolute must is having a good Internet provider - without it, we have no business, and no income...

Thanks in advance for any advice/suggestions/information!

Look at Floyd, VA... it has a neat, neat environment