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I recently found out I will be moving to South Carolina in late August. My job is transferring me and relocating my family and I. I am very excited about the job but nervous about picking the right community to live in.
My company office location is in Florence, SC and I am seeking advice on best towns with great schoold districts between Florence and Myrtle Beach that we should look for housing in.
We have already decided we are not intersted in living in Florence and I am more than open to a 1 hour commute to and from work (might go 1 hour 15 team but that is max). My children are 5, 7 and 12 so having a good school system is a must for us. We also do not want to live in a city. We are targeting either a smaller town or suburban neighborhood with easy access to shopping/activites.
Hmmmmm.....not sure how schools are in Conway. That's pretty much the only "suburban"-type town between Florence and MB, and the only one where you might have decent public schools and decent amenities. Good luck with that commute during tourist season.
Otherwise, you might consider the NE Columbia suburbs or the Camden area. That would put you about an hour from Florence give or take, but the lonely drive down I-20 would get pretty old in a hurry, I would think.
Have you visited Florence? Granted it's not for everyone, but I understand that there are some nice neighborhoods, good schools, and decent shopping/restaurants there.
Hi, thanks for the reply! Yes, I've been to Florence a number of times, unfotrunatly all I've gotten to see has been the office, hotel and airport. I've been told by numerous colleagues that I should avoid living in Florence with young children. I will look into the Camden area for sure.
I already drive 1 hour and 15 minutes to work right now so I wouldn't mind the commute (thank God for books on CD). What Columbia suburbs would you reccomend?
I'll defer to those on here who know NE Columbia better than I do (it's been a few years since I lived in the Columbia area), but Pontiac/Elgin, as well as the area near Clemson Road and the Village of Sandhills, are pretty nice.
Hi, thanks for the reply! Yes, I've been to Florence a number of times, unfotrunatly all I've gotten to see has been the office, hotel and airport. I've been told by numerous colleagues that I should avoid living in Florence with young children. I will look into the Camden area for sure.
I already drive 1 hour and 15 minutes to work right now so I wouldn't mind the commute (thank God for books on CD). What Columbia suburbs would you reccomend?
I would prefer to live in west Florence over Camden or N.E. Columbia. Florence has everything the N.E. Columbia area has for the most part. Camden is smaller town than Florence.
I'm not sure why anybody would tell you not to live in Florence with young children. I can't see how west and south Florence could be any more safe. The only dangerous areas are a small area near downtown off Dargan Street and maybe around some hotels on 52 near I-95 because some drugrunners traveling between NYC and Miami stay for the night in those hotels.
The problem with the "smaller" towns is the fact that most are located in poorer counties and thus the schools are not the best. Seriously, there is nothing wrong with Florence. No need to commute. What is offered in South Florence is just as good as NE Columbia without the hour+ commute. What I always suggest to new people moving here is that if you go to church, find a church to join and then talk to the members about where to live/shop/go to school. If you aren't a church goer, Talk with several people at work. Don't take the word of just one person.
The problem with the "smaller" towns is the fact that most are located in poorer counties and thus the schools are not the best. Seriously, there is nothing wrong with Florence. No need to commute. What is offered in South Florence is just as good as NE Columbia without the hour+ commute. What I always suggest to new people moving here is that if you go to church, find a church to join and then talk to the members about where to live/shop/go to school. If you aren't a church goer, Talk with several people at work. Don't take the word of just one person.
Florence isn't poor across the board. A lot of rich people live there and the middle class is as big as anywhere else. A lot of doctors move there b/c they want to be near the beach but not live at the beach in a tourist area. It has a lot of good employers in town or nearby cities like Hartsville as well.
Both West and South Florence High schools, and their feeder schools, are fine. The teachers are fine if your kid wants to learn and go to college. The school scores are basically just measuring the ambition of the students who go to the school, higher school scores means more ambitious kids typically from the more affluent families.
Florence isn't poor across the board. A lot of rich people live there and the middle class is as big as anywhere else. A lot of doctors move there b/c they want to be near the beach but not live at the beach in a tourist area. It has a lot of good employers in town or nearby cities like Hartsville as well.
Both West and South Florence High schools, and their feeder schools, are fine. The teachers are fine if your kid wants to learn and go to college. The school scores are basically just measuring the ambition of the students who go to the school, higher school scores means more ambitious kids typically from the more affluent families.
I agree. When I said "smaller" I was meaning towns like Hartsville, Bishopville, Lake City. Those areas are usually much poorer and the schools not nearly as good. From his original post, it sounded like he didn't want to live in Florence but rather a smaller town.
I agree. When I said "smaller" I was meaning towns like Hartsville, Bishopville, Lake City. Those areas are usually much poorer and the schools not nearly as good. From his original post, it sounded like he didn't want to live in Florence but rather a smaller town.
Oh, well I think of Florence as a small city. I'm not sure what the advantage would be in living in Hartsville or a town that size vs Florence. It isn't going to be safer than west and south Florence and more to do in Florence and he wouldn't have to commute to and from Florence, which will get old fast.
Hi... I currently live in Massachusetts so I know a bit about where you are coming from. I lived in Florence my entire life before relocating up here. I've been in MA for about 10 years now.
I will reiteriate there is nothing wrong with Florence!!!!!! I would totally live there with my family and not think twice about it. The areas that feed into West or South Florence High Schools being the best.
The only other small town nearby that I would consider would be Hartsville and I only mention it because you said you don't want to live in Florence. If Florence was where my job was, Florence is where I'd live. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else actually even if I worked in Darlington, Timmonsville, etc...
There was a compaign years ago that had the slogan, "Florence, it's all here!" It's totally true.
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