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Hello :^) I am from out of state(as I said in a prev post) and will be moving to South Carolina as soon as we iron out all the wrinkles. My question is, aside from being closer to the Ocean...lol, what are the big differances between living closer to the coast vs living upstate(such as Greenville area)? And, do you have an opinion on which is better to raise children?Thank you so very much!
Whoa... tough question, and I'm afraid any response will be strictly opinions, with one generality heaped upon another. I now live at the coast, after growing up in upstate with family still living there.
Do you need to find a job? If so, good luck in either location. Depending upon your background and training, the upstate probably offers broader opportunities for good jobs.
The focus along the coast is heavily slanted toward tourism and retirement, although there are obviously plenty of families living down here. The weather may be a little warmer at the coast, but the upstate offers you a better sense of seasonal changes. IMO, the cost of living is generally a little higher at the coast, reflecting the time-honored tradition of gouging the touristas. Schools? Too broad a generality. There are good schools and not-so-good schools in both regions.
It really comes down to what you're looking for and what makes life good for you. Looking for a normal, All-American good life? I'd vote for upstate. Looking for a place with lots of attractions, lots of restaurants, a big old ocean, an occasional hurricane, and, oh yeah, lots of yankees, the coast is the place for ya'!
Actually there is as many transplants in the Greenville area. Most people I run into moved here from some other area. So the yankee comment is debatable imo. You wouldn't feel out of place in the upstate, but we are closer to the mountains, in between Atlanta and Charlotte, and growing at a pretty nice pace. I love this area, but I'm not a big beach person either.
Depending on how close to the ocean you are, you might want to check on homeowner's insurance costs. We really got raped here in FL, due to the threat of hurricanes. How does $3000 a year for a modest home on high ground grab ya?
we actually chose Columbia area, liked what Greenville had to offer but wanted to be near Lake Murray. And Charleston is just a tad over 2 hr drive for us now, so we have made a fair # of day trips down there. Easy enough to hit the beach for a couple hours, wander around town for a bit, and be home in the eve. We like visiting there, not sure if we would have wanted to live there. No knocks on area, we just like the idea of being on a nice fresh water lake, not quite so close to the ocean. And though we're empty nesters already, we have really enjoyed the zoo in Cola, the musuem, and other spots that kids would enjoy as well.
the coast has bigger issues with hurricanes, tourists, jobs availability, schools, crime, traffic, taxes, insurance, and cost of living relative to pay. And unless you are looking at the water, the landscape is less appealing IMO. I would say generally, the coast is not as good a place to be middle class and raise a family.
I love living on the Coast and have been doing that for the past 20 years of my life. I grew up mostly in Charlotte. Left in '92 and have lived near the Ocean ever since. Where I live, crime is not an issue. It is a very family orientated area with great schools. However to own a home here, you have to expect to pay more. At least more than Columbia. It's called location..location..location.
I was raised in the Upstate and live most of the year here. We also have a place south of Myrtle Beach where we spend weeks at a time throughout the year. We don't have kids but are younger (not retired). imo, if you are younger, with a family, the Charleston/Mount PLeasant area would be the best all around option. During the off-season, the MB area seems mostly like retirees and during peak season, all tourists. The Charleston areas seem to have more of a balanced family-life dynamic, to me. Boeing is coming to Charleston so if finding jobs is a concern for your family, you will surely want to scoot closer to Charleston than MB. I love the Upstate...it is beautiful and a terrific place to live. Mountains and lakes are nearby, shopping rates a B but Charlotte and Atlanta are close enough....people are friendly, cost of living is good....an overall great quality of life. Either way, moving to SC you can't go wrong.
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Schools? Too broad a generality. There are good schools and not-so-good schools in both regions. 
