Charleston is a beautiful city and very easy to fall in love with, however, surface looks can be very deceiving. This is our 16th year in Charleston and we are exploring other options for our 'golden' years. Without even considering the oppressive heat and humidity the summers bring there is the fact that crime is very high in this area, regardless of time of day or night and the traffic is the third most congested (per capita) in the nation. There are other issues as well, but I won't go in to them. Suffice it to say that we are sad that the Charleston we fell in love with many years ago no longer seems to exist. We will and do miss the city we fell in love with!
Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 1:34 pm Post subject: Living in the Charleston, SC Area
I have to say that I agree with June. Charleston is a beautiful city and we had hoped to spend the rest of our lives here as well, but will not do so and there are many reasons.
While you list the average cost of a home at around $202,000.00, you would be extremely hard pressed to find a home for that price in downtown Charleston, unless you wanted to dwell in one of the unsafe neighbhorhoods. You certainly wouldn't find much of a selection in Mt. Pleasant at that price either.
Two of our largest and newest retirement communities are in the Summerville and Goose Creek areas, the Elms and Del Webb.
For some who seek a new place for retirement, their adult children and their families sometimes relocate as well. Our public school system down here is one of the poorest in the country. We have consistently vied with Mississippi for last place, although the last I heard we were now third place from the worst schools in the country.
Crime is another issue. We do have a high crime for an area as small as we are and that includes violent crime such as murder and assault.
If you need to work a few more years, the job availability and payscale is something else to consider. While some of us earned $9.00 an hour twenty years or so ago, many, many companies in this area pay $9.00 an hour and some want you to have a bachelors degree as well! These types of jobs far outnumber the good paying positions.
A visit to the area you are considering is always a wise idea, but likewise, seek information from a variety of residents who already live in the area you are interested in.
I will say that except for hot and humid summers, the weather is nice. We experience a bit of four seasons with our winters being fairly mild.
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