For those of you who live in North and South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee?

[LuvingLife]

What's it like to live in any of those particular states mentioned in the title? I am interested in these states as there are fantastic colleges and great job opportunities after graduation, or so they say.;)

 

How is the weather, the surrounding population, colleges, and job opportunities? Do you enjoy living there, or would you higtail it out of there if you had the chance to?

 

And I have a big fear of snakes and spiders (especially poisonous one!!) how do you deal with them??:tongue_smilie:

 

Thank you!:001_smile::bigear:

[The Girls' Mom]

Tennessee is awesome. We are just moving back after being away for 2 years. You get all the seasons. UT is a good school.

 

Snakes and spiders really aren't a big deal. If you live in the city, the odds of you seeing snakes are pretty low. Even out in the country you mostly see the non-venomous ones. Spiders, you just have to get used to..:001_smile: But really they aren't bad.

[LuvingLife]

Tennessee is awesome. We are just moving back after being away for 2 years. You get all the seasons. UT is a good school.

 

Snakes and spiders really aren't a big deal. If you live in the city, the odds of you seeing snakes are pretty low. Even out in the country you mostly see the non-venomous ones. Spiders, you just have to get used to..:001_smile: But really they aren't bad.

 

Okay, that makes me feel better, as I want to live in the country, I hope your move was successful!!:)

 

Thank you!:D

[lllll]

..

[Sandragood1]

We're in Northern Va - the DC suburbs. Yes, we have all four seasons - but it does depend on what you are used to. My Chicago-bred DH insists we don't really have winter most years.

 

If you are wanting to get into Virginia's top public colleges- don't come to Northern VA. Choose elsewhere in VA. I have been told that there are so many excellent applicants to UVA, William and Mary, etc. from Northern Virginia that it is really, really difficult to get accepted. Apparently they alot slots in Freshman classes, somewhat, by geography. Since I only had a 9th grader, this is all hearsay, but.......

 

Other information:

 

We were just upgraded to USDA zone 7. That means it is getting warmer here.

 

The access to the Smithsonian museums downtown is nice (they are free). Tons of civil war field trips available within an hour's drive, or less.

 

The traffic in DC metro area stinks. It is not problem for me, but DH has had to deal with some awful commutes.

 

Homeschool laws are pretty easy. Notify of your intention to homeschool annually with a very brief description of what you plan to cover. Then provide "proof of progress." You can used a test (we use CAT) or an evaluation.

 

All other things being equal, I'd move within Virginia somewhat farther south. Maybe around Richmond. The southwest corner of the state is BEAUTIFUL! Lots of farms. The Shenandoah Valley is also lovely. But I don't know about job opportunities in any of these places.

 

Employment and family keep us up here.

 

Sandra

Edited February 12, 2012 by Sandragood1
adding details

[Dustybug]

I grew up in Northern Va., and while I don't mind it, DH hates it. it's too busy for him although as a pp said, there is GREAT access to tons of resources.

 

I've lived in western NC now for 9 years and it's pretty quiet. The weather is GREAT most of the time. In fact, just last week we were having near 70 degree days (although today it is a very nippy 30 something day). We are close enough to the mountains to enjoy that aspect and all it entails and not too far from Charlotte if we want a dose of "city life."

[LuvingLife]

I've lived in NC, SC, and VA. I would hightail it out of SC. I loved NC. I have come to love southwestern VA. Hated Northern VA and would hightail it out of there in a hurry.

 

Not many snakes here in SW Va. Plenty of bugs. That will be true anywhere you have plenty of warm temp's and adequate rain/water. You get used to them.

 

A lot of the job opportunities are probably up Northern VA way. Expensive, crowded, bad traffic, etc.

 

All 3 of these states are close to beaches, but the warm beaches are mostly SC. TN is a long way from beaches if you like to vacation at the beach. Otherwise, I loved TN when I've visited friends there.

 

Populations in VA are full of variety. People from all over the country and world. Even out here in the country where we live. Same as the rest of the US today, I suppose.

 

Thank you for your vivid descriptions of these three states, and Tennessee, they are most helpful. I prefer Virginia or Tennessee, beaches don't matter to me really, but may I ask why you would hightail it out of SC? Just curious.:bigear:

 

We're in Northern Va - the DC suburbs. Yes, we have all four seasons - but it does depend on what you are used to. My Chicago-bred DH insists we don't really have winter most years.

 

If you are wanting to get into Virginia's top public colleges- don't come to Northern VA. Choose elsewhere in VA. I have been told that there are so many excellent applicants to UVA, William and Mary, etc. from Northern Virginia that it is really, really difficult to get accepted. Apparently they alot slots in Freshman classes, somewhat, by geography. Since I only had a 9th grader, this is all hearsay, but.......

 

Other information:

 

We were just upgraded to USDA zone 7. That means it is getting warmer here.

 

The access to the Smithsonian museums downtown is nice (they are free). Tons of civil war field trips available within an hour's drive, or less.

 

The traffic in DC metro area stinks. It is not problem for me, but DH has had to deal with some awful commutes.

 

Homeschool laws are pretty easy. Notify of your intention to homeschool annually with a very brief description of what you plan to cover. Then provide "proof of progress." You can used a test (we use CAT) or an evaluation.

 

All other things being equal, I'd move within Virginia somewhat farther south. Maybe around Richmond. The southwest corner of the state is BEAUTIFUL! Lots of farms. The Shenandoah Valley is also lovely. But I don't know about job opportunities in any of these places.

 

Employment and family keep us up here.

 

Sandra

 

Thank you, and I hear Virginia doesn't really get a normal New England winter, but that's fine with me, I prefer warmer weather anyways. I have a friends who just recently moved to Tennessee, and her son lives in Virginia. They both proclaim how great Virginia and Tennessee are for those who want to leave NE. Thank you for your excellent descriptions!:)

[LuvingLife]

I grew up in Northern Va., and while I don't mind it, DH hates it. it's too busy for him although as a pp said, there is GREAT access to tons of resources.

 

I've lived in western NC now for 9 years and it's pretty quiet. The weather is GREAT most of the time. In fact, just last week we were having near 70 degree days (although today it is a very nippy 30 something day). We are close enough to the mountains to enjoy that aspect and all it entails and not too far from Charlotte if we want a dose of "city life."

 

Thank you Dustybug (I love your screen name!), my cousin lives in NC, and they also enjoy the area as well. I am glad to be recieving all this great feedback!:)

[lllll]

..

Edited December 24, 2012 by ksva

[SuperDad]

We're in Northern Va - the DC suburbs. Yes, we have all four seasons - but it does depend on what you are used to. My Chicago-bred DH insists we don't really have winter most years.

 

If you are wanting to get into Virginia's top public colleges- don't come to Northern VA. Choose elsewhere in VA. I have been told that there are so many excellent applicants to UVA, William and Mary, etc. from Northern Virginia that it is really, really difficult to get accepted. Apparently they alot slots in Freshman classes, somewhat, by geography. Since I only had a 9th grader, this is all hearsay, but.......

 

Other information:

 

We were just upgraded to USDA zone 7. That means it is getting warmer here.

 

The access to the Smithsonian museums downtown is nice (they are free). Tons of civil war field trips available within an hour's drive, or less.

 

The traffic in DC metro area stinks. It is not problem for me, but DH has had to deal with some awful commutes.

 

Homeschool laws are pretty easy. Notify of your intention to homeschool annually with a very brief description of what you plan to cover. Then provide "proof of progress." You can used a test (we use CAT) or an evaluation.

 

All other things being equal, I'd move within Virginia somewhat farther south. Maybe around Richmond. The southwest corner of the state is BEAUTIFUL! Lots of farms. The Shenandoah Valley is also lovely. But I don't know about job opportunities in any of these places.

 

:iagree:

 

Though we are planning to relocate to California within the next two years.

[melissad2]

I live in upstate SC and the weather is downright hot in the summer and this winter has been relatively mild although last winter was pretty cold with unusual amounts of snowfall for his area. The particular area I live in is considered rural and is mostly quiet. Some areas in the upstate particularly Spartanburg have high crime rates (I would never live there). Greenville is a larger city with a zoo, children's museum, art museum, large library and decent shopping.

 

We have low sales tax, low property taxes, and lower gas prices. The schools are not great which why I have chosen to homeschool! If I had the choice though I would like to live in TN for a while! I think it's beautiful and we love to vacation there!

[Dustybug]

Thank you Dustybug (I love your screen name!), my cousin lives in NC, and they also enjoy the area as well. I am glad to be recieving all this great feedback!:)

 

 

Thanks! :)

[Samiam]

I've lived in the Lowcountry of SC, ie Charleston, and the Upstate, ie Greenville,

and the mountains of NC. (also FL, and grew up in the midwest, so I've got a lot to compare it to)

 

Every area is vastly different, so what one might say about SC, having lived in the Lowcountry, would be very different that what one might say about living in the Upstate, even though they are the same state.

 

Bugs, snakes, etc...those are everywhere in the world. They are no different here than in other states, just different types. Unless you are leaving your door open or something, you're not likely to have snakes sitting next to you. The ONLY thing that is different, I would think, is that in the southern part of SC, you have gators. So you pretty much stay away from fresh-water, at least I did.

 

Job market varies again, from area to area. I couldn't advise on the Charleston area, haven't been there in about 8 years. I know there were NO jobs to be had in W NC, as it's mostly tourism. That's why we ended up in the Upstate of SC...there's ALOT of jobs around here, depending on the field. Lots of industry has come here, and then the "fringe industry" that comes along with that. Annoucements monthly about new companies coming (ie we are getting an Amazon distribution center, and Annie's Organic foods factory, and several more).

 

As far as people...honestly there are TONS and TONS of transplants. I found that it's more rare to find people who were born and raised in the area. Most people came from somewhere else.

 

Weather: Charleston area....hot summers starting in May through September..mild fall, mild winter, mild spring.

 

Greenville: four perfect seasons...hot summer, mild fall, mild/cold winter (depending on the year, no snow this year, but last year has 2 major snows), mild spring.

 

Western NC: hot summer, but not so much humidity, cold snowy winters, amazing fall and spring.

 

Truly, even within a state, weather is different. VA, NC and SC all have beaches on one side, and mountainous on the other side. They are going to be like completely different parts of the world. Job Markets are different. Creatures are different. You've asked about a HUGE range.

Edited February 12, 2012 by Samiam

[DawnM]

We live near Charlotte, NC, but if I had a choice I would be up in Asheville if I had a choice in NC. We don't have a choice.

 

I would hightail it out simply because I miss CA, but DH and the boys LOVE it here and I do like it overall.....tons of homeschoolers and homeschooling activities. I am amazed at the hs programs. If there is something your kids are into, there is most likely a HS group for it!

 

Low COL (although remember I am moving here from Southern California so to us it is low.)

[Momof3littles]

We lived in the Triangle area of NC while DH attended graduate school for 5 years. We loved it there and had the right job come along when he was back in the hunt, we would have remained in the area. There are 4 seasons but winter doesn't go on and on like it can in other areas. There are cold days but they are interspersed with warm days. Summer is humid but it wasn't a huge deal to me. The COL was lower than we were accustomed to and that was fantastic. We really enjoyed our time there. If DH could telecommute we'd strongly consider moving back to the area. When he applied to schools we thought there would be a good chance of remaining in the area after graduation. However, the economy tanked and most of the companies in RTP that would normally hire someone with his skills were in a hiring freeze. He took a job elsewhere.

 

We have visited and enjoyed Asheville as well.

[ThisIsTheDay]

How is the weather, the surrounding population, colleges, and job opportunities? Do you enjoy living there, or would you higtail it out of there if you had the chance to?

 

And I have a big fear of snakes and spiders (especially poisonous one!!) how do you deal with them??:tongue_smilie:

 

Southern Virginia. Great colleges; I don't know about job opportunities, but we seem to be faring better than most of the country.

 

The weather is fabulous. The humid, uncomfortable weather is on the eastern side of the state. Generally, the whole east coast is one big swampland (as you probably know). Our side of the state is along the mountains, which moderate the highs and lows.

 

Surrounding population. I am from the west; we moved here five years ago. I enjoy the people here. It's weird to think this is considered a "southern" state. My area has a good many transplants from NY/NJ, along with many VA natives.

 

I enjoy living here and have no plans to ever leave (unless the country goes completely to hell in a handbasket, and I'll take off for somewhere like Costa Rica:D).

 

Big snakes and spiders. We've lived in two completely different areas near our "big" city, one rural, one suburban, one new house, one older house. We had more spiders in Colorado. Snakes . . . well, in the country, we had harmless black snakes (keep the rodent population in check) and copperheads. We only ever saw two copperheads that I can recall though.

[Cindy in C-ville]

I'm from eastern NC, went to school in Raleigh and Chapel Hill, lived in Charlottesville, VA for 14 years, and have recently returned to Raleigh because of employment. If a job were available in both places, and family connections we have in NC were not a consideration, I would definitely choose to stay in Charlottesville. It's beautiful and feels like a small town, but you have all the amenities of UVA in your backyard. Richmond is only an hour away and Washington, D.C. is an easy day trip.

 

Raleigh has plenty of colleges and universities nearby, great museums, nice climate, and plenty of options for homeschoolers.

 

I would not choose to live in eastern NC, if I had the choice. The town where I lived is beautiful - situated on two rivers, lots of history, etc., but it's just too small.

 

I have always been attracted to Asheville and when we were deciding where to move when Bill finished seminary, Asheville and Charlottesville were the areas that we strongly considered.

 

I've only visited TN and so I can't speak to that. And SC has never been attractive to me, although I've loved visiting Charleston and Hilton Head a few times.

[Mynyel]

I live in WNC right now. I have lived in the Knoxville area.

 

I have visited upstate SC and driven through VA.

 

My favorite by far was TN. I *LOVE* the Smokys. Love them!

 

That being said, Knox county has a high population. WNC also has a high ratio of people.

 

I really can't give an unbiased opinion on WNC as I don't care for the area that much. Asheville is just way to liberal for me. Asheville is known as "The Little San Francisco of the South". However they so have a *large* homeschool community here. If you can afford to join. Haven't seen all that much homeschool groups here that are just free (or even low cost!) to go to and do things.

 

I don't know about the homeschool community in TN, SC or VA.

 

If I *HAD* to choose between those states I would go with TN in a heartbeat.

[Farrar]

I've lived in NC and VA (and in New England, where the OP apparently lives now).

 

The snake and spider thing! We're taking a trip to somewhere with poisonous snakes and I was having to talk myself out of being freaked out by it and finally I did get around to realizing that I had grown up tromping through the woods with water moccasins and brown recluses and it never much bothered me. Lol. Really, they are all around, but they don't want to mess with you. In my whole life, I only ever knew one person bitten by a poisonous spider or snake and he was fine after a trip to the ER. It's so, so, so rare.

 

NC is lovely. The colleges are, indeed, good. There are jobs. I grew up in the Triangle area and the medical field is still doing reasonably well there. The weather is hot in the summer, obviously, but unless you're very heat-averse it's not too bad and you could look at places up in the mountains - Asheville and Boone are both beautiful. Politically, it's a conservative state, but there are enclaves of liberals around in the big cities and the university towns. Overall, NC is pretty great. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

 

Virginia has some pretty spots... but the cost of living if your in NOVA is really high.

 

What field do you want to go into? And do you want to be somewhere rural or urban or in between?

[VA6336]

Eastern, Middle and Western TN are all totally different, just FYI. Memphis and Nashville are going to be better for jobs simply because of size. Knoxville is much smaller. There are lots of bugs throughout, like another poster said you put hot and humid together and you get lots of buggies! Never seen anything but small garden-type snakes, but we've never lived way out in the country either. Tons of cockroaches! For overall culture, just know that Memphis is the blue in a sea of red, politically speaking.

[delaney]

I was raised in NY and have been in VA for many years now(like 17). I would leave given the chance. The traffic is terrible, I miss the snow, it is very Keep up with the Jones here in northern VA, the schools are hard to get into b/c everyone applies(we will do community with a transfer to avoid this), the area I am in is NOT homeschool friendly in terms of attitude, it is $$, and our house is way upside down now.

Given the chance, which may be on the horizon, I would leave to go to Colorado. (Only for like 10 years I think)

Haven't seen many snakes and spiders that I consider out of the ordinary.

[Guest happyfam]

I grew up just outside of Asheville, NC, and recently moved to East TN. I find myself missing the mountains occasionally but have so enjoyed TN. The weather in Western NC is "just right" I would say. You get a taste of each season and the Fall is lovely. TN has been similar although a bit more hot. Asheville is extremely liberal although there is an amazing Christian presence and some wonderful churches (not sure if this matters for you...).

 

As far as snakes and spiders go...I have a terrible fear of them as well :scared:. I just hope they stay away and that someone else is around to deal with them otherwise.

[Pink and Green Mom]

If you are wanting to get into Virginia's top public colleges- don't come to Northern VA. Choose elsewhere in VA. I have been told that there are so many excellent applicants to UVA, William and Mary, etc. from Northern Virginia that it is really, really difficult to get accepted. Apparently they alot slots in Freshman classes, somewhat, by geography. Since I only had a 9th grader, this is all hearsay, but.......

 

This is true. I've heard it from several dozen neighbors in Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun counties (all places we've lived) who have been through the process. We've talked in the neighborhood about all pitching in and buying a shack with a mailing address somewhere in the boonies to get our kids into UVA when they are old enough.:lol:

[Cindy in C-ville]

This is true. I've heard it from several dozen neighbors in Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun counties (all places we've lived) who have been through the process. We've talked in the neighborhood about all pitching in and buying a shack with a mailing address somewhere in the boonies to get our kids into UVA when they are old enough.:lol:

 

True. But the comm. college system is fantastic and then you are guaranteed admission to UVA, William & Mary, etc.

[MeganW]

I grew up in Greenville, SC (northwest), spent a year in Columbia (middle), spent 3 years in Memphis, TN (far southwest corner of TN), and am now in a suburb of Charlotte, NC that is technically in SC (Charlotte is right on the SC/NC border).

 

 

SC has 3 parts - upstate, midlands, and low country.

- Upstate (northern part) of SC has great weather. Easy access to mountains & beaches. That's where Greenville is. Everyone I know who lives there loves it. Those who used to live there are always trying to get back. Lots of people moving in and out, so easy to make friends. Spartanburg is also in the upstate, but much more industrial / less cultural, and has higher crime. Greenville's crime rates aren't crazy-low or anything, but the crime is all concentrated in certain areas that most of us never go to, so we don't see it.

 

- Midlands - Columbia SC is the capital of the state, and is smackdab in the middle of the state. You couldn't pay me enough to move back there. The city is sort of in a bowl, so there is never any breeze, so it is always hot and smells yucky. Also, the people are primarily govt workers, or people connected to USC. Not much culture, and crime was in your face all the time.

 

- Low Country - schools are definitely weak in general in this part of the state due to higher poverty levels, so you would probably want to continue HSing through high school if you can't afford private. People who have lived in Charleston all love it. Hot hot hot, but the beaches are right there, and are gorgeous. There are lots of small towns in the low country, but most are extremely poor. You would want to look at a bigger city on the coast (Charleston, Hilton Head, etc.) if you want to be in the low country.

 

Memphis, TN - hated hated hated living there. It was extremely difficult to get to know anyone. Everyone there either grew up there, or else went to Ole Miss together, so they already have a set of friends and aren't looking for more. I tried hard, and met very few people. Also, the racial tensions there are like something out of a movie. I truly did not realize that divides like that still existed, but they do in Memphis! Very weird and uncomfortable. Also, it was beyond hot there. YUCK!

 

Fort Mill, SC / suburb of Charlotte, NC - I knew more people within 3 months of living here than I knew after 3 years in Memphis. People are extremely friendly. It still has a small town feel, and I love it here! Very upscale Southern, if you know what I mean.

 

Charlotte, NC - we rarely venture up into town. We are close enough to take advantage of cultural things, but for the most part we stay in our little area. I have heard nightmares about the traffic during rush hours, so if you do end up looking for work here, you would want to live close to your job.

 

A lot of people love Asheville, NC. It's further up in the mountains, so weather is cooler and it's gorgeous to look at. It is more hippie/liberal/organic/laidback, compared to other places around here.

 

Homeschooling in SC is very easy - very few legal hoops to deal with. Also, there are lots and lots of homeschoolers here, so co-ops and friends are easy to come by.

Edited February 13, 2012 by MeganW

[The Girls' Mom]

Yes, I forgot the mention the different parts of TN. I wouldn't live in Memphis if you paid me. I just don't like it there. I grew up in Middle TN, and it is ok. Lots of farmland once you get out of the Nashville area.

 

Knoxville/East TN is where I have spent most of my adult life, and it is by far the prettiest and friendliest, I think.

 

It really is like three different states.

[MeganW]

Yes, I forgot the mention the different parts of TN. I wouldn't live in Memphis if you paid me. I just don't like it there. I grew up in Middle TN, and it is ok. Lots of farmland once you get out of the Nashville area.

 

Knoxville/East TN is where I have spent most of my adult life, and it is by far the prettiest and friendliest, I think.

 

It really is like three different states.

 

I totally agree. I had this image of Tennessee in my mind before we moved there - Nashville, country music, mountains, etc. Memphis was NOT like that!!

[MamaT]

I am in Asheville, NC. I absolutely love living here. We actually live about 12 miles out of town on some acreage with beautiful views of the mountains. There are many organic farms on the outskirts of Asheville, so we have access to lots of fresh produce and organic meat. There are endless places to hike, camp, canoe, and a few places around us to ski. I look at the mountains sometimes during sun rise/set, and can't believe I am blessed enough to live somewhere so beautiful. :001_smile:

 

There is a large artistic community in Asheville, so I think there are probably more opportunities for cultural events than in most cities this small. There are many homeschoolers. Our county has the highest percentage of homeschooled children in the state.

 

The snakes I've seen have been harmless black snakes, and the spiders you would just have to deal with.

[ravinlunachick]

I live in upstate SC and the weather is downright hot in the summer and this winter has been relatively mild although last winter was pretty cold with unusual amounts of snowfall for his area. The particular area I live in is considered rural and is mostly quiet. Some areas in the upstate particularly Spartanburg have high crime rates (I would never live there). Greenville is a larger city with a zoo, children's museum, art museum, large library and decent shopping.

 

We have low sales tax, low property taxes, and lower gas prices. The schools are not great which why I have chosen to homeschool! If I had the choice though I would like to live in TN for a while! I think it's beautiful and we love to vacation there!

 

 

I'm also in Upstate SC. I totally agree with her assessment of Spartanburg (though there are nicer areas there and the suburbs are not crime-ridden like the city). Greenville and its surrounding cities are definitely the place to be. You can be as close as you like to "the big city" and all that it offers--symphony, theater, museums, parks, shopping, etc--but still live in a "rural" area with a view of the mountains if you choose. Depending on what sort of work you're looking for, this can be a great area. It's also relatively diverse, if that matters to you.

 

I would caution that with the exception of Columbia, the area between Greenville and Charleston is pretty much a wasteland when it comes to economic opportunities. Certain areas of the state are decades behind others.

[Shannon in TN]

I've lived all over NC and am now in Knoxville. LOVE, love living in Knoxville, UT is a great college, there's Maryville college, and the community college system seems pretty good, too.

 

In NC, I grew up in Winston-Salem; in my teens, mom and I moved to the coast in Wilmington for several years; went to school at East Carolina University (Go Pirates!); lived in Greensboro for several years; lived just outside Raleigh for several years. I loved every place I lived in NC, but our favorite place was Greensboro, but that was before we had kids. I don't think I would change my opinion, though, just lifestyle.

 

As for colleges, the entire NC University system is great. All of the big schools (Wake, NC State, Carolina, Duke, UNC-A, UNC-G, UNC-W, ECU) have much to offer depending on what interests/major you're looking for.

 

I can't really speak for jobs; I think that would depend on what kind of career you're looking for. Research Triangle Park in NC (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area) has a lot of techie-type jobs, Wilmington has a TV/movie industry (If you watch Revenge - it's filmed in Wilmington). I really think it just depends on what you want.

 

Fayetteville and Jacksonville are military base cities (Army/AF in Fayetteville, Marine in Jacksonville) and while they're great for some, others may not like those places. (I fall in the latter category and my hubby is AF. I would NOT want to live in Fville, even if he were stationed there.)

 

As I said before, we are in Knoxville now and have been here almost 6 years. Love it! It's the biggest small town I have ever lived in. People are friendly, it's close to the mountains and we're only about 8 hours from either the east coast beaches or the gulf coast beaches - perfect for vacations!

 

Good luck!!

[momto3boys]

I have lived in VA, NC, and SC. I have lived in Richmond, Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads, and Northern Virginia areas of Virginia. I love Hampton Roads but it's very expensive and if you are looking at moving to the country it wouldn't be a good fit. The schools are good though. I don't remember enough specifics about the others to offer reliable opinions.

 

I currently live in Fayetteville, NC (DH is Army) and I would not recommend it to anyone. There is a lot of crime here and schools aren't good. Some of the suburbs are a little better. If I could I would love to live up near Raleigh. We are about to move to the Sandhills area of NC (Pinehurst/Southern Pines) and its more rural/small town and very nice.

 

I have also lived in SC, I went to Clemson which is in the upstate and I don't really care for it (could be that I'm just a beach-y girl though!), and then in Charleston which I love. The lowcountry is beautiful, but the schools aren't great. My Dad lives out near Walterboro and it's affordable out there.

 

The weather in the eastern half of all three states is very hot and humid in the summer...Southern VA tends to be about 10 degrees cooler than SC with NC falling in between.

 

I've only visited in TN but its just breathtaking in the mountains and I would love to live there, it's one of the places DH and I are considering living in when he retires.

[rutamattatt]

We are transplants to Middle TN from NW PA. I was very nervous about moving here, but was won over when I came on a business trip with my husband. It is so beautiful here it took my breath away!

 

We've been here for almost 7 years, and honestly my husband has passed up moving up the corporate ladder so our family can stay here. It is VERY different than living up north in A LOT of ways, but once we got used to it we love the atmosphere. It is very family friendly. People are generally super friendly and kind. We live near Nashville, so we have loved being able to access the music scene and show family around when we have visitors. I love though, that we are close to the city, but still live fairly "rurally".

 

Being from the snow belt, we LOVE the weather here! :) It did take about two or three summers to get used to the heat and humidity, and some days it gets hot/humid enough that it is just better to stay inside, but most of the time we enjoy the weather. We were at the park playing in t shirts about a week ago. The downside is that when they get even a few flakes here, things shut down immediately. And while we used to laugh about that, we have learned a very healthy respect for black ice and we tend to stay in now when it has been wet and gets cold.

 

This is the buckle of the Bible belt, so there are some positives and negatives about that, but all in all - we absolutely LOVE this part of the country, and I don't see us moving any time soon.

 

My sister lived in SC, and they couldn't wait to get out of the area. Not exactly sure what all her gripes were, but they were never happy there. She has three special needs children and I know the p.s. there wasn't very willing to work with the kids to meet their needs. It was a really long, hard road for them with their school district (which probably wouldn't be a factor for you), and they were happy to relocate to central OH.

[DaffodilDreams]

I live in the Memphis area, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. We'd leave for East TN in a heartbeat if we could. West TN is flat, ugly, hot, humid, mosquito infested, very much racially divided, and has one of the highest crime rates in the country. The suburbs don't have as much of the violent crimes, but you do have a lot of other nastiness. Drugs are really bad in the burbs. In general, people don't treat each other as kindly in this part of the state as they do in other places we've lived. The vibes I get from this area are fake, materialistic, and hypocritical.

 

We do have two poisonous spiders - black widow and brown recluse. As far as I know, the black widows generally stay outside, but the recluses love the indoors. Stay away from houses with lots of trees surrounding it, and you may not get as many recluses. They are difficult and expensive to control, and their bites (while usually not deadly) can cause a lot of damage. One bit dd last summer, and the experience was unpleasant (and hers was considered an easier case!). We have black widows in our backyard garden, so I have to be careful when harvesting.

 

The three venomous snakes that I know of around here are copperheads, water moccasins, and rattlesnakes. We had all three in our yard at our last house. Dd couldn't play in the yard because of the dangers. I took her to the park each day instead. We backed up to a creek and it was a relatively new subdivision, and I assume those factors had something to do with it. We live across the street from a creek now (house, yard, road, trees, then creek), and we haven't spotted a single snake in our yard in the 5 years we've lived here.

 

The summers are so freaking hot here that I just about go insane. It's really, really torture for me from about May through the end of Sept. Oct is still too warm for a real autumn, but at least the scorcher days are usually over by then. Plus, the humidity and the disgusting air quality are not good for my asthma.

 

The good things about this area are the few close friends we have made, the mild winters (though this year has been way too mild for my taste), the local independent businesses and restaurants, the art and theatre scenes, the zoo (it's really phenomenal), the museums, the botanic garden, and the farmers' markets. The river views can be breathtaking at sunset, too.

 

Before this, we lived in Knoxville for 9 years, and I left there kicking and screaming, and for a split second considered leaving dh so I wouldn't have to move away from Knoxville. Yes, I'm horrid. But I knew what I was going back to in this area because I had lived here for 3.5 years before finding Knoxville. I never, ever wanted to come back here. Unfortunately, circumstances weren't on my side.

 

I would definitely recommend Knoxville and the surrounding area. It's gorgeous! The mountains are one of the best things about it. People are friendly and open. You can talk to strangers without getting the brush off. The arts community is vibrant. There is definitely a strong feeling of camaraderie in that part of the state. UT and Maryville College are excellent schools. The city is sooooooooooooooooooooo much safer than Memphis! The public schools are not the greatest, but they're not fabulous here either (despite the county's boasts to the contrary).

 

If you are homeschooling, though, TN is an easy state in which to do so. I would look up the laws for an explanation of all of the options, but if you use an umbrella school, there's a tiny bit of paperwork at the beginning of the year, grades to report two times a year, and that is it. Anything else you choose to do (testing, portfolio keeping) is at your discretion, and you can keep the results all to yourself. I believe there is more involved should you opt to homeschool by registering through the public school board, but I didn't choose to do that, so I cannot say for certain. There are tons of homeschool groups in Memphis and burbs, in Nashville, and in Knoxville. I'm not sure about the other cities in TN.

 

Good luck with your decision. I sure wish I could move, too. If you move to East TN bring me with you!!!!!!! : (

 

 

ETA: To be fair, I should mention there are a few major employers here: FedEx has their world headquarters here; Autozone; International Paper; lots of other industrial and agricultural companies; this is a major hub for some airlines and several rail lines; U of M, Rhodes, and Christian Brothers University, and UT Medical School are here, too. St. Jude Children's Hospital is another major employer and a huge asset to have in your backyard should your child require care from them.

Edited February 13, 2012 by kimmie38017

[Mama Geek]

I have lived in Aiken, SC, Clemson, SC and Hampton Roads, VA.

 

I like Aiken more due to the people than the climate. There are tech jobs at Savannah River Site. I go back a couple of times a year to visit family. There are lots of social things to do in Aiken.

 

Clemson is beautiful, has seasons, and has a great college, I am biased since I graduated from there. It is big football territory. It is in the foothills and close to the NC mountains. There are lots of nice lakes in the area as well.

 

I have not lived in Columbia and would prefer not to. I don't really have anything bad to say about the University of SC other than it isn't Clemson.

 

The college of Charleston is in the middle of an historical city. It is crowded and very hard to get around in by car.

 

Hampton Roads is great for sailing, but not much else. The nicer safe areas to live are pretty expensive (although not like northern Virginia.) There is a fair amount of military related work in that area.

[LuvingLife]

I enjoyed reading all of your posts, your opinions of these states has greatly impacted my decision of where I would move. It seems to me that Virginia and NC are at the very top of my list right now, I really love those states. Tennessee is a close second, and well, SC may have to be removed from the list as most of you have described the state as an "okay" place to move. I don't want okay, I want good, so NC and Virginia are at the top of my list, and I will probably be scheduling college visits come next year.

 

Thank you all for your great feedback, I really appreciate it!!:001_smile:

[hmvaughan4]

My brother lives in Sewanee, TN and I love it there. I'd move there in a heartbeat if it weren't for DH's job! It's such a great little town, very friendly, safe, and great opportunities for the kids. They are a host family for the university, so the kids are exposed to various nationalities.

[ravinlunachick]

For particulars, I urge you to check out the forums at citydata.com . You will find TONS of helpful info there!

[Susan in TN]

What's it like to live in TN? It's home - and I wasn't born or raised anywhere near the South. I love it here and pray often that God won't ask us to leave.

 

I hate hot muggy weather, but I love it here.

 

I hate cold weather without piles of snow, but I love it here.

 

I hate spiders and snakes too, but love it here. (I've only seen one snake in 20 years). If you name a spider "Robert" or "Barbara" as soon as you see it, it seems less threatening.

 

I love that I can drive in any direction and it is beautiful.

 

I love that I can homeschool with a minimum of regulation.

 

I love that while some jobs have gone away, many more are being created.

 

I love the person out in Fairview who painted on their town's "welcome sign" to make it say "Welcome to Fairview - We Calls it Home".

 

I love the fact that in our Republican Governor/Democrat legislature tried for 2 years to impose a state income tax and the people flat out said no. Word would get out that they were going to hold a "secret" 6am Saturday vote and families would show up at the capitol in droves holding signs, and drive around the building honking horns to let them know that we were paying attention. http://tntaxrevolt.org/taxpics.htm

 

I am proud of my state.

Edited February 13, 2012 by Susan in TN

[Tree House Academy]

I live in the Mtns of East TN, right on the VA and NC borders (literally 15 mins from each). I LOVE where we live. We have a farm in the country nestled in the mountains. Winters are usually moderate up here in the mountains...but this year has been particularly mild (which happens more often than not, really). Summers here are wonderful. We hardly ever get ridiculously warm and up in the mtns, where there is no asphalt to speak of, it cools down enough to sleep with the windows open on summer nights. The scenery is amazing too. :)

[DaffodilDreams]

I live in the Mtns of East TN, right on the VA and NC borders (literally 15 mins from each). I LOVE where we live. We have a farm in the country nestled in the mountains. Winters are usually moderate up here in the mountains...but this year has been particularly mild (which happens more often than not, really). Summers here are wonderful. We hardly ever get ridiculously warm and up in the mtns, where there is no asphalt to speak of, it cools down enough to sleep with the windows open on summer nights. The scenery is amazing too. :)

 

Please let us move in with you! : ) Your place sounds so lovely.

[Lolly]

East TN here. It is absolutely perfect other than the fact that it is so darned difficult to get to a beach. It really is annoying. Other than that, perfect. Absolutely perfect.

[LuvingLife]

What's it like to live in TN? It's home - and I wasn't born or raised anywhere near the South. I love it here and pray often that God won't ask us to leave.

 

I hate hot muggy weather, but I love it here.

 

I hate cold weather without piles of snow, but I love it here.

 

I hate spiders and snakes too, but love it here. (I've only seen one snake in 20 years). If you name a spider "Robert" or "Barbara" as soon as you see it, it seems less threatening.

 

I love that I can drive in any direction and it is beautiful.

 

I love that I can homeschool with a minimum of regulation.

 

I love that while some jobs have gone away, many more are being created.

 

I love the person out in Fairview who painted on their town's "welcome sign" to make it say "Welcome to Fairview - We Calls it Home".

 

I love the fact that in our Republican Governor/Democrat legislature tried for 2 years to impose a state income tax and the people flat out said no. Word would get out that they were going to hold a "secret" 6am Saturday vote and families would show up at the capitol in droves holding signs, and drive around the building honking horns to let them know that we were paying attention. http://tntaxrevolt.org/taxpics.htm

 

I am proud of my state.

 

I live in the Mtns of East TN, right on the VA and NC borders (literally 15 mins from each). I LOVE where we live. We have a farm in the country nestled in the mountains. Winters are usually moderate up here in the mountains...but this year has been particularly mild (which happens more often than not, really). Summers here are wonderful. We hardly ever get ridiculously warm and up in the mtns, where there is no asphalt to speak of, it cools down enough to sleep with the windows open on summer nights. The scenery is amazing too. :)

 

Tennessee sounds fantastic, along with NC and Virginia, it's going to be a tough choice and I will be visiting colleges down there my senior year. So that will help me make the ultimate decision of staying near home or going out of state. Thank you all so much for your posts, they were very insightful and I enjoyed reading them!:)