My predicament: how would you rank these cities?

[prefan21]

Hey guys!

I'm a 2005 Duke grad in a unique position. I have three weeks to rank my preferences before I'm relocated to a new job. Unfortunately, I've hardly spent any time in these cities! :eek:

I'm a 27-year-old single guy, so I'd prefer a city with a social scene where I can meet someone. And in a tie, I tend to like warm weather, but I'm generally pretty open. The pay is scaled to each place's cost of living.

Here are my options:

Charleston, SC
Jacksonville, FL
New Orleans
NYC
Philadelphia
Phoenix
St. Louis
Tampa
VA Beach / Norfolk
Washington, DC

If you're familiar with some of these cities... what do I need to know? How do they compare? And which places would you rank highest (or lowest)?

Any help would be amazing. Thanks, DBR! :D

[DukeUsul]

Cue a throaty post on each city's mass transit infrastructure....

I don't really have too much experience with these cities, other than NYC, Philly and DC. I'm partial to philly, since I grew up in its suburbs. I LOVED the six weeks I lived in downtown DC, but if you can't afford that, it kinda sucks to be a single 20-something in the DC burbs.

NYC is just too much for me.

[BlueDevilBaby]

Cue a throaty post on each city's mass transit infrastructure....

I don't really have too much experience with these cities, other than NYC, Philly and DC. I'm partial to philly, since I grew up in its suburbs. I LOVED the six weeks I lived in downtown DC, but if you can't afford that, it kinda sucks to be a single 20-something in the DC burbs.

NYC is just too much for me.

Why would you say it sucks in the burbs? I've lived in Arlington, VA and worked in DC for over 20 years now and love it. To each's own.

[Indoor66]

Way too little information on needs, necessities and wants in the original post to make a meaningful response.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

My opinion is biased as a city person (I have lived in DC and NY), but my advice is to target the bigger cities. You should always be looking one job ahead, and particularly in this economy, as a young professional you will have the most opportunities in a bigger city. However, this does depend somewhat on your industry, which you haven't specified. Similarly, a big city will have the most social offerings.

I think DC should be your top choice. The city is full of young professionals, especially Duke alums. It isn't cheap but it is manageable on a decent salary. It has sports, concerts, restaurants, etc. And it is only a 4 hour drive from Cameron.

NY is also a great city with lots of professional and social offerings, but unless you are making a lot of money, it is hard to keep up. If you feel you can afford it and don't mind the pace, NY is incredible, but you don't want to be counting your pennies there.

Philly is a step below the top two. Also a big city, but not as much industry and not as many young professionals. However, you are in the NE Corridor, so it is easy to get to other places. Your other options, particularly Charleston and Norfolk, are a step down from these. Great places to live if you are settled with a family, but somewhat limiting in terms of meeting someone and corporate growth opportunities. Good luck!

[allenmurray]

Tampa has attractive scenery and hand-rolled cigars. You will never need a winter coat.

[DukeUsul]

Why would you say it sucks in the burbs? I've lived in Arlington, VA and worked in DC for over 20 years now and love it. To each's own.

I spent some time living in Fairfax in my early 20s and didn't really find much of a "scene" that a single 20-something would probably be into. When I lived downtown for those six weeks I found it. But having to get into DC from the burbs at night was just a hassle. To enjoy that scene as a 20-something, I'd want to be downtown (if I could afford it).

I'd rather be in a smaller town like Raleigh where I can more easily (cheaply) live closer to where all the singles are hanging out.

[Channing]

I don't know your professional goals or situation, so I will leave that out of the mix for the time being.

Of all those cities, I personally would choose Charleston, SC. The city is fantastic, there are at least two universities in Charleston that I know about (CofC and Citadel). The weather is fantastic, you are close to the beach, and the city life is a nice mix between big city amenities and small city charm.

I have never heard anyone say anything negative about living in Charleston.

[bluebutton]

Indoor66 was right about there being too little information. A 27 year old single guy could be looking to settle down and have a family or could envision another 10+ years of fancy free living.

If you envision yourself single for the next 10 years, I'd go for the big cities where there's a lot of action.

However, if you'd like to find a nice girl and settle down in the next say 5 years, I think a place like Norfolk/VA Beach could have good things to offer. I grew up in that area, so I'm speaking from that perspective and not saying Tidewater is better than any of the other places you listed.

If I were 27 and on the market looking to settle down, I would return there in a heartbeat. Things I like:

1) lower cost of living, but on the water and mountains within reach
2) increasing choice between city (Ghent in Norfolk) and suburban living (Virginia Beach)
3) opera, symphony, museums, botanical garden
4) minor league baseball and hockey
5) my girlfriends there have been able to find great guys
6) generally warm -- there are 4 seasons, but with so much water around there's very little snow

Things to consider:
The military and tourism largely drive the area. Take that for what you will.
The "international" airport does not have tons of direct flights. My dad loves the airport because it is easy to get in and out of, and after 7 years fighting with LAX I agree with him on that point. But you will frequently be making connecting flights to get to where you want to go.

Even now, married with a kid, I'd go back in a heartbeat if we could find jobs there. It was a great place to grow up and I like the area very much.

[Bluedog]

I spent some time living in Fairfax in my early 20s and didn't really find much of a "scene" that a single 20-something would probably be into. When I lived downtown for those six weeks I found it. But having to get into DC from the burbs at night was just a hassle. To enjoy that scene as a 20-something, I'd want to be downtown (if I could afford it).

I'd rather be in a smaller town like Raleigh where I can more easily (cheaply) live closer to where all the singles are hanging out.

Fairfax and Arlington are completely different. I worked in Fairfax and lived in Arlington as a recent college grad. You're right, there is no "scene" in Fairfax, but there certainly is in Arlington as a LOT of young single 20-somethings have chosen to live along the orange line and commute to DC to save (some) on costs. Although apartments in that area have gone up in price a lot. In fact, Arlington was named the #2 city in the nation to live for the "rich and single."

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/moneymag/0906/gallery.bplive_richsingles.moneymag/2.html

I lived in Rosslyn, literally a block from the Key Bridge, so I could walk to Georgetown in about 10 minutes. Getting to the Mall or Dupont, took like 10-15 minutes on the metro...certainly not a hassle to get into DC as you stated above. So, yes, there is a wide variety of suburbs in DC...you certainly have to choose what fits your needs.

Having said that, it's really hard to give an honest assessment since we don't know your industry, your preference of region, if you want to be close to family, if you have friends in certain areas, etc.

But if it was me, I'd put DC #1, Philly #2, NYC #3, Charleston #4, New Orleans #5. Clearly, it's personal preference.

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

Why would you say it sucks in the burbs? I've lived in Arlington, VA and worked in DC for over 20 years now and love it. To each's own.

Sorry to get off topic, but I'm not sure I'd call Arlington County a suburb, along the Orange line it's pretty urban. Also, it used to be part of the District.

I'm partial to DC, but know that it can be expensive downtown.

[PSurprise]

I don't know your professional goals or situation, so I will leave that out of the mix for the time being.

Of all those cities, I personally would choose Charleston, SC. The city is fantastic, there are at least two universities in Charleston that I know about (CofC and Citadel). The weather is fantastic, you are close to the beach, and the city life is a nice mix between big city amenities and small city charm.

I have never heard anyone say anything negative about living in Charleston.

Ugh, summer in Charleston-hope you like feeling like wet noodle. And a few skeeters there as well. But I agree with you-a great place to live, especially if you like history!

[moonpie23]

Phoenix
NYC
Charleston, SC
New Orleans
Jacksonville, FL
Tampa
VA Beach / Norfolk
Washington, DC
St. Louis
South Pole
North Pole
Siberia
Outer Mongolia
Butte Montana
Philadelphia

[DukeUsul]

Fairfax and Arlington are completely different. I worked in Fairfax and lived in Arlington as a recent college grad. You're right, there is no "scene" in Fairfax, but there certainly is in Arlington as a LOT of young single 20-somethings have chosen to live along the orange line and commute to DC to save (some) on costs. Although apartments in that area have gone up in price a lot. In fact, Arlington was named the #2 city in the nation to live for the "rich and single."

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/moneymag/0906/gallery.bplive_richsingles.moneymag/2.html

I lived in Rosslyn, literally a block from the Key Bridge, so I could walk to Georgetown in about 10 minutes. Getting to the Mall or Dupont, took like 10-15 minutes on the metro...certainly not a hassle to get into DC as you stated above. So, yes, there is a wide variety of suburbs in DC...you certainly have to choose what fits your needs.

Having said that, it's really hard to give an honest assessment since we don't know your industry, your preference of region, if you want to be close to family, if you have friends in certain areas, etc.

But if it was me, I'd put DC #1, Philly #2, NYC #3, Charleston #4, New Orleans #5. Clearly, it's personal preference.

Fair enough. I could definitely see living in Arlington (Rosslyn, Clarendon) or in Old Town Alexandria being pretty cool.

[arydolphin]

I lived in Charleston for 7 years after I graduated from Duke in 2001. To the OP, you didn't give a ton of specifics about what you are looking for, but here's some info on Charleston for you. In terms of the social scene, it's not going to be as good as the bigger cities on your list (NYC, DC, Philly), but there's a good amount of young people. Also, the girl/guy ratio of people in their 20s is very favorable for guys in Charleston. The weather is great down there, especially if you can handle hot and humid for June-September, and you are close to the beach as well.

One thing that I can say is that outside of a few professions, the salaries in Charleston have not risen as much in the past few years to meet the increase in the cost of living there. I know that you said your salary will be based partly on where you choose to live, but take that into consideration. One other thing: there's not a huge Duke alumni base there as compared to some other cities on your list, if you're concerned about that. However, it's still a great place for someone in their 20s to live. Feel free to PM me for more information.

As for the other cities on your list: NYC is a no-brainer if you're looking for a social scene, I can't imagine anyone not being able to find people to hang out with there, but living there is a unique experience and not everyone likes it. My brother lives in New Orleans right now, and while there are some nice things about it, he thinks that the city is just too dysfunctional overall; he already knows that he's moving after he finishes his medical training there. Phoenix would give you great weather, as long as you could deal with the heat in the summer, but that area is so spread out when you add in Scottsdale to the mix. Plus, Phoenix/Scottsdale has been hit hard by the real estate crisis. I think that if you could tell us about some more details about what you're looking for, people may be able to narrow it down more. Best of luck!

[brevity]

St. Louis is ridiculously hot in the summer and ridiculously cold in the winter. This former Southerner thought he'd be getting away from humidity by coming to the Midwest, but was sorely mistaken. Months later, the winds from the Rockies build up a nice momentum through the flat plains of eastern Colorado and all of Kansas and Missouri, traveling that long distance with specific instructions to hit you in the face.

Good pro sports town, cheap light rail, low cost of living, okay riverfront nightlife. Forest Park is huge. Decent sampler of cultural events, but nothing unique. It's about a 4-5 hour drive to about 10 different cities, and a 2-3 hour flight to the rest of the country.

[weezie]

Ugh, summer in Charleston-hope you like feeling like wet noodle. And a few skeeters there as well. But I agree with you-a great place to live, especially if you like history!

If you think Charleston is humid, New Orleans will make you pass out with the heat.
Phoenix is wonderful, except for the lack of real water, water is recycled/reclaimed and of course, it's toasty all summer.
Sorry, but St Louis is the pits.
Tampa, at least, has spring baseball and a very happening social scene, big airport, too.
DC is pretty grim for meeting pretty girls, at least that's what my son says. Lots of self-important folks there but it's really more of a small city vibe.
VA Bch/Norfolk is a nice lifestyle, but a bit of a red-necked Riviera going with all the tourists in summer.
Lucky you to have a job and good options!
Best of luck!

[hurleyfor3]

I'd ask for new choices.

[Bluedog]

DC is pretty grim for meeting pretty girls, at least that's what my son says

Maybe...but I've been repeatedly told that of the young single professionals in DC, like 70% are female. Probably an exaggeration though...but I still think the ratio is in guy's favor in DC.

[Highlander]

Here is my take on your cities:

Charleston, SC - Small, old south feeling town. Lots of history here if that's your thing. Close to the beach as well. No idea about social life. Downers are that it's isolated geographically, and no professional sports. Plus SC isn't my favorite place to be personally.
Jacksonville, FL - Haven't spent much time here. I see it as a small Charlotte, NC. Decent things to do, but I imagine the single scene is weak. Reasonable cost of living.
New Orleans - Wow. Sin City. Plenty to do and lots of amenities. Crime I have heard is an issue. Cost of living should be reasonable.
NYC - Somewhere everyone should live for at least a few months. Plenty to do, but definitely not cheap. If you're trying to save $, not the place to go b/c it is pricey.
Philadelphia - Never been here.
Phoenix - Never been here.
St. Louis - Kinda sux IMO. Downtown is pretty dead at night, sports are OK. Mostly a communter city has been my experience. Cost of living is decent. Throaty could tell you more.
Tampa - I didn't like IBOR city all that much. If I were living in Florida I'd live in Jacksonville to be a little closer to the rest of the country travel-wise.
VA Beach / Norfolk - Never been here.
Washington, DC - Not a bad alternative to NY. Traffic is horrendous, and outside of DC the mass transit is not great. However, the weather is mild and there are lots of young professionals in the area. Cost of living is a bit higher than everywhere except NY, but do able. Two major airports, all the major professional sports, and a reasonable driving distance to most anywhere on the east coast. Would make sure you live somewhere you can rely on mass transit rather than driving, though, because it is nasty.


I'd probably choose Charleston, Jacksonville, or DC if those were my choices.

Good luck!

[CLT Devil]

Charleston, hands down. Great city with tons to do, and not just 'history' as many people here say. The hardest part is to get a good job, and you already have that part taken care of. There's a lot of energy in Charleston, especially when you go out. I have friends who live there and they are always having an oyster roast, cocktail cruise, to the beach, fishing, etc. There are a lot of young people and also college people which usually translates to residents being receptive to meeting new people.

I go down there once a year and always have fun. Good city.

[allenmurray]

Here is my take on your cities:

Charleston, SC - Small, old south feeling town. Lots of history here if that's your thing. Close to the beach as well. No idea about social life. Downers are that it's isolated geographically, and no professional sports. Plus SC isn't my favorite place to be personally.
Jacksonville, FL - Haven't spent much time here. I see it as a small Charlotte, NC. Decent things to do, but I imagine the single scene is weak. Reasonable cost of living.
New Orleans - Wow. Sin City. Plenty to do and lots of amenities. Crime I have heard is an issue. Cost of living should be reasonable.
NYC - Somewhere everyone should live for at least a few months. Plenty to do, but definitely not cheap. If you're trying to save $, not the place to go b/c it is pricey.
Philadelphia - Never been here.
Phoenix - Never been here.
St. Louis - Kinda sux IMO. Downtown is pretty dead at night, sports are OK. Mostly a communter city has been my experience. Cost of living is decent. Throaty could tell you more.
Tampa - I didn't like IBOR city all that much. If I were living in Florida I'd live in Jacksonville to be a little closer to the rest of the country travel-wise.
VA Beach / Norfolk - Never been here.
Washington, DC - Not a bad alternative to NY. Traffic is horrendous, and outside of DC the mass transit is not great. However, the weather is mild and there are lots of young professionals in the area. Cost of living is a bit higher than everywhere except NY, but do able. Two major airports, all the major professional sports, and a reasonable driving distance to most anywhere on the east coast. Would make sure you live somewhere you can rely on mass transit rather than driving, though, because it is nasty.


I'd probably choose Charleston, Jacksonville, or DC if those were my choices.

Good luck!

This comes from someone who grew up in Washington DC and who loves the city - you couldn't be more wrong about the weather. In the summer the humidity rivals that of NOLA - it is unbearable. The winters are fairly mild, but the city responds like a southern city as regards snow removal. YOu are correct regarding commuting - It is a great place to live IF you can live in town walking distance to a metro stop and not own a car.

[weezie]

I'd ask for new choices.

He already said that Siberia, aka, Chicago is on the list!

[Reisen]

Quite honestly, two important factors if I were you would be money and goals.

If money was high (which means probably investment banking / finance, management consulting, or big law?) I'd jump at NYC.

If the goal is to meet someone, you're going to find a lot of pretty girls in places like Phoenix, Tampa, and Charleston. Probably Jacksonville, too.

Personally, at 27, I'd leave most of those cities for another 5 years or so, or after I was married / ready to get married.

Having lived in DC for 7 years, I can say it has a lot going for it. If I had it to do all over again, was single, and could afford it, I would live in Georgetown, Bethesda, or Arlington (specifically, Clarendon). Clarendon, Georgetown, and Bethesda can compete with almost any city on the list for number of single, pretty girls. People who say you can't meet women in DC just aren't spending enough time in those places.

The orange line is pretty good, you have access to three (counting BWI) airports, and the city has great nightlife coupled with tons of sports leagues for young professionals (I played soccer downtown for years, and know a bunch of people who met their spouses playing sports like Kickball). Crime in the areas I listed is very, very low.

Phoenix can be great, especially if you're a golfer. It is, however, it's own little world, and very dependent on real estate. Lots of beautiful, sun-burned people there.

I live in NYC now, and it is a blast, but gosh, you just bleed money here. I'm ok with doing that for now, but may feel differently soon.

You couldn't pay me all the money in the world to live in Philly. I may eat those words someday, but I'm unimpressed.

I'd also look long and hard at how much the cost of living adjustment is. For my firm, it is 10% between lower manhattan, and Greensboro, NC. I could probably drive a Porsche in Greensboro, for 90% of what I make here.

[johnb]

One way to make the decision:

http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/144-single-guys-live-in-la-single-girls-in-nyc/

[Jim3k]

I can't add too much, though I favor Phoenix on the whole. Sure, it's hot in the summer, but the entire city is air-conditioned. Plus the warm evenings are nice. Three pro teams -- Diamondbacks, Cardinals and Suns. One major university in Tempe. Spring training all around the area. Easy run to Tucson or Flagstaff. The entire state is a marvel to explore. A major, major airport that's easy to use.

Drawback: Sheriff Joe Arpaio and some unusually weird conservatives.

But Tempe and Scottsdale. along with the north end of Phoenix is all good. It's a little past me now after 36 years of marriage, but it's my impression that the Arizona beauties I knew as a young man all had equally beautiful daughters. I suspect that may be of interest.

[throatybeard]

St. Louis is ridiculously hot in the summer and ridiculously cold in the winter.

This isn't true at all. Well, the summer part is. Winter is a virtual non-issue here. You get like a week or two of halfway serious cold each year. It's a completely candya$s winter. And I say that having grown up in Georgia.

Anybody who is actually interested in Saint Louis PM me so I don't have to read the rest of the thread extolling grotesquely hot summers, getting sunburned, wasting amazing amounts on energy and water trying to inhabit deserts, and spending all of one's time in automobiles.

[Welcome2DaSlopes]

This is easy,

There are two type of cities,

New York & everywhere else.

Choose accordingly.

[DukeUsul]

This is easy,

There are two type of cities,

New York & everywhere else.

Choose accordingly.

Yeah. Choose anywhere else. ;-)

[devildeac]

Phoenix
NYC
Charleston, SC
New Orleans
Jacksonville, FL
Tampa
VA Beach / Norfolk
Washington, DC
St. Louis
South Pole
North Pole
Siberia
Outer Mongolia
Butte Montana
Philadelphia

Looks like a list WC Fields might compile.:D

[lmb]

I don't have much to say about most of the places. Other than, I concur that traffic is horrible in D.C. Philly has some nice suburbs, but again, that makes for a horrendous commute into the city.

I don't understand why anyone would want to move to New Orleans. Maybe I'm ignorantly misdiagnosing, but I would imagine that the post-Katrina ghost town neighborhoods have left a huge dent in tax revenues. That means those who pay taxes will be burdened with the rebuilding expenses for many years to come.

I'm sure it has a lot of great features, but I would be concerned about the financial stability of the city and its' surrounding areas.

[Jim3k]

Looks like a list WC Fields might compile.:D
On the whole, I'd rather be in Butte, Montana. :D

[Indoor66]

On the whole, I'd rather be in Butte, Montana. :D

Rather than many of the places on the list? Butte would be beautiful.

[Jim3k]

Rather than many of the places on the list? Butte would be beautiful.

My point, exactly.

[Highlander]

This comes from someone who grew up in Washington DC and who loves the city - you couldn't be more wrong about the weather. In the summer the humidity rivals that of NOLA - it is unbearable. The winters are fairly mild, but the city responds like a southern city as regards snow removal. YOu are correct regarding commuting - It is a great place to live IF you can live in town walking distance to a metro stop and not own a car.

Maybe this year has been an aberration, but I've been here since April so I've been through the worst of Summer and Winter. This past summer it was typically about 5 degrees cooler than Charlotte and less humid. The winter has been one of the coldest I've ever experienced, and I spent one in NYC. They've already had 1 20+" snowstorm and are eyeing a second one this weekend. It's already snowed 4 times this year at a minimum. Mild would not be how I would describe it, but I'm a southerner with thin skin.

Again, I only have one year of reference, so take it for what it's worth.

[rthomas]

I really don't want to live where I have to take a line, blue, red, yellow, to get anywhere. I prefer walking or biking to work.

Charleston is where I plan to retire, with a boat - it's a requirement in Charleston. And somewhere I can golf all year long.

If you don't like moskeeters move to Morgantown, WV. We don't have mosquitoes or roaches.

[Rich]

It is a great place to live IF you can live in town walking distance to a metro stop and not own a car.

Then you need to KNOW someone who owns a car because the metro doesn't run into the wee hours so you have to find a way home when you stay out late. I always hated that about DC.

[blazindw]

Hey guys!

I'm a 2005 Duke grad in a unique position. I have three weeks to rank my preferences before I'm relocated to a new job. Unfortunately, I've hardly spent any time in these cities! :eek:

I'm a 27-year-old single guy, so I'd prefer a city with a social scene where I can meet someone. And in a tie, I tend to like warm weather, but I'm generally pretty open. The pay is scaled to each place's cost of living.

Here are my options:

Charleston, SC
Jacksonville, FL
New Orleans
NYC
Philadelphia
Phoenix
St. Louis
Tampa
VA Beach / Norfolk
Washington, DC

If you're familiar with some of these cities... what do I need to know? How do they compare? And which places would you rank highest (or lowest)?

Any help would be amazing. Thanks, DBR! :D

A lot of people have made their case about the above cities. Please feel free to PM me if you want to know anything and everything about DC. I currently live here and am very active in the Duke Club of Washington Young Alumni Committee. I can tell you everything you want to know about this fine city, where to live, where people hang out, etc.

[Chris4UNC]

I am only familiar with Philadelphia, D.C., and NYC. Of those NYC by far was/is my preference. My nephew, a Yale alum, lives in NYC and has lived there since taking his first job after graduation. NYC has so much to offer. Its a great place to live. One thing really stands out about D.C. in my mind. The traffic was hell! Yep, worse than NYC.

[Mike Corey]

Where Donald Wine is, is where you want to be.

But if that's unpersuasive enough, as a fellow '05er, I'd suggest that Columbus, Ohio may be an attractive choice to add to your list, if for no other reason than that I'd like to double the number of Duke'05 alums here from me to two.

~

In all seriousness, I'd suggest a city with low costs and high returns in the aspects of life important or intriguing to you. Wherever you go, you'll meet people; wherever you go, you'll make the most of it. Which place hosts the most things you'd like to make the most of?

Arts, sports, culture, activities, weather, access, governance, taxes, schools, number of friends, etc., etc. So much can go into this decision. I hope whatever you choose it makes you exceedingly happy.

[HateCarolina]

Having never lived in NYC I would jump at the opportunity to move/work there. You really have a large cross section of choices, but please take my advice and avoid DC and VA Beach/Norfolk. I grew up in Richmond and spent a lot of time in both cities and I have personally turned down an opportunity in Norfolk. DC has traffic rivaling Atlanta and is just as hot and humid as Charleston without any ocean breezes.

Charleston is an unbelievably pretty city (really more of a town) and there are tons of beautiful southern belles if that's your main interest.

You also mentioned Phoenix and depending on your circumstances you could buy a home on the cheap out there right now.

Hope this helps.

[Tom B.]

Charleston is an unbelievably pretty city (really more of a town) and there are tons of beautiful southern belles if that's your main interest.




I grew up in Charleston, and I'd say this is a fair description. It seems to be on the cusp, though, of making the jump from "small southern city" to something a bit bigger and more cosmopolitan -- it's just a matter of summoning the collective will to decide that it wants to be something more than primarily a tourist/golf/beach destination and port. It's still not a terribly diverse place -- the majority of people in the Charleston area probably grew up there, and most of those who didn't probably aren't from more than 1 or 2 states away. For a while, the presence of the Charleston Navy Base ensured a stream of transplants to the area, many of whom ended up settling there, but the base was closed in the mid-1990s. Historically, a prevailing attitude among much of the Charleston population was, "We like things just the way they are, thank you very much," which gave the city sort of an insular and self-absorbed vibe. There's an old Charleston joke that goes like this:

Q: How many Charlestonians does it take to change a light bulb?

A: Three. One to change the bulb, and two to comment on how nice the old bulb was.

That element still exists, though my sense is that it's less dominating than it used to be, for a few reasons.

First, the area has become younger over the last 15 years or so, as it's become an increasingly popular destination for people right out of college or grad school, thanks to its warm weather, proximity to the ocean and recreational opportunities (at least if you like doing things on or around the water). There are three universities in the area -- the College of Charleston, the Citadel and Charleston Southern University. The C-of-C is the largest -- it was a sleepy little municipal college with less than 1,000 students until it became a state university in the 1970s. It has grown exponentially since then and now has about 10,000 undergrads and another 1,500 or so graduate and professional students. There's also a major medical school campus in downtown Charleston, the Medical University of South Carolina. It's not uncommon for people who come to the area for school to end up staying there once they graduate.

Second, there's been a renewed effort to attract and grow new businesses in the Charleston area. Last year, for instance, Boeing announced a major expansion to its facility near the Charleston airport. Previously, the facility made components for the new 787 Dreamliner -- after the exapnsion, it will be one of two assembly facilities in the world for the entire aircraft.

Because it's a tourist destination, Charleston has great restaurant options for a city its size -- especially if you like seafood. The entertainment and cultural options are OK -- the North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center draws some decent concerts and shows, and the Spoleto Festival that takes place in late May/early June every year brings an assortment of performing and visual arts shows and exhibits to the area. There's minor league baseball (the team plays in a beautiful park built in the mid-1990s that overlooks the river) and hockey. The options aren't as widespread or diverse as what you'd find in a large city like New York, DC or even Atlanta, but they're not bad, either (again, especially for a city its size).

You'll generally have warm weather from March through October. The summer is hot and humid -- July and August can get uncomfortable if you're outdoors, unless you're on the water. Temperatures in the winter can dip below freezing, but usually not too far or for too long. Snow is rare (though the area just got 3-4 inches last week).

The City of Charleston has a pretty stable government -- the current mayor, Joe Riley, has been at the helm for over 30 years and is well-regarded. The majority of the metro area population, though, lives outside the City of Charleston. The tri-county area (Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties) has an estimated population in the neighborhood of 650,000 people, with only about 20-25% living in the city itself. Its sister city, North Charleston, is almost as large as Charleston, and there are several other suburban municipalities like Mount Pleasant, Goose Creek and Summerville in the area. Towns like Goose Creek and Summerville used to be more separated from the core Charleston/North Charleston area, but they've grown together into a more unitary and cohesive metro area over time.

Politically, the area leans conservative, but I don't think it's as far right as much of the rest of the state. While Charleston's politics and government are reasonably stable, state-level politics can be a different matter. As can be seen from the past year or so, South Carolina has more than its fair share of screwed-up politics and politicians who provide a steady source of material for late-night comedians.

Cost of living in Charleston is pretty reasonable, though real estate prices went up significantly from the mid-1990s until the housing bubble burst. The sense I get is that housing prices in Charleston dropped but didn't completely crash (like Florida, Nevada, Arizona, etc.), and have kind of hovered since then. The state currently has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country -- something like 12-13%, I think. I'm not sure how bad it is in the Charleston area specifically. But hey, if you've already got a job lined up, that's one less thing for you to worry about.


Anyway, that's what I've got off the top of my head. Will post more if I think of anything.

[MIKESJ73]

One thing not mentioned about Charleston is the education system. I live in Charleston and love it, but the public schools are really bad. We pay approximately 12K a year for elementary school tuition and thats about the average. It's one thing to consider if you are looking to make Charleston your home and start a family here, because once you move down it's hard too leave.

[tecumseh]

I am not a corporate guy but from what I have learned, pick the city where the corporate headquarters are if you are an ambitious person. You can have a great time or a horrible time in any city.

[HateCarolina]

I am not a corporate guy but from what I have learned, pick the city where the corporate headquarters are if you are an ambitious person. You can have a great time or a horrible time in any city.

This is an important consideration, but can also work as a double edged sword. Its probably better for smaller companies, but with large corporations I would say that it could make everything a little tougher.

[lmb]

The state currently has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country -- something like 12-13%, I think.


I was surprised by this statement. In your personal opinion, what are the reasons for this? Just curious.