Fabulous - 4/23/2023

Charleston is beautiful and unique and incredibly special. If you don't believe me, just ask Anthony Bourdain in his Parts Unknown episode - and he was an insightful critic of everyplace. First of all, it is home to possibly the most significant historic district in the entire country. And it has the regulations to ensure it survives. Extraordinary. People complain about the traffic, but that's a joke if you have come here from any metropolitan area in the country. It is physically beautiful, has extraordinary cuisine, a gorgeous coastline and really nice people who live here. Yes, it is buggy and hot and humid in summer, and leans conservative, but anyone who spends 5 minutes researching it can know that before arriving.

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Frightening rate of medical malpractice. - 7/21/2021

Serious lack of health care and "good old boys club" whereby doctors will not even see the patient but diagnose them based on referring doctor. My sister died there for lack of proper diagnosis and being refused from at least three specialists because they based their diagnosis from the first doctor she saw who referred her for second opinion. How I wish she got on a plane to NY or FL or even GA. It's like a 3rd world country when it comes to healthcare and education and females are treated as they were in the early 1900's. Her doctor laughed at her and told her she was being hyper paranoid. For real, this is a frightening place if you are ill.

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Paradise lost! - 7/29/2020

Boy, has this once beautiful town changed...for the worse! I initially moved here 20 years ago because the people were so nice, no traffic, great choice of hospitals, excellent restaurants, a terrific university, post graduate schools including a medical, dental, pharmacy and law school, beautiful beaches....everything you would want in a town! Forget it now! At one time, you could drive from one beach to another beach (Isle of palms, Sullivans, Folly, Kiawah and Seabrook) in less than 1/2 hour...now it takes more than an hour! And there was never any traffic! It was pure paradise. You could drive downtown Charleston for a casual stroll down the harbor or get a bite on King Street...no more! Traffic and parking is a nightmare! Thank you investors, builders, developers and our town council for destroying the last paradise on earth just for more money in your pockets! I hope you can sleep at night because I can't! I am disgusted at what you turned this town into....you should all be ashamed of yourselves!

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If I Could Give It "ZERO" Stars, I Would - 10/8/2019

For what it's worth, if I could give this place ZERO stars, I would!!!!!!!! I cannot understand why or how the people at the top/the bigwigs/those with money + power, could allow what once used to be such a nice, friendly, quaint, charming + hospitable city give in to over-development, which results in over-crowdedness, which results in angry and frustrated drivers + residents because now, we have more people, apartments, condos, houses, and hotels than we do proper roads + infrastructure, and that is NOT okay!!!!! When I say Charleston, I'm referring also to the surrounding areas of downtown historic Charleston too (i.e. West Ashley, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Summerville, Goose Creek, etc.). It is just a massive over-development here now with very poor/outdated infrastructure, resulting in road rage, angry drivers, and lots of speeders + people blowing red lights because they can't get to work on time, even if they do leave early. It's gotten to the point where there is heavy traffic/congestion on the roads at ALL times of the day, regardless, and it is causing major gridlock and disgruntled drivers who do dangerous things, without the thought of other drivers around them. To add to the major problems that come with over-development, we have jobs that still don't pay livable wages, but yet, the cost of living is sky high!! How does that equal out? This place has become a laughable joke to live and everything that the media likes to promote like Charleston being the #1 Travel Destination we all know is a bunch of overhyped b/s because someone has ties with someone who works with the media and they only promote the few parts of downtown historic Charleston that make it "look" attractive to those who don't know the area at all. What they don't show you is all of the high-rise condos that are being built around the downtown area (money, money, money), and the cramped roads that can't hardly hold any more traffic (the roads are outdated and are falling apart), and the cranes that hang over almost every single road because the construction is ongoing, with truly NOWHERE left to build (but the city + those with money will find a way!). Believe me..... you are not being shown the full picture of the reality of what has become a very ugly, over-crowded, and unattractive area to live with massive amounts of transplants flocking here daily and taking over with their unfriendliness (not a southern trait), lots of money (greedy), and entitled attitudes because they're "better than you" (Pu-leeze!). If you want to save yourself from major unhappiness, then please look elsewhere!! Charleston is not the friendly, hospitable city that it used to be. That all changed in 2007 when Boeing took over the area, followed by Volvo, Mercedes, BMW, Google, Amazon, etc. Stay away!!!!!!!!!!!

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Beautiful but Expensive - 7/1/2019

I've lived in and around Charleston my entire life. There are some pros and cons to living here. It is truly beautiful with plenty to see, do, and eat. However, these days cost of living has skyrocketed especially in the housing sector. It's become very expensive to live here and many locals are forced to leave the area to find affordable housing since there has been very little to no cost of living salary increases. Infrastructure is poorly planned making commutes to work, and sometimes just getting somewhere on a Saturday afternoon, long and slow going. I would have given 2 stars instead of 3 but can't deny that if you've got the money it's a lovely place to live but if you're lower middle class you will surely find it a struggle to eek out an existence in this ever more expensive town.

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Charleston is a great city with drawbacks - 4/15/2019

I lived in Charleston for 7 years before moving on to Denver CO. I have also decided that Denver is not for me, but that's another story. Charleston is a great place. The history and museums are wonderful. The beaches and greenery are beautiful - something I didn't think I would miss living out west. What I wouldn't give for a good ol' summer thunderstorm out here. There are a few things that I didn't find desirable about Charleston: 1. The cost of living. Cost of living really shot up over the 7 years that I lived there. COL in Charleston is actually right on par with Denver with Denver slightly more expensive. That's crazy to think about given the population and size differences between the two cities. Another thing to keep in mind is that Denver has a higher minimum wage and wages overall with a job market better than the national average 2. The population growth. The city wasn't meant to support the population levels being pushed on it. Geographically, Charleston is experiencing something similar to what San Francisco experienced. There's simply no where for the city to expand to. Infrastructure is not supported by high enough taxes (or they're mismanaged) and so the infrastructure is over capacity and is crumbling. Two bridges collapsed in the time that I lived there. Two lanes on an interstate aren't going to cut it. I have friends living there that commute from Summerville to West Ashley and it takes them 1.5 hours one way. 20 miles. At that point you're talking about Los Angeles driving conditions. 3. Humidity. Yuck. I had really bad eczema breakouts from the humidity and tree pollen. I still have minor ones in Denver from the dry winters but my skin was constantly wet and raw in the humidity. It was sweltering and hard to spend time outside in. I can say it was pleasant in spring and fall but the summers were rough. Dry heat out west is pretty brutal in its own way. Although I like dry over the humid, I think the best would be similar to SoCal weather in April. 77 with sunny weather, low humidity, and a refreshing breeze. If there's a place like that year round y'all let me know. 4. The bugs. Omg the bugs. I hate so many things about living at high altitudes in Denver but my favorite thing is that cockroaches and mosquitos can't tolerate it so we're free of them for the most part in summer. I've seen 1 cockroach since living in CO. 5. The politics and the culture. You will go back in time for sure on this one. There is a lot of ignorance in the south overall. I find conservatives in the south to be extremely intolerable in comparison to conservative midwesterners. The conservative midwesterners tend to be much more tolerant and less racist than what you will find down in the old south. It was a breath of fresh air to come out to Denver and the midwest. It tends to be more left out here but Colorado is a swing state and you find that the people overall tend to be more centrist and less tribal 6. Lack of opportunity overall. This is the main reason that I left. I got laid off and couldn't afford to live in Charleston anymore. Unless you work in a few niche industries, then there aren't many job opportunities in Charleston, SC, or the southeast overall. If you're tolerating the other conditions in Charleston okay (traffic, weather, population) and you're thinking of leaving then I say definitely look at bigger cities in other places where there are better job opportunities. If you don't have to care so much about work/are retired/etc and don't have to commute in, then living there is great. If money is no object, Sullivan's Island is a great place to call home. Unfortunately, that's not the case for the majority of the population there.

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Charleston: Pro’s, Cons and Why We Moved On - 1/3/2019

If you’re considering relocating to an east coast city with an historic appeal, walkable downtown and great restaurants, Charleston should absolutely be on your short list. While it took us four spreadsheets, months of research and weeks of travel to find our perfect place (hint: it wasn’t Charleston), this is a city that is well worth your time. Starting with the positives, Charleston does not have such oppressive summers as some of the southernmost cities- ie, New Orleans and Florida. Unlike other towns with a walkable, historic downtown, our experience (make sure to do your own research!) was that urban Charleston was significantly less affected by violent crime than, say, Savannah. The employment options are also somewhat better. Price wise, the trendy historic homes are affordable if you are bringing equity from a major metropolitan area- case in point DC, NYC, LA. Although we had both lived in these areas, we were looking for 2,000 s/f or more in an historic home (not a condo) for less than $500k and ideally less than $400k. You would need to double and likely triple those numbers to find what we would have wanted in Charleston. If you’re prepared to live in suburbia, however, those numbers will be far less- but with all the traffic, that wasn’t for us. Much like Old Town Alexandria and Annapolis MD, Charleston SC is now a waterfront city filled with higher end boutiques and services. Gone are so many of the whimsical artistic shops and cafes that used to define downtown. You will find galleries, high end antique shops, restaurants... and you will pay the corresponding prices. Ultimately, we were searching for a fun and funky downtown but we wanted great locally owned restaurants cafes and shops that were affordable. Walkability was a big priority for us, and we have lived in Wilmington NC for almost a year now. Carolina Heights, Carolina Place, The 4th St Corridor are areas in our city with stunning historic homes that have been featured in many films and series. The artistic flair of Wilmington, the diversity of the people who live here... those were big draws. A port city, we are 20 minutes to the beach and our airport has direct flights to NYC, where one of us is based out of. Bottom line: If you are looking for a more refined historic city and less of a hippie /small business /artsy vibe, Charleston is a good option. The traffic may be frustrating, but there is enough entertainment that you will not be bored. If budget is a consideration and you have a preference for the more eclectic, diverse neighborhoods, Wilmington NC is where it’s at!

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Just Say NO!!!!! - 12/4/2018

First of all, there is NO MORE SPACE HERE!!!!!!! Unless you want to deal with constant 24/7 gridlock traffic, especially when there’s an accident or it’s raining, then Charleston is just not the place!!When I say Charleston, I’m talking all the surrounding areas as well (i.e. North Charleston, Mount Pleasant (which is not so pleasant by the way, West Ashley, Johns Island, James Island, Daniel Island (lots of snooty, stuck up and wealthy babies!), Summerville, Goose Creek, etc), as these are ALL Charleston. They are part of what is better known as “The Lowcountry.”Statistically, over 50 families move to Charleston a day (where the hell are they living?!), the infrastructure is already 20 years too late (you can thank the good ole boy system for that!), there is not much to do when it comes to truly fun exciting things regularly (unless you consider that drinking, partying and overpriced movies), the job market salaries are way below average (unless you happen to be a doctor), and the quality of life is only good if you’re here with a purpose (i.e. raise a family). Charleston truly sucks if you’re single, active, and into the outdoors (unless you consider being active boating, jet skiing, fishing, swimming at the beach, etc).Having been voted now as the

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Sheilah - 9/6/2018

Have lived in this city on and off since 1984. The historic beauty kept intact by the BAR (Board of Architectural Review) coupled with some modest modernization continue to endear any and all who visit and live here. Located in the low country of South Carolina, the weather tends to be wonderful most of the year. With, the exception of some summer days of oppressive heat (which is easy to escape from by all the water fountains and beaches within minutes of wherever you may be) LOVE IT!

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Not anymore - 4/19/2018

I think Charleston used to be a wonderful place; 30 years ago. Now; not so much. I moved here from the West Coast, and everyone Told me that it would be like going back 100 years. I didn’t believe them, I thought “come on man it’s the 21st-century”! Well, this is a good old boys town, and there is still certainly tension racially, as well as women having no place in business. I am a musician, and for the first time in my life, I cannot get booked. Everywhere you go, there are men bands, men solo acts, but a small fraction of women performers. The traffic is horrendous, but no one will do anything about the infrastructure. The developers are hand in hand with the City, as they get the large 500 unit condo projects, and massive housing developments approved with no problems, even with large community disapproval. I am so disappointed in this city.

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NO southern hospitality - 11/14/2017

Okay, i so rarely leave reviews but I moved to the Charleston area based on positive reviews so here's my take: As much as they claim southern hospitality, this place is the most toxic and hateful place I've ever lived (and this is coming from Memphis, TN). The residents here are divided into two groups, native and non-native and that differentiation is of utmost importance. if you choose to move here, you're not wanted and you're reminded daily of this. They do give SOME allowance for military who are forced to live here but they're still treated poorly. You will not be able to leave the house without being flipped off for walking or driving or breathing, whether native or not and fights often break out at the grocery store/park/etc. Traffic is horrendous. I work from home and moved here because I want to adopt soon and wanted a safer place to raise a child. I've unfortunately delayed that until i can move again because I can't imagine raising a child in such a toxic city. Real Estate is overpriced, imo and service companies are severely lacking. Charleston is marked as being one the most ideal places to live in the country but i would argue that while it's beautiful, you have to be prepared for atrocious traffic and the most inhospitable residents I can even imagine. Steer clear if you have a choice!

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cool town from what I saw - 1/30/2017

I was in town for a weekend and stayed in the downtown historic district. Ate several bowls of She Crab soup, took the horse drawn tour, stayed on Queen street. It was raining the whole time but it was a cool town with a lot of old historical buildings.

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housing - 1/30/2016

housing & jobs

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best place to live if you have loads of money - 12/23/2015

Charleston is the worst place I've lived at so far. You have to own a car to live here as the public transportation system is pratically useless and non existent in most areas. Its extremely hard to find a job. If you're not from here the people who are, will make you feel like you don't belong. The people are stuck up, rich, and lots of trust fund babies. This area is not meant for someone who doesn't have loads of money. Yea sure this place is beautiful. But there's only so much you can do before you get tired of looking at the battery. Or walking downtown. Or going to the beaches that are over rated. Traffic is horrible 90 percent of the time. There is always an accident. There really isn't anything to do around here unless you have money. If you have money than yea go to the bars, go shopping, you can afford to do fun things. Even the museam cost money and even then they're not number one on my list to go and visit on my day off. If youre gay, dont come here. Its anti LGBT. The gay bars here are just hole in the walls. The main gay bar here is owned by a coke head. Everyone who works there does drugs. Seriously place sucks. I can't wait to leave this hell hole

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maybe moving to charleston sc - 8/20/2015

thinking about moving to sc

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Finding My Happy - 3/22/2015

Hello All!!! My name is Tina and I am from Washington, D.C. I've lived here for all of my life...well between D.C. and MD. I will always be a D.C. girl, but it is very expensive up here and I feel as though it is time for a change. I decided on Charleston, because it is the only real city like place I've seen down south. It reminds me of MD. I appears that Charleston is on the rise as well. As far as the rudeness everyone is speaking about I noticed it and it is really shocking to me. Nevertheless, the numbers do not look bad and if I can make things happen in D.C., I can do it anywhere. Besides I travelled down south back and forth for decades during the summers and every fall. I'm just going to give it a try. There is nothing to it, but to do it!

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Hmmmm. Number one destination in the country??? - 3/11/2015

Let's see...the worst drivers in the country...number one in domestic abuse...the worst school system...corrupt government...high poverty rate...low wages...and the rudest people on earth. So much for southern hospitality. You almost have to apologize if you're from the north. You have to bend over backwards to prove that you don't feel like you're better than the natives to dispel their pre-formed opinions. The infrastructure is terrible and the roads are awful even though you pay a property tax on your vehicle. Gas is cheap, but not for long cause the dear governor wants to charge a gas tax. No vehicle inspections so cars broke down everywhere. Accidents everywhere and 4 of 5 drivers are talking and texting. Not to mention the drivers who pull out in front of you regularly and turn left on a 6 lane main thoroughfare. Oh yes, and I almost forgot to mention all this culture. How many times can you see the same historical attractions. Architecture?...please. Beaches....please. Now they want to prohibit parking. How else do you get there?! Downtown nightlife consists of loud rowdy packed bars packed with 20 somethings. Where are the nice jazz lounges for the adults who appreciate live quality entertainment. Welcome to the number one destination for the rich and priveledged.

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Very expensive to live here - 8/28/2014

We have lived in Charleston for three and a half years and we are looking to move. The cost of living is VERY expensive. Food and housing are expensive. Sales tax is high. The unemployment rate is high. The majority of people home school their kids because the schools are not good. Traffic is crazy; they won’t build bridges because of the naval base. People in general are incompetent and rude. There is a lack of infrastructure. There is a pathetic pubic transit system that is pretty much useless because no civil engineers were consulted in the building of the city. Everything is spread out so you would need to own a car here. There are no sidewalks. There is a serious lack of ethics that goes beyond rudeness. 90% of the people who live here are not from here. The weather can’t be beat and the beaches are gorgeous. Think twice before you move here the population has a NEGATIVE 7% growth rate.

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Charleston: Best City in the World - 6/2/2013

Charleston is a very beautiful city on the Atlantic coast in South Carolina. We are mild in the winter (though we can have very cold days)and hot and humid in the summer. Charleston is over 300 years old and consequently has a lot of history. We were a colonial city until the American Revolution and still have some buildings that go back to colonial days. We also basically started the Civil War and we have Fort Sumter (the flash point of the war) right in our harbor. We are a city that appreciates and values art and music and every year we have the Spoleto Festival for the last 17 or so days at the end of May/beginning of June. We have theatre companies, ballet, more artists than you can shake a stick at. We also have the oldest municipal college in America, the first museum in America and the first submarine to sink an enemy ship.

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Charleston, South Carolina - 2/20/2012

Charleston, South Carolina is a beautiful city that has a lot to offer people who reside or visit here. I’m from Charleston, as I was born on the old Charleston Naval Base. I’ve seen this city grow tremendously from the 1970’s to the present. Familiar landmarks have been replaced by newer ones, and the infrastructure has been revamped, or new infrastructure built. I’ve read the many comments that people have posted here about Charleston. There were some extreme negative things mentioned, but please don’t allow such posts scare you away from visiting or relocating here. You have to realize that people provide their input based on their own experiences in any place that they visit. I assure you that Charleston is like any other American city but, with their own character and niche. It is true that the education here in South Carolina is not up to standard with the rest of the country, but there are numerous private and charter schools that children can attend. My old alma mater is the College of Charleston, which has a very challenging curriculum. In fact, students use to transfer to Ivey League schools from CofC because of the high educational value that this University offers. CofC is only one of many colleges and Universities here in Charleston. It is very hot and humid here, but what would you expect? Charleston has a sub-tropical climate. Charleston is also a literal swamp that is composed of many inlet waterways and islands. You also have gnats, mosquitoes, and roaches which flourish in this area because of the swamps and moisture that exists here. Charleston is made up of filled in land because of the vast amounts of wetlands that make up this city. That’s why we are referred to as, “The Lowcountry”. We are at or below sea level here on the coast. A lot of our infrastructure is elevated, because of Charleston’s low lying geographical areas. Remember….you are in a swamp here in Charleston. Contrary to what some people think, Charleston is not a backward city by any means. Charleston boasts about its many firsts here in this country. Here are some examples of this city‘s many firsts: Museum, public library, municipal college (College of Charleston), theatre (Dock Street Theatre), city transit system (Best Friend of Charleston), modern apartment complex (Ansonborough Homes), and one of America’s oldest newspapers, “The Post and Courier” (originally….The News and Courier), and let’s not forget about this country’s first preservation society being established here. Charleston guided other American cities to assist them in their attempts to preserved their historic landmarks. South Carolina Electric and Gas, or just simply SCE&G, was the first utility in America to utilize computers and fiber optic technology. There are many other firsts here, but those listed are the primary ones to mention. I will admit that our infrastructure is lagging behind. You have to realize that Charleston has been stagnant in its growth since the end of the colonial era, so the need to expand the road systems here have been very slow. It wasn’t until the 1980’s that Charleston starting to boom with its growth. It has been difficult for the planners to keep up with this growth, as they try and anticipate the direction, and the amount of growth expected. Charleston is in a major need of a second interstate system because I 26 is the only major interstate that is a main artery for people to enter and leave the city, though several smaller outlets do exist. We do have I 526, but that’s a beltway system. I was here during Hurricane Hugo in 1989, and the governor at that time reversed all lanes of I 26 to allow people to evacuate. Today, Charleston has nearly 4 times the population that it had 23 years ago. It is true that the cost of living here is very high, and the wage earnings are extremely low. If you are searching for a more affordable, smaller, or rural place to reside, you may want to consider Goose Creek, Moncks Corner, or Summerville. There are many other cities and townships that make up Charleston, but the ones mentioned are just a few of the main locales that you could look into. South Carolina and particularly Charleston, take pride in its history. There is a South Carolina history text in the public school system, at least there was when I was in school. This is true because there is so much history in this state. People always talk about the Civil War when it comes to Charleston. In reality, Charleston’s role in the American Revolutionary War was greater than its role in the Civil War. Yes….the first shots of the Civil War were fired here, but most of the battles were fought away from South Carolina. During the American Revolutionary War, there were more battles fought in the state of S.C. than in any of the states of the original 13 colonies. Charleston was also the site of the first decisive victory in the American Revolutionary War at Fort Sullivan (later….Ft. Moultrie), which was commanded by William Moultrie. This fort was built out of palmetto logs which absorbed cannon fire or caused them to bounce off of the fort’s walls. This gave South Carolina its nickname, “The Palmetto State”. Visit Charleston if you get the chance. As a Charlestonian myself, I welcome anyone and everyone to visit or relocate here. I like the fact that so many people from elsewhere in the country, have chosen Charleston to be their new home. There are bad places as well as good places here. Charleston is no exception from any other American cities, in that respect. The good places well outnumber those areas that aren’t so good to settle in. Please research the history on Charleston, so that you will have a better perspective on this place. Thank you.

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