The down and dirty about Charlotte
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5/2/2007
Having moved here two years ago from the Midwest and having lived all over the country I think I can add an honest assessment of Charlotte.
To the person who talked about racial issues. As a white male, I can state that Charlotte is THE most race neutral city I've ever lived in. If someone has preconceived ideas about "those people" be they white, black, asian or hispanic, they will be suprised in Charlotte and if they bring their prejudice, they won't fit in. People here are not judged by the color of their skin but the strength of their character.
Like every major city, crime is an issue. It is bad here and the numbers show it. A little caution is in order and if you live on the edge you are going to get burned.
Traffic is horrendous. They have a miserable interstate system that is overwhelmed and rush hour is perilous at best and I've learned to monitor the traffic reports closely and have at least two alternate routes to anywhere.
To the person who asked about the schools: The Charlotte Schools are not the best. They do the best they can and for a large city they are above average but they don't have enough schools and the population is always way ahead of their budget. The high schools are larger than small cities and some schools have more trouble than others. The best decision my family made was to beat feet south across the state line to Fort Mill SC where the schools are some of the best I've ever seen. It's a fair trade for the commute into the city. (45 minutes to 1 hour)
Climate: Excellent climate, four seasons but never extreme.
Cost of living is higher than you would expect for the region but property values on both sides of the state line are excellent. SC has less tax burden the NC but it costs a little more to live there.
Employment: If you aren't working you aren't trying.
Glenn | Fort Mill, SC