I am OUTA here!
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3/4/2017
I've lived in this town for 26 years. Loved it when I came, but can't wait to get out. Charlotte is like a big shiny apple...which is rotting inside. Cheap housing, yes. Pretty, yes. Beware, though, of where you buy your home, because Charlotte city planners have a very funny way of slipping in low income housing into middle income areas, and sad as it is, end up having the value of your home plummet. What this town also doesn't advertise is the absolutely horrid school system, crime that is spiraling out of control (check the crime rates on this site; not very pretty!) Gang activity (yup, one of the gangs was featured on "Gangland" on the History Channel), heroin and drugs rampant (yes, it's in the high schools as an epidemic AS reported by our own news team, and it is due to the fact that Charlotte is a great "midway town" for drugs being run from Atlanta to Washington DC)) horrendous traffic with beat up roads that are always under construction, massive construction everywhere with random road closings during rush hour, crappy sports teams. The city would rather build another stadium then invest in some type of cultural activity. But why bother? This city doesn't embrace diversity, although they advertise "cultural diversity" in the "new South". Looking to relocate? If your male, single and young, this is the place for you. If the same but female, move somewhere else, because this town has an overabundance of young females, many looking for potential mates. And the selection pool is not that great. If you have a family with school age children, good luck!!! Unless you have the money to pay for private school who's tuition rivals college, OR, you make great money and can live in a very specific part of town (South Charlotte) you'll end up tearing your hair out trying to get a half decent education for you child. And chances are, they'll get bussed to a school miles away from your home, although there is a school right down the street. No neighborhood schools here!! Buy a home based on school assignments? Jokes on you, because they change the boundaries ALL the time, so your child may end up switching schools several times in his school career. If you would like to find some place to take your child to expose them to a bit of culture, or a museum, good luck there too. The Discovery Place has the EXACT same displays today as they had 26 years ago. Really sad that the city won't invest in places that would actually supplement your child's education. The Nature Museum is an absolute JOKE; again, not updated in 26 years. If you like to eat, drink, and shop, this is also a great place for you, because that is about ALL there is to do. But be very particular about where you shop; some malls have turned into great "hangouts" for people, so they've had to institute curfews to reduce the overabundance of kids just "hanging out" at the mall. Try to ignore the fact that there have been shootings at the mall, involving gang members. The air quality is bad (google it...it's in top ten cities for the worst air smog in the country) the Catawba River is one of the most polluted in the country, (google that one as well, especially since it effects the drinking water) the lakes are polluted as well (coal ash, nuclear energy waste, sewage....). The most recent development is an unusually high amount of rare eye cancers in the area, as well as a staggering increase in thyroid cancer. These are FACTS.
Something is wrong around here. So, if you're considering moving here, please do yourself a favor. Do research. A LOT of research. As the news reported after the LAST riot here, "Charlotte is not the Oz it is cracked up to be." And I'm SURE someone will reply to this and say "Then MOVE!!!" So I will reply beforehand with this "As Soon As I Can, I'm the heck outa here!!!"
MMM | Greeneville, TN