Thinking of moving from NYC to Columbia, SC. Change my mind.

[Yavin4]

It's cheaper. I would live in the University of South Carolina area. Apartments are dirt cheap comparably. It's walkable. I don't see any down side so far.

[Ocelot II]

1. I can think of one downside: Lindsey Graham.

But if you moved there you'd be able to vote against him. Another is hot, humid weather, but that's just me - I don't think I could live south of the Iowa-Minnesota border.

[Yavin4]

7. Democrats need to move to states like SC

and vote out Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott.

[Ocelot II]

10. You couldn't pay me enough to leave Minnesota.

I had an offer to transfer to Atlanta for work and turned it down without a second thought. I like living in a state where women's reproductive rights are protected, school libraries aren't censored, it's OK to say gay, and trans people can use bathrooms like everybody else. It's not perfect but it's pretty civilized. It's cold and taxes are high but it's easy to avoid right-wing lunatics and Bible-bangers.

[Yavin4]

16. The only way to get rid of right wing lunatics is to out-populate them. n/t

[dflprincess]

2. Lindsey Graham

And Tim Scott.

[Danmel]

3. I have family there

I'm also from NYC. Be prepared for culture shock. Real Bible belt stuff. And humidity.

[fargone]

4. TFG shows up at a local football game

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. It gets a nice rating in the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index.

https://www.hrc.org/resources/municipalities/columbia-sc

Full disclosure: I've never been there.

[we can do it]

6. Healthcare -

[yardwork]

9. Healthcare in Columbia, SC is decent.

There's a medical center at the university. There's a big academic health center, MUSC, on the coast in Charleston, too. Plenty of specialty care and decent primary care in the cities.

[yardwork]

8. I know a little about that area, though I've never lived there.

Some things to consider.

Have you ever lived in the south, or do you have family or close friends anywhere in the south? If not, you may experience culture shock. South Carolina, like much of the south, tends to see things, literally, as Black and white. While this will be mitigated somewhat by proximity to the university, you might be surprised how little other ethnicities and cultures are considered, especially compared to NYC. This extends itself to the choice of food in restaurants, everything. You might miss all the varied cultural offerings, the museums, wide array of foods, different languages heard on the street.

In terms of the weather, yes, the summers there are hot and humid, but winters are mild. It's easy to get to the beach. Mountains aren't too far away.

Cost of living is definitely lower than NYC.

[Mr.Bill]

14. As Redd Foxx once said,

"I wouldn't go to the south to get my mother out of the hospital."

Just a joke, I know we have many fine DU members in the south. Keep up the fight.

[hlthe2b]

11. Healthcare and politics-related brain drain...

There is going to be a (continuing) dramatic loss of healthcare professionals, specialists, and workers from throughout the South. Health Care shortages are occurring elsewhere, of course, but the South with its anti-science anti-public health attitudes/policies and draconian abortion policies that seek to punish doctors on the flimsiest of evidence, is driving away the best of the best. Not just the OB/GYNs, but generalists, ER docs, and academics too.

Not to mention the failure to fund Medicaid (SC is among the RW-governed red states that still refuse to accept Medicaid funds resulting in a major loss of services, closed hospitals in rural areas, and downstream access issues for many others throughout the state).

Someone mentioned the University of SC which to their credit booed TFG during the SC v Clemson game. That is good to see, but it certainly doesn't reflect the majority of the rest of SC. You may find that seeing the impacts of systemic racism and other bigotry so close and personal can be hard to accept even for one not necessarily the target. Being in a college town will likely insulate you a bit, but it will be evident as you travel the state (as it is in other states of the Deep South). NO offense meant to DUers who live throughout the South (as I did for many years myself and I will absolutely agree that racism, misogyny, antisemitism, homophobia, and all our societal ills do occur elsewhere as well, including the OP's home state of NY). But it presents a bit differently, depending on the region of the country. Being from NYC, those "casual" manifestations might be a bit jarring.

That said, you need to go where you can be happy. Just ensure you have a "change of mind" escape plan b, if you need it. That is something I'd advise WHEREVER you were thinking of relocating.

[snowybirdie]

12. Youll always be

That "yankee" in the neighborhood. People are different and don't really accept you. You'll have to keep your mouth shut in political discussions. We moved to NC a while back. Felt very isolated. Get to like lots of carbs and bbq. Restaurants are very different. Weather is warm though. A plus for me.

Moved back north til Covid.

[unweird]

13. Check the crawlspace

https://apnews.com/article/woman-dies-rotting-floor-well-south-carolina-881709854e7e7bb31d233c2111ca550e

[Sanity Claws]

15. Culture shock

It is very different culturally from NYC. Have you thought about other places in NYS, where you would experience less culture shock?
All you mentioned was lower costs of living but there is so much more to consider!

[Yavin4]

17. The entire N.E. is about charging you more for every little thing.

I'm getting sick of being gouged. Also, rents here are just ridiculous.

[Sanity Claws]

18. Rent in NYC is outrageous

I live here too. However, painting all of the NE with a broad brush while thinking a southern state is different may be a mistake.

I also plan to leave NYC but will stay in NYS. Cost of living is lower in other parts of the state. I checked out an area around the finger lakes earlier this year and plan to go there. I found a lot of transplated NYC folks there. A lot of transplants around the Catskills too.

[mike_c]

19. I did not enjoy living in SC but that was 40 years ago.

Low Country food is great, though.

[Upthevibe]

20. Yavin4

It's a very red state
Going from NYC to S.C. seems like the culture shock would be horrific-A real lack of diversity which includes restaurants, cultural events, museums
Horribly hot and humid summers

I realize the issue with the cost of housing (I have the same issue in CA) but I'm surprised you said you don't see a downside...

If I HAD to leave CA because I simply couldn't afford the housing, I've been looking at blue states like Michigan, IL, Washington State. Yes, I realize those states are very cold during the winter but by then (in the next couple of years), I'll be retired and won't have to worry about driving to work everyday in the snow.

[Elessar Zappa]

21. Columbia's the best place in South Carolina but it's no NYC.

It is significantly cheaper but the weather’s hot and humid, there’s bugs everywhere, a backward attitude towards things still reign (although not as bad in Columbia). But if your main issue is financial concerns then it’s definitely better than New York City. Also, you can find cheaper living in blue states like New Mexico, where the cost of living is low, prejudice is less (although it of course exists) and the weather is better, overall, although the winters get colder than South Carolina.