quote:
raise a family

I’d be interested in knowing if the suggestions given are just preferred dream locations, or if there is sustainability for raising a family/jobs.
I have ideas of where I’d like rather move in that area, but in a time where the economy is overall shite, is there still a hidden gem?

Grew up in Charleston and still know lots of people there, raised my fam in Va, sister raised hers in NC. There are pros to all of these.

Va public schools are the best of the three, then NC, then SC. Public Universities are plentiful and excellent in Va and NC, not so much for SC. Like anything else, just follow the money…your better schools are in higher income areas.

Jobs are plentiful and varied throughout Va/NC/SC, more around the city's obviously. But there are definite job corridors: I'd say Chas and upstate around 85 in SC, Raliegh/Durham all the way across to Charlotte has tremendous growth/opps, VA around Tidewater / Richmond / I81 corridor and of course NOVA. A lot of the eastern rural areas of these states are econ deadzones, former textile grow/manuf areas.

Sister raised her family around Raleigh, two eng sons who went to NC State. Her son just got married w a kid and is a ChemE who works for the same co his EE dad works for. Lots of jobs and growth there, generationally. My sister is a REA down there if you want more info.

My kids go to suburban Richmond schools, which are excellent. Know lots of peeps around here / Va whos kids get decent jobs and can live nearby. And theres lots for families to do here. Our Fams young cousins visit from the citys of FLA every summer to see the museums and monuments of DC and hike the mountains.

Climate wise they range from the long hot sticky summers of Chas and its mild, nice winters to the snow / cold out towards the mountains. Personally I've grown to like the 10-12 inches of snow we get yearly.

I'm lucky in that we're on a small farm but only 5 mins to 95. The downside of my country haven so conveniently located is a bunch of traffic at times, something all these high QOL areas are gonna have.

Overall, If I were able to have a redo, I would have my little farm further west in the mountains.