SC City Rankings

[krazeeboi]

Sperling's BestPlaces has ranked several cities/metropolitan areas in certain categories, including healthiest cities, best and worst cities for dating, best and worst cities for crime, fiscally fit cities, etc. Our cities/metropolitan areas didn't qualify for all of the studies, since many on them only ranked the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the US. Here's how SC's cities ranked in the reports available online. Check the website for methodologies used.

Most and Least Expensive Cities to Drive

60. Columbia

72. Charleston-North Charleston

This study looked at the cost of a gallon of regular-grade gasoline in 84 urban areas nationwide as well as the number of miles driven by daily commuters, plus the effect of rush-hour congestion. Columbia and Charleston rank pretty low in this listing, meaning that it's relatively cheap to get around town (take into account the fact that this study came out before gas hit over $2 a gallon!).

Best Cities for Dating

6. Charleston-North Charleston

14. Columbia

The study is based on criteria that includes percentage of singles ages 18-24, population density, and dating venues per capita such as concerts, coffee shops, bars, bowling alleys, etc., and includes 80 metro areas in America.

Best and Worst Cities for Crime

--100 largest metro areas--

53. Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson

78. Charleston-North Charleston

84. Columbia

--114 mid-sized metro areas--

114. Myrtle Beach

--117 small metro areas--

108. Sumter

113. Florence

The FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program Crime Index was used as the basis for this study. This index consists of the combined rate of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny, and auto theft per 100,000 population. The higher the ranking, the less crime.

Most (and Least) Stressful Cities

--100 largest metro areas--

41. Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson

71. Charleston-North Charleston

79. Columbia

--114 mid-sized metro areas--

40. Myrtle Beach

--117 small metro areas--

19. Florence

24. Sumter

The "Sperling Stress Index" used in this study is comprised of nine different factors which are associated with stress: unemployment rate, divorce rate, commute time, violent and property crime rates, suicide rate, alcohol consumption, self-reported "poor mental health", and number of cloudy days. The higher the ranking, the more stressful the metropolitan area.

Thoughts?

[krazeeboi]

Wow, I thought someone would have commented by now...LOL.

Best cities for dating category isn't surprising at all. Both Charleston and Columbia have their fair share of college students and pretty active nightlifes (or is that nightlives? LOL). I wouldn't have thought they would have ranked THAT high on a national level though. That's certainly a good thing.

We've talked about the crime thing before. MB's tourism industry is what somewhat skews the statistics there. I believe the city ranks high primarily in the property damage category though, and less so for violent crimes; I think the same holds true for Florence if I'm not mistaken.

In the stressful cities category, again, I don't think it's a surprise that the Upstate ranks higher than Columbia and Charleston. Since the ranking uses the old GSA metropolitan area, I'm more than certain that sprawl was a factor, and when you factor in the amount of time sitting in traffic, that makes for a substantial ranking. Charleston and Columbia certainly have their fair share, but nowhere near as close as GSA.

[MAJIKMAN]

Wow, I thought someone would have commented by now...LOL.

Best cities for dating category isn't surprising at all. Both Charleston and Columbia have their fair share of college students and pretty active nightlifes (or is that nightlives? LOL). I wouldn't have thought they would have ranked THAT high on a national level though. That's certainly a good thing.

We've talked about the crime thing before. MB's tourism industry is what somewhat skews the statistics there. I believe the city ranks high primarily in the property damage category though, and less so for violent crimes; I think the same holds true for Florence if I'm not mistaken.

In the stressful cities category, again, I don't think it's a surprise that the Upstate ranks higher than Columbia and Charleston. Since the ranking uses the old GSA metropolitan area, I'm more than certain that sprawl was a factor, and when you factor in the amount of time sitting in traffic, that makes for a substantial ranking. Charleston and Columbia certainly have their fair share, but nowhere near as close as GSA.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Crime was still not such a suprise to for GSA. Especially nowadays with all the stuff going on in Sparkle City. Almost make me nooooot want to go and visit folk.

[MAJIKMAN]

But you have to take the good with the bad. So hang in there my peps to the north.

[Spartan]

Crime was still not such a suprise to for GSA. Especially nowadays with all the stuff going on in Sparkle City. Almost make me nooooot want to go and visit folk.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is true, but ALL of the crime increases have been in the slum areas around Howard St and on the Southside, which is expected. Just don't get lost in there at night and you should be ok

The crime rate increase back home is bothersome to me. I can't figure out why its going up, but it seems like there is a new one every week.

[Charleston native]

...The crime rate increase back home is bothersome to me. I can't figure out why its going up, but it seems like there is a new one every week.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you think its just a sign of the growing pains for Spartanburg? I think this usually happens with growing cities...it takes a few years for city infrastructure and police to catch up in providing good and adequate services.

[Spartan]

Probably so. I think it is also related to the fact that the only really bad parts of the city are in those two areas.

[Jerseyman4]

From reading that study, Florence is certainly a very laid back city. By just passing through on city streets, i have noticed how everyone is just relaxed as well as making pitstops at the US 52 exit. I remember seeing on the news (WBTW) of when a big storm came through and knocked many trees down, everyone came out and helped with cutting the limbs down and seeing if everyone is ok. Another seperate story, my father was involved in a chain reaction car wreck due to an ice storm on I-95 near the Timmonsville exit (believe it was US 76) and he told me of how many people came out to help the people who were in the accident. This comes to show from my personal experience how the Florence/Timmonsville/Darlington area shows lots of humanitarian qualities.

With the dating comment about Charleston, i believe it too. Everytime i am out at the bars or just walking around whether its the beach or downtown Chas., the women are friendly and easy going. Its not unusual to get numbers from hot chicks!

[krazeeboi]

I guess that Southern hospitality is a little more concentrated in the Pee Dee region.

Everytime i am out at the bars or just walking around whether its the beach or downtown Chas., the women are friendly and easy going.

Easy-going or just plain easy? LOL, I couldn't resist!