Lexington Questions - thank you in advance! (Columbia, Irmo: transplants, 2013)

[Relo2021]

Hello Group -- we are considering a move to Columbia and looking closely at the Lexington area due to the highly rated schools. We have lived in the South before and are familiar with the heat/humidity, culture, etc. We find it to be a very friendly, welcoming place and we were grateful for our time in The Carolinas.

On that note, I would like to know how avid Christianity is in Lexington? I realize it is a very conservative part of the Columbia metro area, but wondering if it is the type of place where most people ask you what church you go to? We are fiscally conservative and socially liberal, are not religious and will not be attending any church. We would prefer for our kids to grow-up in a community and school district with religious freedom, and are less inclined to move to an area that pushes religion (of any kind) in the school system or community.

I hope this did not offend, I do not want to start a religious or political debate, just gathering data before we decide on the place to raise our family. Thank you!

[Rockinmoz]

I have never been asked where I go to church, we don't go ourselves. The traffic in Lexington is pretty bad, because it's growing fairly quickly. Try to get as close to the lake as possible, it's a nicer area. We live across the dam in Irmo, with family in Lexington. Good luck, all are welcome,

[luo2013]

We moved here last summer (well, on the other side of the dam on the Irmo side; but we are renting, and seriously considering buying in Lexington in a year or two).

Anyway, we are church goers, so not sure how much my opinion helps, but I’ve not been asked what church I go to. There are a LOT of churches in the area, but everyone seems friendly and not pushy about anything.

I agree with the previous poster - traffic on 378 can get congested, but so can Harbison area (near the mall on the Irmo side), but I compare stuff to the DC area where we came from, and while annoying, doesn’t stress me out like DC area!

I personally love the area and hope it’s the right fit! Please come visit and take a look for yourself (if you haven’t yet) to get a feel to see if it’s what you’re looking for! Our first drive over the dam took my breath away as I wasn’t expecting it!

[Relo2021]

Rockinmoz and Luo2013 -- thank you both very much for your generous insight. We visited Columbia a couple of times about 6 years ago, but that was through the lens of twenty-somethings and our priorities have changed now that we have a toddler and thinking about another.

I've heard Lexington is growing in leaps and bounds and the traffic is something I'm not fond of. We have Raleigh on our list and I would imagine the suburbs of Raleigh must have a decent amount of traffic with the size of the city itself. It does seem relative to what most are used to, we've lived in both high traffic cities and slower pace and much prefer the slower pace, family-oriented scene.

Will definitely have to look into Irmo as well. Thank you both again!

[Golffan21]

I echo what folks already have said about Lexington. You won't be bugged about what church you go too. Sometimes church come up in casual conversations, but don't worry about being looked at any differently if you don't attend. I personally have noticed parts of Lexington aren't as conservative as people generalize them to be. There are a lot of out of state transplants in my Lexington neighborhood which definitely bring a lot of diversity on views and background, which is great!

I also echo the lexington traffic mess, the only good news on that is the rush hour window is when its the worst but if you leave at times different then rush hour its usually not too bad. A lot depends on where you work and what flexibility you have with your schedule. If you can shift your schedule 30 minutes, it sometimes makes a huge difference.

[Relo2021]

Thanks for the great perspective! It seems like a community welcoming of others.

[johngolf]

Lexington might vote conservative/religious but few openly practice it here. There are a good many "Yankees" living in Lexington, myself included. I am a left wing liberal, atheist and I do not feel questioned/threatened. The public schools here do not preach religion.

[Relo2021]

Originally Posted by johngolf

The public schools here do not preach religion.

This is what we are most concerned about when thinking about raising kids in a red state and red county. Thank you very much for taking the time to relay your experience.

The Lexington schools do look impressive on paper. I assumed with student bodies of 2k+ at the high school level, there was a decent mix of ideologies bringing free thought and void of religious rhetoric into the classroom. We have been told by a few friends that Raleigh would be a better fit for us, having spent a bit of time in both Raleigh and Columbia, my gut is telling me Columbia (Lexington in particular). Appears to give us access to better public schools, a lower cost of living and less traffic. I've always liked the size of the city and the amount of amenities for its size, seems a bit underrated, which I dig.

Many say crime is much worse in Columbia and I realize every city has its pockets, but the only thing holding us back from finalizing the move is the violent crime stats for the area. The thought of violent crime spilling into non-violent neighborhoods keeps me up at night. Raleigh does appear to be a better choice on the safety front. Would love feedback on how safe you feel the area is for raising a family if you (or anyone else) care to share!

Either way, thanks to all again!

[Golffan21]

Other then risk of car getting broke in at night, I have very little if any concern about crime in my neighborhood. Some areas of Lexington definitely have higher crime rates then others depending on bordering areas. Sadly car breaks at night is a common occurrence in Lexington as a group of thieves seems to go from neighborhood to neighborhood, but seems like they only hit unlocked car doors and never anything else.

One thing to consider when looking into neighborhoods and Lexington schools (depending on age of your kids) is potential of them adding new schools (at least one is currently being built with another one planned) and the potential of rezoning of schools. No one probably knows exactly how re-zoning will play out, but given growth in certain areas of Lexington, a school re-zone is inevitable.

Hope that helps.

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by Rockinmoz

I have never been asked where I go to church, we don't go ourselves. The traffic in Lexington is pretty bad, because it's growing fairly quickly. Try to get as close to the lake as possible, it's a nicer area. We live across the dam in Irmo, with family in Lexington. Good luck, all are welcome,

Hey Rockinmoz... you dont go to church and you live in Lexington? I am messing with you.. I know it is often a misconception that people are heavily religious in the south and wear judgement around ready to bestow it on those who may not share those beliefs.. They may do it but they may just be polite and talk about you behind your back...LOL .. At any rate just like everywhere else.. it varies from place to place...... Happy Friday...