I live in Cornelius, and it is a good nice middle ground. A 45 minute drive to Hickory (77 to 40) and a 15 - 20 minute drive to Uptown. I'm a single black female and I used to spend a lot of time Uptown a couple of years ago and still just drove home and night and got a good sleep in my bed away from the city. The area I live in, in Cornelius, is a little more diverse than most of the city. I guess it's considered the old school part. I see total diversity in the Food Lion although most of the area is probably considered not as diverse. It's a nice little town though, close enough, but far enough away.
You may still want more diverse, but it's somewhat of a suggestion
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