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Are you considering moving to James Island? James Island is a popular location for people moving to the Charleston area due to it’s close proximity to the beach, and to Downtown Charleston. James Island is one of the oldest communities near Charleston, and because of this, there are well established neighborhoods, and not a lot of New Construction homes available on the Island. James Island is a great place to live, but it is not for everyone. If you are considering moving to James Island, this list of Pros and Cons may help you.
- James Island- Homes for Sale
- AreaVibes.Com
- GreatSchools.Org
Here is my list of the Pros and Cons of Living on James Island, SC:
Pros of Living on James Island, SC
You are close to the Beach
One of the best perks of living on James Island is being in close proximity to the beach. If you live on James Island, you will have a short drive to the Charleston Peninsula, and to the Beach, making it a great location to live for many people. James Island is bordered by Folly Beach, and is not far from Kiawah Beachwalker Park.
Folly beach
Folly Beach is a popular tourist destination and offers a large pier where you can fish (for a fee.) The beach and city offer surfing, volley ball, many surf shops, restaurants, and shopping destinations. If you are looking for a spot on he beach with less people than Folly Beach, you’ll can drive to the west side off the island, and enter Folly Beach County Park (there is a fee to enter the County park), or you can drive to the east side of the island and view the Morris Island Light House. There is no fee to enter Folly Beach, but there are some locations where you may need to pay for parking.
Pets: Dogs are not allowed on the Folly Beach Pier. Dogs are allowed on the beach year round, but are not allowed on the beach from 10am-6pm May 1st-Dec. 30th.
Kiawah Beachwalker Park
Kiawah Island Beachwalker Park is my favorite beach near Charleston. Dr. Beach has ranked Kiawah as 1 of the top 10 Beaches in America, and if you visit Kiawah you will see why. The Park offers Showers, Bathrooms, a Picnic area, cooking grills, and a snack bar. Kiawah’s Beachwalker park is approximately 11 miles long, and is a great place to bring the family. If you walk about 1.5 miles to the South, there is a good location to watch for dolphins during low tide. There is a fee to enter the park; you may pay for 1 day, or purchase a Gold pass that will give you access for 1 year.
Pets: You are permitted to bring your dogs to Kiawah beachwalker Park year round, but there are some restrictions, including critical habitat areas where they are not allowed (Click Here for a pet restraint map). There are certain times/locations where a dog is permitted to run off-leash.
The Parks
James Island has a few different parks to go to with the family. These parks are a great place to enjoy a good view, go fishing, crabbing, shrimping, to watch a sunset, and more!
James Island County Park
James Island County Park is my favorite park on the Island, and possibly in the entire Charleston area. James Island County Park is a great place to bring your friends, family, or pets for a variety of activities. There is a very nice fishing/crabbing dock, an RV Park to go camping, a large dog park, and it is the location for the annual “Holiday Festival of Lights” during the holiday season. There is a small fee to enter the park, so if you plan on attending the park regularly, I recommend purchasing a Gold Pass.
Melton Peter Demetre Park
Another gem on the island is Melton Peter Demetre Park, located at 640 Wampler Drive. This park is free to enter, and offers an amazing view of Charleston Harbor, the Arthur Ravenel Bridge, and more! The park also has a small beach area, a fishing dock, a floating dock, and multiple benches for seating. This is a great park to bring the family, or to walk your dog.
Fort Lamar Heritage Preserve
The Fort Lamar Heritage Preserve is the location of an important Civil War battle on James Island. The Battle of Secessionville was fought in this area in 1862 when the Union was attempting to take control of Charleston. The confederate forces defeated the Union army in this area.
Rivers, Streams, and Tidal Creeks
James Island is surrounded by waterways, including: Charleston Harbor, Wappoo Creek, Stono River, Clark Sound, King Flats Creek, and more! James Island is a great place to own Waterfront Property in the Charleston area! There are also a few public boat landings nearby, including: Riverland Terrace Boat Landing, Wappoo Cut Boat Ramp, and Battery Island (Sol Legare) Public Boat Landing.
The History
James Island was first established as “Jamestown” in 1671. James Island has a lot of history, including being the location of Revolutionary War Battles, Civil War battles (The Battle of Fort Sumter, The Battle of Secessionville), and is the location of historic plantations (McLeod Plantation).
Mosquito Beach on James Island is another historically significant location. Mosquito Beach is a reminder of this Country’s deplorable past, including the era of Jim Crow laws and segregation.
You are close to Downtown Charleston
Along with being close to the beach, James Island is also a short drive from Downtown Charleston, West Ashley, and Johns Island. The James Island Connector makes the trip from James Island to the Charleston Peninsula very quick, making James Island a great location for people that work at Roper Hospital, MUSC Hospital, or many of the other locations in Downtown Charleston.
The Great Food
Charleston is known for it’s great food, and James Island has multiple great places to eat! If you’re looking for great seafood with an amazing view, then I recommend that you try Charleston Crab House, located on Wappoo Creek. One of my Wife’s favorite places to eat is at the Black Magic Cafe located on James Island. If you’re looking for a very unique place to eat great local seafood, then I recommend that you try Bowens Island Restaurant located on the southern end of James Island.
James Island has everything that you need
Another great thing about living on James Island is you have just about everything that you need on the Island. There is a Walmart, multiple grocery stores (Publix, Harris Teeter, Walmart), many great places to eat, and much more. There is also a public golf course on James Island. When you do leave the Island, there are a lot of great restaurants and stores nearby including: A Costco in West Ashley, Tanger Outlets in North Charleston, great places to eat in Folly Beach, and many great restaurants in Downtown Charleston, just to name a few.
Cons of Living on James Island, SC
Heat/Humidity
The heat in humidity during the Summer months is definitely a Con to living in Charleston for me, but some people don’t mind it. Expect to start sweating after a couple of minutes of being outside in the summer, especially if you are doing anything involving manual labor. As mentioned above, going to the beach or to a pool are good options during these months.
Flooding
Charleston and the surrounding area is known as “The Low Country”, and it wont take you long to discover why. There are areas the flood somewhat regularly, especially when there is a good amount of rain during high tide. If you are going to purchase a property near Charleston, you should take into consideration that it may be in an area more prone to flooding than other areas, and you may be required to purchase flood insurance for the property. View a PRELIMINARY flood zone map of Charleston, but keep in mind this map is preliminary and subject to change.
Hurricanes and Tornadoes
Being from an area not affected by Hurricanes, and with virtually no tornadoes, I consider the potential severe weather here a Con. Hurricane season comes with the potential for a “mandatory evacuation” (For Example, Hurricane Florence in 2018). If you choose to live on James Island, you are much more likely to be affected by a Hurricane than an area more inland. There are also the occasional severe weather systems that move through here. You can expect to be under a “Tornado Watch” somewhat regularly, and expect an occasional “Tornado Warning” in the area. Also keep in mind that there are not many basements here to take shelter (due to the risk of flooding is what I have been told).
Insects
Another Con of living in this area are the insects here. You will likely be swarmed by misquitos during the spring and summer months, and you should consider moving into a place with a screened porch so you can still enjoy your outdoor area during this time. We also have cockroaches in the area, and sometimes they are gigantic. Getting your home sprayed every few months helps (at least the exterior).
Alligators
We also have alligators in the area. When we first moved here, my wife and I thought it was odd when we saw a sign near a pond stating “danger-alligators may live here”. After reading the sign, we thought it was probably still very rare to actually see one, but that is not the case. You will see alligators in the neighborhood ponds here (usually they are small), and the animal control will not remove them until they are large alligators. They may leave their ponds, and try to enter your home (see picture below), so you may not want to have a dog-door leading outside. It is rare for alligators to attack humans, but you will need to be careful when walking your dog near a body of water; they are more likely to consider your pets to be prey.
Traffic
Due to the amount of growth in the Charleston area, there is a lot of traffic. You can expect a much longer drive time during the morning and evening rush hours, especially if you are driving towards downtown Charleston in the morning, or away from downtown Charleston in the evening. The population of Charleston is growing rapidly, and the local governments are having a hard time adjusting the infrastructure of the area to keep up with that growth. If you plan on purchasing a home in a city outside of Charleston and commuting to work every weekday, you should take this into consideration.
Rent is Expensive
The cost of renting a place in Charleston is expensive in my opinion, which is a big reason why my Wife and I decided to purchase a home when we relocated here. According to crda.org, the cost of living in Charleston is near the national average.
Sales Tax
According to charlestondaily.net, Charleston has a total sales tax rate of 9%. On top of that, you can expect to pay more while eating at a restaurant due to a “hospitality tax”, and an even higher rate if you order an alcoholic beverage. I consider the high sales tax in this area to be a Con, but this is partially due to the low property taxes.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading my post about the Pros and Cons of Living on James Island. If you are considering moving to James Island, things to do in James Island, Retiring on James Island, Relocating to James Island, or if you have any questions about the James Island area, please contact me!