The picturesque city of Southport lies on the coast of North Carolina. The Coastal Living Magazine once named it America Happiest Seaside City, showing just how amazing the city is. But if you’re planning to live here, you need to know more about the area. So, what’re the pros and cons of living in Southport?
The benefits of living in Southport include its livability, low rate of violent crimes, great weather, beautiful environment, and walkability. But its livability is dampened by factors such as higher cost of living, natural disasters, the prevalence of property crimes, and its small population.
Regardless of its disadvantages, Southport is a perfect city for certain people, mostly retirees. Here, we discuss the pros and cons of living in Southport.
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Pros of living in Southport
There are several advantages to living in Southport, and that includes:
1. Livability
As far as livability factors go, Southport is one of the most livable places in North Carolina. The town of just about 4,000 residents has most of the qualities you could be looking for in a residential area. The standard of living here is quite okay, and the town has very great amenities. The town has a small community vibe, and almost everyone knows everyone.
2. Low Rate of Violent Crimes
If you’re going to live anywhere, it should be a place where you feel safe. Southport is that kind of area. The violent crime rate here is 74% below the national average, making it the kind of place where you can walk safely around at night. The chances of being a crime victim there are 1 in 40 people, which is fairly low.
3. Great Weather and Pollutants-Free Air
Southport is one of the warmest cities in North Carolina. If great weather is something you’re looking forward to enjoying, you can count on enjoying it here. Winter is especially great here because while most parts of the country deal with a boatload of snow; you enjoy warm and comfortable weather. However, the summer here can be hot and have high humidity. The temperature can be as high as above 90 degrees during the summer, and the amount of rainfall here can make for a very wet summer.
But the amount of snowfall here throughout the year is around 1 inch, so residents enjoy the winter more. It’s not just the weather that’s great, but the city also has great air quality. The air quality rating here is great, with an AQI of 40, which means major air pollutants are mostly absent in the air here.
4. Beautiful Surroundings
What is the use of great weather if there’s nothing you can do with it? Fortunately, Southport has a great outdoor environment to go with its weather. The city is near the Atlantic Ocean and close to the coastline. There are several beaches here where you soak yourself for a good swim, especially during the hot months. The city has a diverse natural environment with lakes, swamplands, creeks, and more water bodies. You can involve yourself in several recreational activities as a resident here.
Golfing, fishing, hiking, and sailing are common activities among residents here. Being near the coastline means that deep-sea fishing and surfing are also possible. If you want to learn how to kayak, there’s probably no better place to learn that than here. So, Southport is for those who enjoy physical activities and spending time in natural settings.
5. Fairly Walkable
This city is quite small and fairly walkable. You don’t need a car to run some errands here. If you own a bike, it might even be easier to get around the city as it has some bike infrastructure. The commute time is also lower than the national average. Southport has a Bike Score of 65 and a walk score of 52.
Cons of Living in Southport
Some disadvantages come with living in Southport. The notable ones are
1. Relatively Expensive by North Carolina Standards
The cost of living here is quite high for a town mostly filled with retirees. The city is more expensive than the average for North Carolina by around 10%, and it’s slightly higher than the national average. Also, if you’re looking for an affordable place to live in North Carolina, Southport is unlikely to be your first choice. Homes here have a typical price of $334,505. That’s slightly higher than the national value.
2. Prone to Natural Disaster
Being close to the coastline is one of the great things about the city, but it’s also an issue. Its geographical location makes it prone to hurricanes and tropical storms. It has hurricane season between June 1 and November 30, when the hurricane could be fiercer. In the past, hurricanes have caused significant damage to properties in the city.
3. High Rate of Property Crimes
While violent crimes are low in the city, the prevalence of property crimes has made the city have a higher crime rate than the national average. When you even consider its population, you can understand why this is worrisome. More than 50% of cities in the US are safer than this one which is a serious issue. The high crime rate in the city depends on your location. In the southern neighborhoods, the chances of being a crime victim are 1 in 10, but when you move to the northern areas, it drops to 1 in 49. So, you need to pay attention to which part of the city you choose to live.
4. Small population
Southport has a very low population, with only about 4,000 people. So, if you don’t like to live in a sparsely populated area, this isn’t the place for you. The small population means that the economy of the city is quite poor. The per capita income and the median income for households in the city are lower than the national average. The fact that the median age in the city is quite high at 55 also means that most of the residents here are past the labor age. So, the productivity level in the city is quite low.
In Conclusion
Southport is a fine town, especially if you’re looking for a warm place by the sea to retire in. Beyond that, the town is okay, but not spectacular. So, if you’re planning to move here, you need to make sure it works for you.
