While so many struggle to find affordable options in or around the Uptown area, many have made the decision to establish a life in more low-cost areas and commit to commuting into the city when needed. This choice often means that a commuter will be in traffic for about 45 mins on their commute into and out of the office on a workday. Given all of the options, there’s a lot of debate about which city is more preferable.. Two of our favorites are Belmont North Carolina and Rock Hill South Carolina.
Both cities are great, but do they offer the same type of lifestyle? We decided to break it down to affordability, the fun stuff like events, accessibility, and education to help you better decide which city is a better option for you.
Belmont is close to Charlotte, North Carolina, and is an established city with plenty of amenities for residents. Rock Hill, South Carolina is also close to Charlotte but it also provides easy access to Fort Mill.
Affordability between Belmont, NC and Rock Hill, SC
Let’s look at the difference between affordability in the two cities in terms of:
Housing: If you’re looking to rent or buy a home and affordability is one of your deciding factors, then Rock Hill is a better option for you. Belmont has better-established infrastructure and amenities than Rock Hill, which may contribute to higher housing prices in that area. Also, Belmont has higher property tax rates than Rock Hill. For instance, with $2,283 average annual property taxes for Belmont, you can expect to pay $1,960.72 in Rock Hill which is a staggering difference of over 18%.
The tradeoff is clear:
- For better infrastructure and amenities with higher-priced housing: Belmont.
- For affordable housing and lower property taxes: Rock Hill.
Living expenses:
Naturally, Belmont has a higher cost of living than Rock Hill, which also has a higher unemployment rate than Belmont. This means more people are looking for work and therefore puts pressure on wages to stay at a certain level. The average salary in Rock Hill is $35,257 which is lower than Belmont’s average salary of $47,922.
Fun Stuff: Events & Activities
In terms of entertainment and activities, both cities provide their residents with plenty of things to do throughout the year. Rock Hill has an annual Fall Festival where you can enjoy popular foods, live music, great company, and more. Belmont also has plenty of annual events that would appeal to its residents including the annual Fourth of July celebration, Belmont Arts and Music Festival, and Oktoberfest.
In terms of entertainment and activities for kids, both cities provide many parks and playgrounds for the little ones. Belmont has plenty of indoor recreational centers including a public center with basketball courts, volleyball courts, an outdoor pool, and more. In addition to the Jane E. Lawton Community Recreation Center, there is also a YMCA facility that provides fitness classes as well as indoor and outdoor activities. For outdoor activities, there are several parks in the Belmont area with one of them being the West Park. There’s also a Community Club in this area that provides pool tables and other indoor recreational activities. Belmont is also located very near to the National Whitewater Center and all of the associated activities they host year-round.
Rock Hill has plenty of playgrounds for kids throughout its community. One of these playgrounds includes the Generations Playground which features a treehouse, climbing wall, swings, and slides that could be fun for kids of all ages. Rock Hill also has the Rock Hill Outdoor Center, which provides picnic tables, playground equipment, hiking trails, and more to its visitors.
Rounding out all of the great offerings of the Rock Hill Community is The Rock Hill Sports & Events Complex. This 170,000 SqFt facility offers a variety of mixed-use amenities, including event space, restaurants, sporting facilities, and more. This site is used to host a variety of sporting tournaments and community activities.
Stay up to date on these activities through their respective websites as each city provides an updated list of upcoming events.
Getting Around: Accessibility & Transportation
Transportation in Belmont is primarily by car. There is public bus transportation in Belmont that can take you around the city. Rock Hill has an easy transportation system with the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) available for travel inside and outside of the city.
With access to two major highways, I-77 and I-85 driving through both cities, commuting to and from these cities is pretty easy.
There is ongoing planning to have access via Lynx to Belmont, while these services to the Rock Hill area seem to be further behind in their development.
For those who prefer to travel by bike, both cities provide infrastructures such as bike lanes and trails for their commuters. There is a Rock Hill Greenway which you can walk or cycle on that stretches from Ebenezer Road in the west, passes by I-77, and ends at York Street in downtown Rock Hill.
Schools
The school system in Belmont is part of the South Point School District, while Rock Hill is part of the Rock Hill School District. Students have several options to choose from when it comes to schools in Belmont including four public high schools, one private high school, five public middle schools, and eleven elementary schools. Rock Hill has eight public high schools, six public middle schools, and twenty-five public elementary schools.
The quality of education in both cities is similar. Several schools in both Belmont and Rock Hill have been awarded the Blue Ribbon School of Excellence from the United States Department of Education.
Belmont has been recognized by Charlotte Magazine as being one of the Best Places to Live for its high-performance school districts, diversity, affordability, and more. In addition, many educators in Belmont have been named National Board Certified Educators, some of them even being recognized as Presidential Award Winners.
Rock Hill has some top-performing schools in the state with some having National Blue Ribbon statuses like Belmont’s South Point High School and Belmont Middle School. The school district in Rock Hill is considered to be one of the most innovative in the nation.
Final Thoughts
Belmont, NC is a city that prides itself on its high-performance school districts and strong community. Shopping, dining, and recreational activities are all within reach in this small town.
Rock Hill has many great restaurants, shops, and outdoor adventures awaiting visitors. It also offers the same type of master-planned communities that Belmont does which makes it appealing for families.
Deciding the right city for you depends on your type of lifestyle and what you value the most. If you value quality education, safety, recreational activities, and smaller-town living Rock Hill may be right for you.
On the other hand, if you are looking to live in a larger town with access to major highways along with an array of shopping options, entertainment venues, and dining, Belmont might be where you should move.
Still can’t decide? Have another Commuter Market we should consider?
Join us during our Thursday Office Hours, we’d love to discuss that with you!