St. Stephens, NC Apartment Renter's Guide

Famous NASCAR driver, Shane Huffman, went to high school here in St. Stephens!

St. Stephens is located in western Catawba County and is part of what the locals call "The Unifour." Less than 50 miles from the larger cities of Charlotte and Gastonia, it makes a nice bedroom community for folks who work in either city but are in search of a smaller, more peaceful place to live. It's tucked up against Lake Hickory, which is a beautiful place to do some boating, fishing or just some scenic hiking. There's plenty to do in the area in the way of shops, galleries and eateries and if you're starving for big city fun, you can head over to Charlotte where all the action is!

St. Stephens is considered a great place to settle because of its low cost of living, abundant local amenities, sunny weather, and stable housing market. However, finding an apartment or house to rent here isn't easy -- according to AreaVibes.com, only about 3% of the residences are vacant, and of those, less than half are for rent.

With a little research and luck, though, you may be able to score a gorgeous house with a front lawn and a living room fireplace for a very affordable monthly rate. St. Stephens has a median rental rate that's lower than the North Carolina average, and much lower than the national average! Your options will most likely center around medium-to-large houses with 2 or 3 bedrooms. If you're moving solo, that may mean having to search for housemates in addition to house-hunting. Utilities are very likely to be included in the rent price, but, if not, ask your landlord about the fuel used for heating. More than half of the houses in St. Stephens use electricity, according to City-Data.com, but a significant portion uses utility gas, which tends to be cheaper.

St. Stephens residents enjoy a cost of living lower than that of the state of North Carolina and also the United States in general. It is generally cheaper to get a haircut, do your dry cleaning, buy a newspaper and go about your other daily chores here than it is in most other places in the United States! Groceries (especially fried chicken, coffee, orange juice, potato chips, Coke, beer, and wine), health care (especially appointments with a dentist or optometrist and painkillers), housing (especially insurance and electricity), and transportation generally cost less here, with some exceptions. Living in St. Stephens, you are likely to spend more on gas and, oddly enough, pizza, according to the cost-of-living index on AreaVibes.com.

If the low prices of St. Stephens aren't enough to convince you to move there, perhaps the thought of its agreeable temperatures (averaging 74å¡ F) will. According to AreaVibes.com, St. Stephens is hottest in August (76,5å¡ F average temperature) and coldest in January (41,5å¡ F average temperature). Additionally, the area boasts air quality 8.1% greater than the national average, which is pretty great.

Renting a home

When you're ready to get a place in St. Stephens, you'll want to come prepared! Make sure you have a copy of your ID or birth certificate, your credit report, bank statements, pay stubs, references, letter of employment and anything else local landlords might need to see to approve your credit and trust that you'll be able to pay the bills on time! Don't forget to bring your checkbook, either! Make appointments to see a variety of apartments and show up on time for your appointments. First impressions matter and you want to look good for your new tentative landlord!

St. Stephens is technically not a town, but a CDP (census-designated place). In other words, though it's a locally recognized community in the state of North Carolina, it is not incorporated within that state. Because of its small size (according to Wikipedia it has a total area of 102 square miles, or 26.4 square km), St. Stephens is not divided into neighborhoods. In fact, most people consider St. Stephens a neighborhood of Hickory. A short drive (or walk) from St. Stephens will get you to the towns of Bethlehem, Conover, Northlakes, Brookford, Long View, Newton, and Mountain View. All are located within less than 5 miles, which is a good reason to go out and explore them. Those who want to go farther can easily get to the bigger cities of Gastonia or Charlotte, or head out of state to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Enjoy a picnic at St. Stephens Park, join a club at the Catawba County Library, take action to end homelessness with St. Stephen's Human Services, or support the local sports teams. St. Stephens offers a quiet, pleasant, simple life which you may enjoy. In regards to eating, drinking, and food shopping, St. Stephens has plenty to offer. The area has a large number of convenience stores and restaurants, and dozens of groceries stores, too. The largest shopping mall in the region, the Valley Hills Mall, is near. It has an active community life, with events and activities organized year-round by the local schools, sports associations, churches, and library. The local park has a hiking trail, picnic tables, and a dog area. To get to these, as well as to work, most people drive their own cars. Lots of workers carpool, too. Only a very small percentage of the population currently uses public transportation or a bicycle to get around. Regardless of what means of transportation you choose, you're bound to find plenty to see and enjoy in St. Stephens and around!