Look forward to not very much in the way of distinct seasons and a very long, hot, humid summer. And bring lots of bug spray. I live in SC. One positive is the people down here. My wife lived in Maryland before we met. She has sorta the same opinion I do. Love the people and community, hate the weather. But then again, you may love the heat and not be a snow-bunny!
Considering that your main focus will be on people during your res, Spartanburg sounds like a great choice. However, and this is not a punch at either side, but some Northerners just don't like the South and see the people as "fake." My two cents...
One good site I have found to compare the objectives (as opposed to subjectives) of different places is
www.bestplaces.net. Of course this is not a good way to get a "feel" for a place - you can't look at raw data and tell if a place is good for you.
If you are thinking of relocating in such a drastic way, my advice would be that when you do your interview, allow some time to see the town, grab a bite to eat, drive through the neighborhoods, go to a barber shop, sit on a park bench and read a book, etc.
Good luck.
