Relocating To Blytheville? (Jonesboro, Gosnell, Ward: real estate, housing, rent)

[writersxblock]

Husband has a job interview in Blytheville soon. The only info I can find on it is what I can see of the housing in the real estate ads. Looks like it's cheap to live well there.
I saw a couple of you say don't live in Blytheville, but you didn't cite any reasons. Can you now?
What is the town like? Where does one travel to shop? (All the way to Memphis?)

If Blytheville truly isn't somewhere you'd consider living, what towns near enough to commute would you suggest?

I would really appreciate any advice!

[Pearlbob]

I had family who lived there and hated it, and moved soon after. A ton of crime in the city; it is very poor, mostly african american, and a bad school system. Thus, there are a lot of poor, uneducated thug kids wandering around and committing crimes (car and home break ins mainly). No huge crimes, not like there are a lot of murders, but my family got very tired of having their garage and home broken into.

Real estate is "cheap" b/c 75% of the city is poor and ghetto. The rest of the city is expensive to live in, as most non-poor people live on the outskirts of town in brand new expensive homes, or in the middle where the older large homes are (still expensive but not very safe).

I believe there used to be some sort of military base there, and once that closed years ago, so many people moved and the city went downhill fast. The town was segregated like no other I've ever seen. Blacks and whites didn't even appear to eat at the same restaurants. It was very disturbing.

Memphis is over an hour away. That's where you'd have to go to do any shopping (clothes, etc). Jonesboro is a bit less than an hour away. Those are the only bigger nearby towns.

If you husband has to work there...I don't know. I wouldn't go, if it were me! But if you had to, and you didn't mind country living, I'd suggest finding a town maybe halfway between Memphis and Blytheville. I guess it depends on where you are coming from, if you like large cities, etc. Me - I'm a big city girl, and Memphis is too small for me! I couldn't function in anything much smaller. So consider your needs; if you see yourself having to drive into Memphis a lot for things. (good restaurants, malls, buying a car, doctors, etc)

[fletch22]

I don't know what type of person you are, and what kind of living you are use to but the town doesn't offer much. My mom and dad moved there about one year ago and they were use to a big city. It does have a small town feel, my parents say it feels safer then where they are from and everything is within 5 min. If you want big city living perhaps Jonesboro or Memphis, but if you don't mind living in a really small town then blytheville is not so bad. They have had no problem with crime and only one murder in a year which won't happen in larger cities.

[pairodice]

Have been here for 5 years. Live outside city limits, no small children, but enjoy the library, plays, civic groups, community service and church related activities. Send a replay when you get here and we'll do lunch. Family member is moving to Wichita, what's that city like?

[alland1956]

Originally Posted by writersxblock

Husband has a job interview in Blytheville soon. The only info I can find on it is what I can see of the housing in the real estate ads. Looks like it's cheap to live well there.
I saw a couple of you say don't live in Blytheville, but you didn't cite any reasons. Can you now?
What is the town like? Where does one travel to shop? (All the way to Memphis?)

If Blytheville truly isn't somewhere you'd consider living, what towns near enough to commute would you suggest?

I would really appreciate any advice!

HOWDY !NAME.IS ALLAN !
WE RELOCATED TO BLYTHEVILLE IN 93 ,FRM FT WORTH TX (USAIR FORCE )
I HAVE VISETED BLY/GOSNELL IN PAST TO VVISIT MY INLAWS WHOM WERE STATIONED AT EAKER AFB LOCATED THERE IN GOSNELL/BLYTHEVILLE AR (BACE CLOSED ) BOY WHAT A CHANGE ! AS I ARIVED TO BLYTHEVILLE ,EAKER IS CONCIDERED AS A RETIREMENT PLACE (HOUSING TAKEN OVER BY A PRIVATE CO FRM FLORIDA )HIGH RENT PORE ACTUAL LIVING CONDITIONS ALOT OF EMPTY PROMISES (OLD HOUSING IN DESPERAT NEED OF REPAIR ) JUST TAKE A RIDE INTO THE BACK OF HOUSING AREAS (HOMES THAT WAS PROMISED TO BE INHABITABLE ARE JUST DESTROYED BY VANDALS AND MAINTANCE PEOPLE SCAVAGING FR REPAIRE ITEMS ) ALL IN ALL JUST LOOK FOR YOUR SELF !,,,BLYTHEVILLE OVER ALL IS A GOOD TOWN JUST HAS BEEN LET GO NO REAL LOCAL GOVERMENT A FEW PORE SOLES TRYING TO MAKE A LIVING AND A HOME THERE WITH OUT MUCH LOCAL GOVERMENT HELP ,THE COMUNITIES HAVE GIVEN UP !SCHOOLS ARE AVERAGE !AS WITH ALL SOUTHERN SCHOOLS $$$ PLAY A BIG ROLE (HIGH DROPOUT RATE )..BLYTHEVILLE DOWN TOWN (WAS THE MAIN INTREST IN MY DAYS HERE AT EAKER AFB ,,STORES TO SHOP WINDOWS TOO LOOK IN AND ADMIRE THE GOODIES THAAT COME WITH A SMALL TOWN ) NOW JUST WALK AND LOOK INTO WINDOWS ALL YOU SEE IS ROOF'S FALLEN IN ABANDONED OR NEGLECTED STORE'S ( CITY GOV NEED'S TO GET A HOLD ON THEM NOT JUST DRESS THEM UP FRM THE FRONTS )LOCAL INTRESTS GOLF COURSE S ONE ON EAKER IN PUBLIC IN TOWN ,NEW SPORTS COMPLEX LOCATED ON EAKER ALSO (BALL FEILDS VERRY NICE BEST THING IN BLY. ALSO GOOD FISHING AT COMPLEX )PARK WITH PUBLIC POOL FISHING THERE TOO BUT LAKE IS IN NEED OF CLEANING (ANOTHER NEGLECTED ITEM PARK FUND ARE REDIRECTED TOO GOLF COURSE )THE DOO HOWEVER HAVE A FISHING RODEO FOR THE KIDS (GREAT TIME FOR KIDS ).WE NOW HAVE A SUPER WALLY WORLD / JC.PENNY'S A NUMBER OF GOOD RESTRANTS ! JOB SITUATION IS POOR STEEL MIL'S ARE ABUNDANT (DANGEROUS PLACE TOO WORK ) MAKES YOU WONDER WHY THEY HAVE THEIR OWN AMBULANCE SERVICE LOCATED AT THE MILLS ! ( HANDY I GUESS )AND POST A NO LOST TIME BOARD AND AWARDS WHEN THE HAVE HAD MANY SERIOUS ACCIDENTS (WITH LOST TIME ) PERSONALLY KNOW OF 4 ,??? MAKES ONE WONDER !
CRIME (HUM HERE IS ANOTHER ONE FOR BOOKS )WITH THE UNIMPLOYMENT RATE THERE U HAVE CRIME ( DRUG' & DRINKING GOES RAMPED HERE AS DOES THEFT RATE )5 TIME PERSONALY ( 2 B&E 'S ONE WHICH HAD AN AREST BUT WAS OVERTURNED BY OUR LOCAL'S TOO A RECEING STOLEN MERCHANDISE )HOW MUCH DOES IT TAKE TO CONVICT THEM WHEN YOU VIDIO TAPE THE MAN SMASHING DOWN YOUR DOOR AND WATCH HIM GOING THROUGH YOUR HOME !THEN TAPED PAWNING YOUR STUFF ?OR SEEING LOCAL x WITH KNOWN DRUG DEALERS AS THEY SELL ON STREET CORNER ! HOUSING IN BLYTHEVILLE IS OVER PRICED FOR WHAT YOU GET (CRIME ,FLOODED STREET'S,POWER OUTAGES ,) GOSNELL IS BETTER OUT TOWARDS STEEL MILLS ARE OUTRAGIOUS ( LOOKS GOOD BUTT PORLY CONSTRUCTED HOME S,FOR PRICE'S AKING FOR )12 YRS THERE HAVE SEEN ALOT OF CHANGES AFTER THE MILITARY PULLED OUT HAVE BEEN JUST SUPPERFICIAL !TOWN IS HEADING FOR A BIG DOWNFALL (ALREADY HAPPENING JUST LOOK AT THE FORCLOSER RATE ! SCHOOL DROPOUT RATE ! CRIME RATE IF YOU CAN GET A REAL REPORT HE HE JUST TRY ! IF YOU DO RELOCATE I SUGEST TOO RENT A HOME IN GOSNELL OR ANY WHERE OUTSIDE OF CITY LIMITS !
GOOD LUCK
PS WHAT IS JOB YOUR LOOKING AT ?
ALLAN USAF RETIRED

[arguy1973]

I go to Blythville with my work every week, I cant hardly read the above post, but agree, dont move IN Blythville....instead try Gosnell, Dell, or on the other side of Int 55 is what Id suggest closer to Armorel. I know several peple who have moved out of Blythville for the reasons listed above.

[Stefano]

Which is the best place you'd suggest to live near Hickman (Blytheville)? I'll be moved there from my company and what I read is not so encouraging...Jonesboro seems a bit far. Let me know, thanks

[BlythevilleGal]

Walgreen's is coming here. We have New Jobs coming in. Wal-mart is talking about putting in a food distributing warehouse that will employee 300-400 people. We have 2 New Steel Meel's, not sure what it is called, but something to do with airplane's will employee 400-500 people is going to be out at the old airbase...
Now to the crime..... Yes, we have it here but its everywhere!! I have lived here most my life, and I believe in our city. Some say live in Gosnell or Armorel they have Crime there too, you just don't here about it like in Blytheville.. To be honest Crime is all over no matter where you choose to live crime is there, maybe not today but it somehow makes it way to reach everyone.
Schools are average. But go to this web site and click on the song Blytheville. It really says it all.... MySpace.com - Leigh Thomas - USAF Military Brat!, Arkansas - Americana / Blues / Rock - www.myspace.com/blythevillearkansas

[jesse56]

Dont move to Blytheville if you dont really have to , but if you have to move outside city limits such as armorel or dell/lone oak areas. As for shopping you can go either to jonesboro which is 45 minutes away or to memphis which is about an hour away.
As for Blytheville getting a walgreens big deal! Blytheville is very bad for crime for such a small town,drugs are very rampant and are sold out in the open, BPD does not do their job proper but what can you expect when city so called "leaders" are crooks and have been known to look the other way if you know what I mean

[ManzanoWolf]

In my opinion, Blytheville is a dying, crime-ridden community; it is my hometown and I fondly remember when Blytheville and Jonesboro were rivals. Unfortunately Blytheville had poor leadership and steadily lost population since 1970. Jonesboro had good leadership and steadily gained population since 1970. From the historical population figures below you can easily see that Blytheville has been in a decline since around 1970:

Blytheville: 1970 Census - 24,752
1980 Census - 23,844
1990 Census - 22,906
2000 Census - 18,272

Jonesboro: 1970 Census - 27,050
1980 Census - 31,530
1990 Census - 46,535
2000 Census - 55,515

It is not a place where I would choose to live!

IEA: Census State Data Center