Memphis to Chattanooga? (Knoxville, Charlotte: condos, travel, job)

[CB1976]

Hello all!

I may have the opportunity to transfer with my company from Memphis to Chattanooga. I visited Chattanooga last year for work and thought the city was very nice. Stayed d'town and thought the d'town area was great.

Memphis vs Chattanooga? Everyone's thoughts?

What areas of Chattanooga is good to live in?

Although I will possibly be transfering there, my roommate may come too. He hates Memphis! How difficult is the job market for someone to get a job?

I would greatly appreciate anyone's thoughts!

Thanks!!

[SPLIT]

CB; Early welcome. Many posts over the past week about the city growing with the medical industry and family values, outdoor receration. I was just at the large Resource center yesterday, very helpful and encouraging, many postings and you get link to computer site.
The city secret is really out, and downtown condo open reality tour last Sunday range $250K to $850K. A few mega's at $1.5 million.
We did just loose out the Toyota selection to Miss., but industrial site built for other co's.

[Pearlbob]

I live in Memphis and have visited Chattanooga. Just in the few days at a time there, it seems like this is 50x less to do there than here in Memphis. I personally would be bored. Just my thought, something to take into consideration when moving to a much smaller city.

[CB1976]

Things to do in Memphis? Like what? I have lived here all of my life pretty much. I'm 30 y/o and besides Beale St, Shelby Farms and pubs here and there what else does this city have. Oh yeah.....Wolfchase Gallery mall.

[jenicanoelle]

I agree with you CB. Memphis doesn't exactly offer much. If your a tourist it's a nice place to visit (Graceland, Mudd Island, etc) but after living here three years the only place I still go to is Shelby Farms. As far as nightlife goes, it can be downright dangerous to go out downtown in Memphis.

I've only been to Chattanooga once but of my breif tour of the downtown it seemed so much nicer, well kept and safer than Memphis. We went out to eat several times there and the restaurants were great. Just the fact that they are renovated their downtown shows that people care about their city there. The topography is much prettier than Memphis too.

Memphis just seems a lost cause with everything getting worse. I'd get out now while you still can. I plan on moving to a rural area near Chattanooga within the next six months.

A website that might help you compare the cities is Moderator cut: link removed. click on the the compare category and select Memphis and Chattanooga. It'll lay things out side-by-side and also show comments people have made about the cities.

[Pearlbob]

I realize that Memphis is crime-ridden and has horrible schools. I guess I was under the assumption that this poster is a younger person (he/she has a roommate). As a younger person myself, I like cities that offer a range of restaurants, bars, and things to do. Museums, parks, festivals, live music, zoo, etc, etc.

Downtown Memphis is the safest area of town. It's not dangerous at all. Again, older folks might not agree, but as a younger person, downtown is the hippest place to live in Memphis by far and has some of the most outstanding restaurants in town.

So I guess it depends on why you'd be moving or what you are looking for. Of course Chattanooga is safer than Memphis, of course they have better schools. But it's a smaller town and thus would have less variety. It's a small town, and as a younger person, I'd rather live in town with more to offer for now, and when I'm older and have kids, I'd rather live in a city like Chattanooga.

What exactly does Chattanooga offer in terms of things for younger folks to do at night and on the weekends? Just curious. The times I've been there we were really at a loss of what goes on a night, even after driving around town looking for things. Or even during the day - what is there to do besides the typical touristy stuff? I'd like to have a clearer picture for if we travel back.

[jenicanoelle]

I totally disagree with Downtown Memphis being safe. You really have to know where you're going. If you go a few blocks the wrong way you can end up in bad areas. Actually even in the nicer areas you have to watch yourself. I was parking my car on the street next to the Peabody and some guy who just got out of prison (he told me this) started following me around pressing me for money for bus fare. He started getting in my face and I had to duck into the Peabody to lose him. Not to mention being in bars on Beale street and the place being worked by hookers (no I am not guessing that they were hookers, they propositioned a male friend of mine).

I've only visited Chattanooga so I really don't know much about what kind of night-life it offers so maybe someone else can say more about that. I do know that they offer free live concerts every Friday night in the summer. They have plenty of restaurants. They also have an aquarium and an art district. A lot of Chattanooga's appeal though is the daytime outdoor activities. With the mountains/rivers/lakes if you enjoy the outdoors you'll be in heaven. However if that's not your thing, I could see you wanting a bigger city. I don't understand wanting Memphis as that bigger city though, I'd take Nashville over Memphis any day.

By the way, I am a younger person, I'm still in my 20s, so I think my opinion is valid for a younger person.

[Pearlbob]

Well, bums are all over any big city. I would never consider that to be unsafe, they are mostly harmless. They are more of an annoyance, and I guess if you aren't prepared, they can come off as scary. Just say, "NO" and they leave you alone. Gotta have a "city" mindset and be firm with people like that. It's like dealing with a dog...they sense fear and think they can get something out of you if they press you. That sounds horrible, but it's true. If you make it clear they're not getting anything out of you, they are not going to waste their time talking to you.

When you travel outside of downtown it get shady, but the inside of downtown, where all the tourists are, the bars, the clubs, the museums, the restaurants....people aren't buying $400,000 condos there because it's unsafe. The housing market downtown is insane; it's the place to be now. You can't find a new condo for less than $200,000 anymore.

And no doubt, I'd choose Nashville over Memphis too. It offers almost the same things to do, plus it's safer, has better schools, is cleaner, has an NFL team, a really good SEC school, etc etc. It's also closer to some major cities, like Atlanta.

[jkmewright]

Chattanooga during the warmer months has TONS to offer for entertainment. We offer family night outdoor movies. Live free music downtown. Tons of eateries and places to hang out. Most of this centers around the river downtown and I can imagine that anyone could find something to do. If not, we are app. 1.5 hours away from 3 major/larger cities (Atlanta, Knoxville and Nashville). I do hear many complaints about the job market here but I have never had a problem getting one that supported my family. I don't know anything about Memphis so I cannot compare. As far as areas to live, what's your ideal location (suburb/metro/rural etc) and maybe we can all help you more.

[jtah]

Originally Posted by Pearlbob

They are more of an annoyance, and I guess if you aren't prepared, they can come off as scary. Just say, "NO" and they leave you alone. Gotta have a "city" mindset and be firm with people like that. It's like dealing with a dog...they sense fear and think they can get something out of you if they press you.

That's a glowing review of Memphis!

Look, I'm 36, laugh all you want, I don't consider myself old yet. I'm done with Memphis. After college I moved to Denver, San Diego, LA, Charlotte, and now back to my childhood home. I have tried for 3 years, and it ain't happen'n.

It's a fact, there are at least a hundred cities better than Memphis, for so many reasons. If your job or family is why you are here, I get that. That's why I came back.

But life is too short.................