Cookeville Information Needed (Knoxville: insurance, how much, house)

[robertavw]

I am considering a move to the Cookeville TN area and would like to know if anyone can point me to the following information:

1. General weather information

2. Employment and employers in the area.

[mrradio]

We moved here about three years ago and couldn't be happier. The climate is a four season one with fairly mild winters and warm but not oppressive summers. Due to inexpensive TVA electricity cooling the house is not an issue. It's nowhere near Florida's climate. We get perhaps six inches of snow a year although I've heard there have been occasional significant snowfalls over the years.

I'm retired and really can't address work/employment issues especially since I don't know what field interests you. The area is expanding due to a steady influx of people from Florida, California and the north moving here so both the retail and construction industries are quite strong as are ancillary areas such as transportation, health care, etc. You might also know that Cookeville is a university town with Tennessee Technological University's approximately 8,500 students so there are significant cultural/social/educational opportunities here as well.

If I can address specific issues, let me know.

[liz-arabi-la]

cookeville is another excellent place to relocate,even sparta or algood which are right next to cookeville, stay away from mcminnville, poor leadership, businesses closing left and right, high prpty taxes, infact stay away from warren county altogether if you are looking for work. coffee county is good,manchester ,tullahoma area good,variey of businesses,and more generating.

[TNLove]

Cookeville is nice but remember it's more of a stop off then anything else.

[firepower]

Originally Posted by TNLove

Cookeville is nice but remember it's more of a stop off then anything else.

You said that in another post TNLove. Obviously you've never been in Cookeville out of sight of the Interstate...
Cookeville is a "stopover",only because of the location(halfway between Nashville & Knoxville) but it's much,much more than that.
Cookeville is a progressive,growing small city that has a lot going for it!
Good leadership,low taxes(.88 cents in city,$2.34 in county,which includes all schools)Great Fire & Police protection,many nice parks(& more being developed),Very good economy(Although we have lost some factories to Mexico lately,like the rest of the USA).Low unemployment.What kind of employment are you looking for? It's a mecca for healthcare workers...Cookeville Regional Medical Center employs appx. 1300 and they are about to begin work on a new 6 story building there with 230 beds,so many many more jobs will come.
Jobs are also abundant in most all other areas except factory work right now but they're working hard to attract those.
If you haven't visited Cookeville yet,come by the Chamber of Commerce on 1st street.They can give you more info. Cookeville is a great choice!


firepower

[margarets12]

Originally Posted by firepower

You said that in another post TNLove. Obviously you've never been in Cookeville out of sight of the Interstate...
Cookeville is a "stopover",only because of the location(halfway between Nashville & Knoxville) but it's much,much more than that.
Cookeville is a progressive,growing small city that has a lot going for it!
Good leadership,low taxes(.88 cents in city,$2.34 in county,which includes all schools)Great Fire & Police protection,many nice parks(& more being developed),Very good economy(Although we have lost some factories to Mexico lately,like the rest of the USA).Low unemployment.What kind of employment are you looking for? It's a mecca for healthcare workers...Cookeville Regional Medical Center employs appx. 1300 and they are about to begin work on a new 6 story building there with 230 beds,so many many more jobs will come.
Jobs are also abundant in most all other areas except factory work right now but they're working hard to attract those.
If you haven't visited Cookeville yet,come by the Chamber of Commerce on 1st street.They can give you more info. Cookeville is a great choice!


firepower

Hi: It's been awhile since I've posted. I'm the one that moved into Cookeville the end of November. Firepower, I love that you love it here, I would like to love it here too. These are my problems with this area since I've come: My husband still has not found a job. In a place where everyone says that the construction is booming, my husband who has been in the construction business (heavy equipment) has sent out in excess of 50 resumes. He has visited all of the construction companies and left resumes. He has been upon visiting the construction companies that they require you to fill out an application online, which he has also done. He has not had any response to any of these applications or resumes. My husband is a certified heavy equipment mechanic with 40 yrs experience. He has a wonderful background and has left previous jobs with high recommendations from his employers. When we talk to people, they tell us not to send resumes, it is best to visit the companies, in other words be able to talk to someone face to face. Well, we would like to do that also, however since they don't know us and we have no one to say we were referred by, we are ignored. We have been to the career center several times without any success also. Well, I know I sound disgruntled and I guess that I really am. Without work for three months we are in a very precarious situation. The food here is more expensive than Florida, our auto insurance, which I was sure would be maybe half of what we paid in a very, very high density area, is 20 more a month, the electric is out of sight. I honestly don't know how the middle class lives here. Our top electric bill in Fl with air on constantly never was over 120, our bill last month was 175? We are only 2 people, we put the thermostat on 68, and we are cold, how can it cost that much? How do you people afford to live here? My husband even went so far as to apply at Kroeger's, definitely not a job that needed his qualifications, know how much they pay??? 5.75 an hour, what? I love our house, I love the area, I love the people, but please, if there is anyone out there that can help me justify these costs, I would greatly appreciate it. Also, we were told there was no state tax, which we assumed to be "sales tax", our mistake= what??? 9.75? And now we get notice that our water is going up 10%, like that's nothing. I guess maybe if we were retired we could make it, but believe me we didn't move here to get anything from any welfare, or any government, we just want to work, and would love for someone to give us an opportunity to do that. Thanks for letting me rant and rave. Margarets12

[PickedTN]

I'm glad you're sharing your story, Margaret. How awful that your husband still hasn't been able to find work. I too was shocked at the "starting pay" for jobs such as working at the university bookstore and other retail positions. In Phoenix, you could get at least $7-8/hr (which still isn't much) without trying too hard.

Although housing is less expensive here, I agree that food and utilities are fairly high. But our house must be better insulated, because we keep the thermostat at 70 during the day and our bills are about $150.

As for taxes, being in TN will make a favorable difference once your husband gets work, since he won't have to pay state income tax. Best of luck to you!