Good bad and ugly of these towns (Lexington, Louisville: crime, townhouses)

[Book Lover]

I have narrowed down my relocating to 2 states. Florida and Kentucky. Weird I know but I love the beach and I also love Ky and have friends there.

In Ky the few cities I have narrowed it down to are these

Elizabethtown
Frankfort
Georgetown
Henderson
Madisonville
Owensboro
Richmond
Winchester

Looking for somewhere with good schools,parks,lots of choices in shopping,reasonable crime rate,college in or near by the city.So have at it...why should I choose one over the other?

[Wardendresden]

Based on your criteria why wouldn't you consider Danville, Kentucky. It's laid back, has one of the best small liberal arts colleges in America and is chock full of beautiful deciduous trees.

Community Information
Welcome to Danville, Kentucky, the County Seat of Boyle County, a place of opportunity that 15,500 people and 900 businesses call home. Danville’s friendly people, safe streets, and active citizens have earned it a ranking in the One Hundred Best Small Towns in America. Also certified as a retirement community, Danville offers an exceptional quality of life compared to the hustle and bustle of a big city with crowded interstates.

We’re home to Centre College, a nationally renowned liberal arts & sciences college attracting students from all over the country, the Danville campus of the Bluegrass Kentucky Technical College, Kentucky School for the Deaf, two quality school districts, and excellent business resources. You will find in Danville “It is better here” with our numerous attractions, festivals, special events, landmarks, and accommodations.

It is always show time whether you attend a performance at the Great American Brass Band Festival, the West T. Hill Community Theater, the nationally renowned Pioneer Playhouse, or the premier performing arts venue in Central Kentucky, The Norton Center for the Arts. Also, be sure to enjoy one of the many exhibits or participate in one of the many activities at the Community Arts Center.

With abundant health care, great parks, and low state and local taxes, we invite you to explore our beautiful neighborhoods for the home of your dreams! The median home cost in the Danville area is an affordable $120,000, nearly $100,000 lower than the national median.

Danville offers a choice housing selection that can accommodate anyone’s taste or budget. Here you’ll find styles ranging from modest single-family homes and spacious ranches to lovely brick homes and luxury mansions. Townhouses are available at Charleston Greene and senior housing is offered at McDowell Place, Arnold Tower, and other locations.

Danville is the home of the Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center, a “modern 187-bed integrated health care delivery system that offers a full array of ancillary services and state-of-the-art procedures and techniques to the residents of a six-county area.” Affiliated with nearly 100 independent physicians in 26 specialties, Ephraim McDowell houses independent diagnostic and treatment centers for MRI, radiation therapy, oncology and hematology, and renal dialysis. The hospital also includes an assisted living facility; an early childhood learning and child care center; and the McDowell Wellness Center, which offers many health education and wellness programs.

City of Danville, KY - Official Website - Community Information

Just a thought from a long, gone Kentuckian

[Book Lover]

Had to look it up. Reason is its so far from an interstate. Are any of the others far from an interstate? Other than that danville sounds really nice.

[kygman]

Henderson is on the Pennyrile Parkway which will take you to I-69. I lived in Henderson for a while. This is one of those "go to" communities. All the smaller towns in the counties surrounding Henderson County go here for shopping. There are actvities and festivals all year. In June is the W.C. Handy Blues and BBQ Festival. W.C. Handy was a resident of Henderson. I could keep going along with John James Audubon state park honoring Mr. Audubon and his study and painting of birds. John James Audubon Evansville, Indiana, right across the river is where a lot of concerts are held.
You can check this site about what all is going on around Henderson. Henderson County Tourist Commission, Henderson, KY

[Wardendresden]

Originally Posted by Book Lover

Had to look it up. Reason is its so far from an interstate. Are any of the others far from an interstate? Other than that danville sounds really nice.

Well, if you need an interstate Elizabethtown puts you close to Louisville and Richmond puts you closer to Lexington. Both are fine small cities close to pretty good larger ones. My brother-in-law lives in Richmond and you couldn't drag him out of there with a John Deere tractor. I visited a couple weeks back and went to the NCAA tournament games in Lexington with him. Richmond has Eastern Kentucky University (where he graduated) and is not too far from U. of Kentucky in Lexington.

It's been a lot of years since I went through Elizabethtown but I don't believe it has a university located there. Several universities used to have small campuses there, and there may have been a community college of some sort.

Between the two I'd probably pick Richmond because it is closer to what I consider more scenic areas of Kentucky while still maintaining the amenities of city life in Lexington.

But there are no beaches in Kentucky---no hurricanes either! A few tornadoes now and then, but those are hit and miss and won't cover a 300 mile or more wide swath.

Good luck.

[Book Lover]

Sounds nice...I was hoping to narrow down my list a little lol...I have a friend that lives near Berea.

[Peter1948]

I would go with Elizabethtown. It is the most centrally located to both Louisville and Lexington and likely poised for the most growth. Etown wins this one, but I also like Georgetown too.

[CraigCreek]

Originally Posted by Book Lover

Sounds nice...I was hoping to narrow down my list a little lol...I have a friend that lives near Berea.

Why not add Berea to your list as well? It has all you are seeking, though it's a bit smaller than some of the other towns.

[kygman]

Just looked at your list of towns again. My son and his family live in Madisonville and they love it. It's a good place for young families. He recently got a great new job 45 miles from Madisonville and he prefers to drive back and forth than to leave Madisonville.

[Kamsack]

Originally Posted by kygman

Just looked at your list of towns again. My son and his family live in Madisonville and they love it. It's a good place for young families. He recently got a great new job 45 miles from Madisonville and he prefers to drive back and forth than to leave Madisonville.

I am from Madisonville (havent lived there since graduating HS back in 84) but my parents born and then most recently passed away in M'ville and have aunts/uncles there as well, so went back frequently up until 2009. Medical facilities are very good there and the community college there is good as well. Shopping and eating out...we always headed to Evansville Ind. That was our destination center often.... Madisonville is still heavily dependent on coal industry...though the town itself with its medical center and other things arent quite as bad off as would be the surrounding counties. It is a small town, not much going on, and cheap housing (at least from where I have lived previously). Shopping is limited however. If you like church, I considered a place growing up as a place where you went to church defined your friends. Southern Baptists are big there.... I grew up when the city and county were dry and I enjoyed that aspect of it. The police routinely raided the Eagles and other clubs for selling alcohol in the 70s and 80s. Kind of weird to me to go back and see alcohol sold in stores now.