Advice for rental, please (Lexington, Louisville: transplants, crime, house)

[o.c.]

Due to the general economic situation, I am looking for something away from Chicago, where I can cut rental costs and relax. I am thinking of a rural area or a small city in S. Illinois or Kentucky. We visited parts of KY last year and we were impressed, but at the time we had no plans of moving.

We are a family of five, so we are looking for at least 2BR+. I would like to find something in the order of $300-$500, now we are paying $900+ so I have no justification in keeping this place anymore.

We are not interested to find jobs in the area as we have other income. The only thing I would like is a relatively safe area where kids can go outside and enjoy nature.

Please recomend me some areas you think I should check out.

[The Village Idiot]

I think we need a little more information from you so that we can give you the best advice. What qualities are you looking for in a hometown? Is it important for you to live in an area with some of the best schools in the state, or would you prefer a safe, small town or rural area as long as the schools are at least okay? What types of activities do you and your family enjoy? Do you prefer the mountains or a flatter landscape?

Based on what you mentioned, the Ashland area could work for you. If you're not familiar with Kentucky geography, Ashland is located in the northeastern corner of the state, in the KY-WV-OH tri-state area. Housing here is very cheap...just the other day I saw a sign for a 4-BR house for rent for $499 a month. You can live in a rural area yet still be close to things like restaurants, movie theaters, malls, etc. Huntington, WV is also nearby and provides additional activities. The schools in the area are kind of mediocre. The Russell school district is probably a little better than the others, at least based on test scores. Ashland City schools and Boyd County schools are near the middle of the pack while some of the surrounding counties rank a little lower. I went to Boyd Co. in the mid-90s and felt that I was fairly well-prepared for college, so it is possible to grow up in eastern Kentucky and become a productive member of society. As far as the local economy is concerned, while the area is not exactly thriving, it is fairly stable. I believe the unemployment rate in Boyd County was at or just below the state average, which is not spectacular but is probably lower than almost every other county east of I-75. It sounds like you already have a secure income so this probably isn't a great concern to you anyway.

I'm sure there are lots of other places in Kentucky that would suit you. I'd advise you to list a few other characteristics you're looking for, and then we'll be able to point you in the right direction.

[o.c.]

Thank you for the answer. I will read more about the Ashland area based on your advice.
I am not concerned with the schools to much at this time, I would take anytime a safe, small town or rural area with OK schools, instead of a big city full of crime with the best schools in the world.
About the fun things, I enjoy biking, kayaking, fishing, outdoors, photography, my wife and kids enjoy riding horses and my big son would likes to play golf once in a while. Mountains or plains are OK.
The unemployment rate is irrelevant to our final decision.
I am thinking to make a trip to see Carbondale area in S. Illinois, and I want to continue going W to Ky.

[The Village Idiot]

Fortunately, it sounds like there are a ton of places in Kentucky that have what you're looking for. There are several lakes and state parks in the Ashland area. You'll also want to check out the Land Between the Lakes if you haven't yet. That's much closer to southern Illinois. Several people on this forum have spoken highly of Cadiz, which is in that region, but I haven't been there so I can't really comment on the town.

If you ever do decide to check out Ashland, you may also want to visit Morehead, which is about 40-50 miles west of Ashland on I-64. Morehead is a small college town that is close to a lot of outdoor activities such as Cave Run Lake, the Daniel Boone National Forest, Natural Bridge, and Red River Gorge. It's about an hour or so from Lexington, which is not a bad drive if you ever want to do something in a larger city. Well, Lexington won't seem like a large city compared to Chicago, but it's a large city by Kentucky standards.

I think you'll just need to visit parts of the state and find a place that works for you. It might also help to think about what kind of amenities you want nearby. Would your family like to live in a town that has a mall and movie theater, or would you be okay with having to drive half an hour to see a movie? What size town would be too big or too small? If you can think about things like these, it will help you narrow down your choices, because like I said, Kentucky has plenty of places that can provide what you're looking for.

[Davart]

Originally Posted by o.c.

Thank you for the answer. I will read more about the Ashland area based on your advice.
I am not concerned with the schools to much at this time, I would take anytime a safe, small town or rural area with OK schools, instead of a big city full of crime with the best schools in the world.
About the fun things, I enjoy biking, kayaking, fishing, outdoors, photography, my wife and kids enjoy riding horses and my big son would likes to play golf once in a while. Mountains or plains are OK.
The unemployment rate is irrelevant to our final decision.
I am thinking to make a trip to see Carbondale area in S. Illinois, and I want to continue going W to Ky.

Check out Graves Co south of Paducah in WKY, the schools are top notch, check greatschools.com for reports. The cost of living is low, near the LBL for tons of out doors stuff to do, nearby shopping and a safe area to live. Most of the schools have a 100+ rating and the rest are in the high 90's. Rent is cheap and really it's cheaper to buy a house than rent, property in cheap and it cost less to live in the county than in the city (taxes and utilities).

I use to live in Chicago so it will be a huge change of pace for you, but it's not a bad one. Were I live you don't have to lock your doors, you can leave your keys in your car, and windows open and not worry about it.

The area is friendly and has many transplants so you don't have the "outsider" effect going on.

[o.c.]

Thank you all for the advices. Last year we visited Louisville and Frankfort areas and we like it a lot, but the time spent there was to short. This year we will go down to S. Illinois and from there to Paducah area. After that we will keep going towards Lexington. Morehead is not far. Being close to Boone National Forest is a plus. Then Ashland. Lets see what my wife will like

True, buying is sometime cheaper then renting but I would like to live somewhere at least 6 months before considering that option.

[The Village Idiot]

If you have the chance to travel across the whole state, you are very fortunate. I wish I could do that, myself. Hope you enjoy it!

[o.c.]

The weather is not looking to good for the planed trip right now, unfortunately we will have to wait.