Should we relocate to Bowling Green, KY (Martin: amusement park, new home)

[Missy828]

My husband currently is working at the General Motors plant in Wilmington, DE. The future of the plant is looking glum. We feel that within the next year or two the plant will be shutting down which will force us to move. He was already forced to move from the Baltimore plant, when they closed the doors there, to the Wilmington plant back in 2006. We are looking ahead and he has put in for a job transfer to any of these four plants. Lordstown, OH, Bowling Green, KY, Charotte, NC, and Martinsburg, WV. What I'm asking for is for any information about these areas that will help us in deciding what area would be best for our family. We currently live in the York, PA area and my husband drives 1.5 hours to work everyday. We have a colonial style 3 bedroom home worth about $230,000 located on an .17 acre lot and we pay about $3,400 in property tax every year. If we are to relocate we would like to find a new to fairly new 4 bedroom home that is close to the gm plant (no more 1.5 hour drive), with about 1-2 acres of land, priced around $250,000 or lower, low property taxes, within an excellent school district. We have two children. One is currently in first grade and the other is to begin kindergarten this fall. The school district that our children would attend is very important to me. I would also need to be able to get a job as supportive staff member or guest teacher within the same school district our children attend. Here in PA kindergarten is only half day unless there is a need for all day. If any one knows how kindergarten is ran in any of the states we are looking at please let me know. If anyone knows how the cost of living in any of these states compares to living in York, PA please let me know. (ei. housing, groceries, utilities, etc) Also, I would like to be close to a Walmart and a grocery store. I don't want to have to drive 30-45 minutes do the weekly shopping. Any information that will help in our decision as to where to move is greatly appreciated.
Thank You!

[bw87a]

i'm probably not the one to provide lots of census data and information of that sort, but i can say that bowling green is a very happening place. the area is growing at a steady pace and it is acquiring many new restaurant chains and shopping destinations. it has a lot of your common places you'd expect, because it is a regional hub for health care, shopping, and dining.

[Missy828]

How is the property tax in the area on a 4 bedroom home with some land? Would we be able to find a fairly new home for around $250k or less? And how is the schools in the area?
Thank You!

[dixiegirl7]

I live in Bowling Green and I am a realtor here. Property taxes vary whether you live in the county or the city or in an annexed area. The least tax is in the county. You should be able to find a house in your price range in or around Bowling Green. Any place you move in the county will only be at the most a 25 or 30 minute drive to the GM plant. If you move on the north side of town, a 10 - 15 minute drive. I-65 runs across Bowling Green and there is an exit right out by the GM plant. The GM plant here might be more stable than some because they are moving two more lines of car models to this plant. Right now they make Corvettes and the Cadillac sports car...I don't know the name of it. In the next few years they will be making two more types of GM cars. Your husband probably knows all of this.

There are two school systems here, Warren County Schools and the Bowling Green Independent School system and both are very good. Kindergarten is all day here.

Here is a link for property tax info. The cost of living here is likely less than where you live now.

Real and Personal Property Taxes - Bowling Green, KY - Official Municipal Web site


If I can answer anything else, please let me know.

[Missy828]

Do any of the townships in the area offer youth soccer and football? Both of our children are very involved in sports within our township and I would like them to be able to continue to play soccer and football and maybe even basketball during the winter. I have an almost eight year old son and an almost 5 year old daughter.

Also is there a public/community pool that we could join for the summer? We currently have a pool membership at a pool close to our house here in PA. My kids and I spend a lot of time at the pool during the summer. They love being able to socialize with their friends there while school is out for the summer.

[dixiegirl7]

Bowling Green has a very good parks and rec both in the city and the county that offer football, basketball, soccer, baseball. There is a huge soccer complex in town also that brings in a lot of travelling soccer teams and tournaments. We have several pool options, there is a nice new water park with pools and various slides, two country clubs and then some smaller private swim clubs you could join. Beech Bend Amusement Park also has a large pool.

[southernky]

you come here and you'll fall in love with southern hospitality and cooking...... We've a major university and fast growing city, but there's still ample natural beauty all around the county and surrounding area to enjoy, and a much warmer climate than delaware or pa offering more exotic flora and fauna. It might be more humid than what you're used to, we're in a humid subtropical climate zone