East KY small town search (Lexington, Louisville: homes, school district, live)

[mrs1885]

Got an e-mail from a friend in NH. She's coming to visit in a couple weeks and will be looking at land while she's here. She sent me her list of things she's looking for in a town and asked if I knew of anything like that. She and I are polar opposites on what we're looking for, so I have no clue!! Here's her list. Anyone know of a smaller size town that sounds like this in either NE TN or any place in east KY??

good school, 45 mins to shopping, affluent people, and a golf course.

[EclecticEars]

Hmmmmmmm...

Schools: Pikeville Independent, Raceland-Worthington (near Ashland) are decent. Russell Independent (also near Ashland) is pretty good. Out of more than 60 school systems east of I-75, these are the only three even worth mentioning!

Shopping: Well, if shopping entails Macy's, Target, Dillard's, and other "non- Wal-Mart" establishments, then...

• Mt. Sterling, Owingsville, Stanton, Clay City, Mt. Vernon, and Irvine are all within 45 minutes of Lexington.
• Raceland, Greenup, Ashland, Louisa, Olive Hill, and Grayson are all within 45 minutes of Huntington, and 1 hr. 15 min. of Charleston.

If shopping means Von Maur, that will require a trip to Louisville. Neiman Marcus or Saks, go to Cincinnati.

Affluence: Pikeville and Greenup County (home of Raceland, Greenup, and it's near Ashland) are the only fairly affluent places east of I-75. Mind you, "affluent" is not the same here, nor is it really as extravagant, common, or even nouveau, as it is in places like the suburbs of Boston, DC, or Dallas. "Affluent" means some leftover old money from a few established local businesses, as well as Ashland Oil's engineers, former execs and supervisors, etc. Not that I care, really, but that's just what I've observed.

The only truly affluent areas of the state are found in pockets in and around Louisville, Lexington, Frankfort, and northern Kentucky.

Golf courses: What town doesn't have one?

By the italics you can tell where I'm going, right? Recommend the Ashland area.

[InLondon]

Originally Posted by jcm1986

The only truly affluent areas of the state are found in pockets in and around Louisville, Lexington, Frankfort, and northern Kentucky.

As usual you're wrong. Every area in the state has "affluent" areas. Hazard has a very affluent area near their hospital with a few million dollar homes high up on a hill. It also exists in other Eastern Ky towns. Louisville and Lexington has more simply because they're much larger.

[R_fluty41230]

All those homes belong to the mine owners and big wiggs in the local areas of the towns, you must not live here do you?...........just wonderin

[SchnauzerMom]

I've lived in the Ashland area for 10 years and love it. Was originally a city girl from up north and I don't even bother to go back up there anymore. If the Huntington Mall doesn't have it, I must not need it! Also, there is always online shopping. I hate leaving my hill.

[Jamie40829]

um why do you always fail to mention the harlan independent school district? they are continually ranked at the top of the state when it comes to academics..... and as for shoppping.... the eastside of the county is about 50 minutes or so from Kingsport and the tri cities area of Tennessee..... we can find just about anything we need there.