Possible move to KY... (Louisville, Valley Station: 2009, home, safe area)

[katethekitty]

Hello everyone,

Soo... my husband was just offered a civilian military contract job starting at 63K at either Fort Knox or Fort Campbell. Currently we live in a suburb of Baltimore, MD. The job won't start until sometime in 2009. We don't know exactly when yet. We are trying to decide if the move is even worth it.

First off we know nothing of KY, and second we are worried of major changes in environment we are accustom to. Baltimore/DC are large cities with many types of people and backgrounds. We are an Asian and black couple which is pretty much excepted here without issue or stares. We like diversity, have active liberal ideals, and would like to stay that way.

I'm suppose to delivery our first baby in about 2 weeks. So, schools are important to me for long term purposes... I don't want her to stand out like i did when i lived in rural western NY state. My husband is very worried we will stand out and deal with stares and harrassment on a constant bases.

All of his family still lives here in MD and my family are all still in NY state. He's very attached to his large family, so taking him away from that... I also worry about.

I plan to find work when i can if we do decide move there, but I would like to know if only one income of 63K will be enough to live off of with him, me, and the baby? We are used to the insane cost of living in MD and doing alright with only our combined 74K per year... not that we like the high cost of living. lol... but are used to it none the less. Taking the 11K drop scares me though.

We go to resturants, musems, movie theaters and other attractions often. When I have time I like bars and clubs (not strip clubs. Heh.) I also like places to go hiking and horseback riding. This is our type of lifestyle.

We would like to be no more than normal 30-45 min drive from a major city, but live in a very safe area where we don't have to worry about our cars or home being broke into. No gun shots in the middle of the night or people hanging around corners all hours of the day (This is Baltimore City, friends.). As you can probably tell, we don't like the "small town" feeling, and we also don't like the scary/noisy bustling of a major city (love to visit though) either, but do like to live in a populated but not over crowded suburb.

Soooo... what do you think??? Should we even consider moving in the first place? Is KY a nice and wonderful place? Is there more diversity than my husband thinks?

Thanks and Cheers,
Kate

[kingcopper]

if possible, commute from inner ring suburbs of Louisville to Ft. Knox. Louisville is kinda similar to Baltimore in many ways and is pretty dense, urban, and liberal. You'd love the Highlands, Crescent Hill, and possibly Audubon Park or Old Louisville. If you like 1950's style development, Southern Parkway and parts of Valley Station are pretty close to Ft. Knox.

[timelesschild]

Definitely listen to kingcopper. S/he is right on the money.

[Windwalker]

I'll third that.

I don't know Ft. Knox as well as Louisville, but I love Louisville, and I have many of the same values as you cite.

Having lived also in Nashville, I know something of where Ft. Campbell is. Hard core military town, and it's not nearly as pretty as Ft. Knox--more mountainous with deep valleys.

Of course, you'll have to make your own decisions.



I know something of western NY, too, and you probably did feel like a fish out of water.

I don't know about the schools in either place, which will be an issue in a few years, but not so much right now.

And best wishes on the arrival of your new one! I moved with my first one only a month old, and it was hard, though worth it.

[stxdreamer]

I live near Elizabethtown, which is close to Ft. Knox. Here are my thoughts on your questions.

First, I believe you can live as comfortably here on 63K as you have been in MD on 74K. I have lived in the D.C. area, as well as Chicago, and the cost of living here in central Kentucky is much lower.

Second, because of the proximity of Ft. Knox, the folks of Hardin County are very familiar with, and comfortable with, couples of different races and/or nationalities. There is a tremendous amount of diversity (especially for Ky) within Hardin County. Although I am caucasian, I interact daily with African-Americans and Asians, as well as Latinos and Hispanics. The Hardin County school system has a wide range of nationalities represented. I believe that your mixed marriage will not be a factor in how you are received here.

Third, there are good schools available. The Elizabethtown City schools are excellent, and the Hardin County system is not far behind, especially the county high school located in Elizabethtown (Central Hardin) and those elementary and middle schools that feed it. There are also good private "christian" schools available as well.

Louisville is an easy 40 minute drive from Elizabethtown and would provide you with the amenities you mentioned as desirable. As far as safety is concerned, you could not live in a safer place than Elizabethtown/Hardin County.

Feel free to send me a PM if you want more info.

[Reinheitsgebot]

Ft Knox is a great place to work and it sounds like you'd want to live outside of Louisville. I think the commute could be done in under 45 minutes and even 30 minutes depending on location. Your salary range will allow you to have an overwhelming choice in where to live and the cost of living is extremely reasonable. You can find everything from suburb cottages to McMansions in the area so be prepared and be open minded. I'll say this: the style of home you liked in MD may not be what you decide you want here, so be flexible. Also, I make no where that much and we are very happy just outside of E-town, but we like country living. If you like suburban living, I recommend checking out the outer Louisville suburbs. The drive from E-town to downtown Louisville is right about 60 minutes, so its not as convenient to go there with little kids if you enjoy big city dining or big city life in general. There are even commuter shuttles and buses from Louisville to post, so your spouse many not need to drive everyday.
I cannot comment on Kentucky, but I can say Hardin County and the Ft Knox area are very multi-cultural and you should in no way feel like your ethnicity will be an issue. Soldiers, Civilians and family members come in all shades, religions, and backgrounds and you will be made to feel welcome by many.
KY also is the horse capital of the world and you could even own horses here, something that would be extremely expensive back in MD.
Email if you like.

[johnsonkk]

First, if you are seriously thinking of moving, you should visit the area. It is much easier to visit than it is to move back once you're in Kentucky. If you get a choice, I'd def. choose Ft Knox since it does have Louisivlle nearby. Clarksville vs. Louisville is a short conversation.

Having worked and lived near Ft Knox in the 90's and then working in Louisville while still near Knox, it's very difficult to make it in 30 minutes, especially if you are talking the highlands area. I would still live in the highlands, but don't fool yourself into thinking it's a 30 minute drive.

Compared to Baltimore traffic, Louisville will be heaven. Believe or not, they don't have a TV channel dedicated to the traffic (DC-ers know what I'm talking about). You don't have to wait for the on-ramp's green light to get onto the freeways in Kentucky. The cost of living in Louisville is significantly lower than Baltimore so you'll be able to save money for private schools.

Best advice I can give is to visit before accepting the new job. I'm surprised that there are companies out there that still want to hire their new employees unseen.