What are the most over- and under-rated cities in Kentucky and why?

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by klwilson 60

The description of Florence as a city/town/hamlet/suburb or whatever thas has failed to manage its growth is chilling. Have their state leaders visit ORLANDO, pronto, to see their future in a few years. We have no decent metro transportation. You can't walk anywhere safely. (Cars, I mean.) the main commuter road, I-4, is a parking lot during both rush hours. Our schools are underfunded. Yet we are building three new giant structures downtown to draw more people downtown so I-4 can spend ALL day as a parking lot. It seems that any green patch is seized and plowed over for more houses, strip malls, or hotels. You might pull up Orlando as a mid-sized city but there is no break between Orlando and the towns surrounding it--Winter Park, Kissimmee, Altamonte Springs, Apopka and Windemere. It is actually one giant metro area of over 1 million people. This may be Florence's future if steps are not taken NOW to plan for growth and how it will be managed. I lived in Orlando in the 60s --before Mickey--and it was entirely different only ten years later after Disney had been open a few years. Sprawl can get away from a town too quickly. Orlando is now one of the most violent cities in the country--and deserves to be on that list. I would hate to see the same thing happen to any of Kentucky's beautiful places--and that includes the west part of the state as well as the east.

I underdstand your frustration, but there is so much wrong with your post. I have lived all over the country and have just accepted a job in central Florida. I am from Chicago, and I love urbanity, and Florida certainly lacks this. But...there are worse places. Why spend money in older areas? As you noted, downtown Orlando is the saving grace of the metro area. And orlando has been a large metro area for some time. It passed Louisville's metro in the last 10 years and is now coming in around the same size as Cincy's metro area, of which NKY is inextricably linked. In fact, if you look at an aerial, Cincinnati to Dayton covers just as large an area as Tampa to Orlando. Growth is good, but uncontrolled and poorly planned sprawl is not.

[Cav Scout wife]

Originally Posted by sandman1

I hope this was a joke. Owensboro as an underrated city has to be a joke. That city is slowly declining and has so for years. As far as the big riverfront development I will believe it when I see it. The people hate change there and just recently voted down a major development with a mall, movie theater etc. It looks run down...the executive inn is a mess and closed not to mention that weird sphere building that is abandoned and is an eyesore. I think it used to be a hotel as well. It is an industrial town and has factories and industry basically in downtown and all over the place. If being 30 minutes away from Evansville is something to brag about then you have made my point for me. (more like 45 minutes). The schools I won't argue with they are good but when the kids grow up and leave for college not many want to return after. My wife went to UK and she nor her friends have any desire to return. There is nothing to do. No sports teams to follow other than high school and you may as well live in Siberia because it is in the middle of nowhere. The people of the city are very proud of it and very kind people but it is one of the last places in the state minus eastern kentucky that I would want to live. Maybe it will change but its location hurts it and with no real airport service not many buisnesses are going to bring their companies their just to drive to louisville or nashville to catch a flight. To each their own but the E is a great example of what is going on with the city. At one time it was wonderful and vibrant but it slowly declined and failed to update and upgrade just like the city. The E is closed and the town is stagnant. So I would vote most overrated is Owensboro.

Eh, I disagree; it's not that bad. Good schools, great golf courses, the BBQ fest yearly, lower crime than some cities the same size or smaller. Yeah, the area is stuck in it's ways, but all in all it could be MUCH worse.

And yes, E-ville is nasty, lol.

[Cav Scout wife]

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

Calhoun was placed on my list for: (1) it being a clean town, (2) it seems to have preserved its history quite well throughout the years, and (3) McLean County Public Schools are, judging by test scores, among the very best small county systems in the state, if not the nation.

MCPS are good schools!

I do like the county as a whole, and it is nice to not have to worry about big crime or anything like that, and you are in the middle of everything and nothing.

Louisville is a few hours away, as well as Nashville, St. Louis, and Indy.

Henderson, IMO is an underrated city as well.

[gocards1289]

I think Pikeville is underrated. Its not very big (has a population around 6,000 or so) but has a dense, almost urban feel to it due to it being basically being tucked in a valley. It has a nice downtown for a city of its size with several 5-story plus buildings (tallest is 10 stories) and some historic areas/neighborhoods, plus a really nice new civic center with a 7000 seat arena. Its attracted quite a few concerts and events, with Alan Jackson playing a concert there a few weeks ago. Pikeville also have a nice, fairly new medical center.
The main highway through there is US 23 which is definitely a good road (its 4 lanes during its whole length in KY and much of it is recently rebuilt, goes from Ashland, KY to Pound Gap at the VA state line).
Of course its in a very pretty area with some impressive rock cuts where they've built new sections of highway.
Due to Pikeville being located in eastern KY it often gets a bad image, but that is definitely not the case.

[wildcat11]

I grew up in Mt. Sterling, and I would say it is often looked over. It's far enough from Lexington to still retain it's small town attitude, but close enough to Lexington (and not too far from Cincinnati and Louisville, either) to draw on their resources. I've also lived in Bowling Green and Morehead, and live in Lexington now. I have to say, I love Lexington the most, but a lot of that comes down to personal preference. I HATED living in Bowling Green... literally, it's only redeeming quality was being so close to Nashville. Morehead is a unique town, too, if you're looking for a small town.

Overall, I would say that Mt. Sterling is one of the most underrated towns in KY, and Bowling Green is the most overrated.