Houston, Knoxville, or Wilmington? (Bristol: real estate, insurance, crime rate)

[kschoice63]

Hi all,

I have been reading many different posts here, and first I must say how helpful the majority of the comments often are. I am writing because my fiance and I are relocating, based on his job, to one of the following areas: South/Southeast Houston, Texas; Southwest Knoxville, TN; or Southern Wilmington, NC. He already has job offers in each of these places, and I am a teacher, so I should be more likely to find a job in a US area than a more specialized professional might. My concerns are that we are going into this blind, not having visited any of these cities or areas. We are looking for the following:

-to buy a 3-4 bedroom home in a suburban area and set down roots, to later build a family there
-to have decent schools for me to find employment in, and later raise children in (I am a certified elementary teacher, special education teacher, and soon to be middle school mathematics teacher from NJ)
-to have a decent entertainment/social/cultural atmosphere (including festivals, shows, museums, nightlife, community sports/activities)
-a lower crime rate in the suburban areas that we would be living in

I know decent is a vague word, but I also recognize that none of these places is going to have the absolute best of all the things we are looking for. I appreciate any help or suggestions you can provide for any of these areas and our criteria.

Thanks again!

[Tennesseestorm]

Keep in mind the weather.... while winters are mild in Knoxville, especially when compared to the northern USA, its even more mild in Houston and Wilmington, but summers can be dreadfully hot and humid, but even in Knoxville as well. Hurricanes are major concerns in Houston and Wilmington. Wilmington is a very high target area, but its a beautiful city. I have been there once in 1994. My uncle lives in Raleigh and has business offices there in Wilmington. He took us on the grand tour and wouldnt you know, our first day there there was a tornado! We never saw it though... I think it was a actually a water spout, but never made it to land. I am not sure how much Wilmington has grown since 1994, but it has high southern appeal- as much as Houston... you have the beaches, Spanish Moss and palm trees. Of course there are also come of the latter as well in Knoxville in confined areas, but no beaches there of course.

Crime rate- you may want to check the data here on the city pages. If I was guessing, Knoxville would have lower crime rate than Houston or Wilmington, but there are some areas of Knoxville of concern.... from what I can make sense of, its mainly on the east side.

Good luck.

[wingate_john]

Hey I currently live in Wilmington, NC. Its a great place but the only thing is is the traffic and people cant drive. My girlfriend and I moved here in September from Delaware. Wilmington is great! I am moving to Colorado Springs, CO. though in May.

[Eat]

I wouldn't live in Houston under any circumstances. It is ugly and big oil controls everything. The last time I was there, an oil refinery blew up. What a mess. It is also a hurricane target.

Wilmington is nice, but it is smack dab in the middle of the hurricane belt.

I vote Knoxville.

[goodbyehollywood]

You are looking at three very different areas. I have lived in two of them and worked in the third.

Houston is a big city. It has more crime and traffic, but also more cultural opportunities and more jobs. You don't really have cold weather, but it's very humid.

Wilmington is an increasingly sophisticated coastal town. You have the beach, milder weather, but also the possibility of hurricanes toward the coast. You'll have less crime and traffic than Houston (though locals will tell you both are increasing), but there are many cultural events, nice restaurants and nice people. It's an artistic community, with a growing number of creatives and creative opportunities. There's still the humidity, but it's the South. You'll find an urban "city" vibe within a friendly coastal community.

Knoxville is not close to the beach, but there are lakes and you have the mountains. Crime and traffic are low-to-moderate, and there is a lot to do, but Knoxville has fewer cultural opportunities than the other two. I don't know why, but Knoxville has always lagged culturally, and though the city keeps trying, it just can't seem to really revitalize the downtown. Hopefully, that will change. Jobs are not as plentiful as in Houston and Wilmington. You have cold weather in the winter and humidity in the summer.

So, if you want a big, sprawling megapolis with all that offers and entails, choose Houston. If you want a mid-size, charming, growing, artistic coastal city, pick Wilmington. If you want a mid-size city with four seasons, lakes and mountains, select Knoxville. It's apples and oranges and the only way to choose one is to set priorities and choose accordingly.

Good luck!

[nitneylion]

I live in Wilmington and will say that the traffic is getting worse but nothing like a large city. I moved here 18 years ago from Cincinnati and Wilmington has grown a lot since that time.

Hurricanes? We have had about 5 or 6 but nothing bad. I left for the first few but remained for the last two, didn't even lose power.

The temperature is helped in the Winter and Summer by the effects of the ocean..... not as hot nor as cold as it is further inland. Snow, what is that?, you can go to the mountains.

Teachers are not as well paid as they are in the North but that is the trend in all of the South.

Housing is becoming more expensive because Wilmington is considered a desirable area and it is.


Consider it.....

[Tennesseestorm]

Very well put everyone!

I would vote either Knoxville or Wilmington, but its a matter of personal preference. If you choose Knoxville, the beach is only about a 6 hours drive. I live in Bristol (extreme NE Tennessee) and we can get to Wilmington in about 5 1/2 to 6 hours.. depending on construction, etc. I have not been to Wilmington since July 1994. I bet it has changed so much!

[hiknapster]

I think the beach is about 10 hours away. If anyone knows any different, please let me know. I'm dying to get to the beach, but my husband and I rarely have any time off.

[goodbyehollywood]

It's less than 10 hours, probably between 6-1/2 and 8, depending on which beach you go to and how fast you drive. My parents prefer the closer Florida beaches-- Seaside, Sandestin, etc. My brother likes Hilton Head. I like the OBX. They all have their own "style." Wrightsville Beach near Wilmington is the furthest. So, if you're a beachcomber, kschoice, choose Wilmington.

[piedmont]

Originally Posted by goodbyehollywood

So, if you want a big, sprawling megapolis with all that offers and entails, choose Houston. If you want a mid-size, charming, growing, artistic coastal city, pick Wilmington. If you want a mid-size city with four seasons, lakes and mountains, select Knoxville. It's apples and oranges and the only way to choose one is to set priorities and choose accordingly.

I think this is dead on. As a special ed teacher, you will be in high demand in NC, I know, and no doubt elsewhere as well. Personally, I don't find Houston appealing, but it is also the only true "city" IMO. I am a recent transplant from central NC to the Knoxville area. I think I will like Knoxville in time, but if you are a beach person and love the water, nothing beats the intercoastal waterway and the ocean! (no, dammed river lakes are not the same!).

Prices in Wilmington (off the water) have gone up, but I think it is still quite affordable--especially in today's market. Hurricanes happen with some regularity, so you'll need to think about that in relation to your home site/construction + insurance. Wilmington has a nice mix of locations, from the beach, intercoastal waters to coastal plain pine forests.

I think you need to do some traveling if you can't decide between these places! They all feel very different in person. You might actually get the most bang for your real estate buck outside Houston, if that is important to you.