Moving near Harrodsburg Kentucky area (Lexington-Fayette, Lexington: middle-class, crime rate, houses)

[arody]

We have been looking at communities near the Harrodsburg area. We would like to have up to a 30 minute commute to Harrodsburg area for work. We have teenage kids and are used to living in small town near bigger cities. We hope to find neighborhoods both friendly and quiet (not too quiet) but not too far from shopping, hospital, and entertainment. Can anyone suggest areas to begin looking for houses.

[homiej]

Lexington isn't that big, check it out. Also, Nicholasville and Versailles. Danville?

[EclecticEars]

Originally Posted by homiej

Lexington isn't that big, check it out. Also, Nicholasville and Versailles. Danville?

Harrodsburg - NO! Fairly well preserved historic core, cute downtown, Old Fort Harrod and beautiful countryside are its perks, so it's not all bad. But you'll literally step 20 years back in time (you already are stepping back ten years when you set feet on Kentucky soil, anyway). Yes, you still see mullets and four confederate flags on pickup trucks; not that this isn't indicative and endemic of many small towns in Kentucky, it just seems to be more so in Harrodsburg. Plus, talk to the locals: even they'll tell you that their Mercer County Public Schools are abysmal.

Lexington - Generally yes, but what is the original poster's definition of "big cities" and "small towns?" They should elaborate. Lexington-Fayette County has right at 300,000 official population and, in fact, swells to some 325,000-340,000 when UK, Transy, Sullivan, and BCTC are all in session. Fayette Co. Public is generally a decent school system by Kentucky standards. Easy to be in the country from anywhere in the city in 15 minutes, 30-40 minutes in bad traffic.

Nicholasville - No. Dump fest, just an overgrown, poorly planned excuse of a cowtown with very little preserved historic core. In other words, an Eastern Kentucky town in the heart of Central Kentucky. Jessamine County has poor quality schools, too. Nicholasville is kind of like Harrodsburg, but larger and worse.

Versailles - I guess. Nice town with a lot of history, emphasis on historic preservation, six miles from Lexington's Bluegrass Airport yet still has a very rural, small town Kentucky feel. Woodford Co. Schools are good by Kentucky standards which isn't necessarily saying much. Property more expensive than surrounding counties b/c of concentration of developments and ownership of expensive horse farms and lusher land by the wealthy from all over the world.

Danville - Yes! One of my favorite small towns in the state. Good (relatively) public schools, reasonably priced housing and land, more educated population than surrounding towns b/c of the wonderful Centre College, one of the nation's best liberal arts colleges. Highly, highly recommend!

Other towns:

Burgin - Not a bad little town, just kind of isolated out in Mercer County. Nice setting. I think Burgin Independent Schools are just kind of mediocre, which is a step above Mercer County Schools (but I'm not sure if the dynamics have changed in the last 5-6 years).

Frankfort - Look into it. A lot of great attributes, between Lex. and Louisville. Public schools are total crapola (pardon lack of eloquence), so that alone is enough for me to cancel out any possibility of raising a family there.

Wilmore - Much like Danville; in fact, it's almost like Danville's little brother. Asbury College is a peer (in size) to Centre and a fine Methodist college. The newly-widened US 68 north gives you great access to Lexington; the old US 68, as well as current US 27 out of Nicholasville, could/can be real PITAs. US 68 south from town toward Harrodsburg and Danville can still be very difficult, however. The biggest problem with Wilmore is the fact that it's in Jessamine County, so you have the schools; if not for that, Wilmore would be catapulted to the top five in all of Kentucky to raise a family, in my opinion.

Georgetown - Read: Frankfort. Difference is its location b/t Lex. and Cincinnati instead.

Stay away from:

Richmond, although some would really disagree.

Winchester: Not much better than Lawrenceburg, below.

Lawrenceburg: They have a resident Abraham Lincoln and Col. Sanders impersonator, a Frank Beard-looking (from ZZ Top) character was forced to eat his own beard at knifepoint in a lawn mower dispute, and they have a food court-turned-Japanese-restaurant-turned-greasy-spoon that has since been closed by a white trash "lady" owner from Eastern Kentucky who can't manage restaurants. I'm making none of this up. Anderson County is also always in the top ten (or 8%) in the state in median household income and the city and county still generally looks poor; a result of little genuine community pride. This is all that you need to know about Lawrenceburg.

[homiej]

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

Harrodsburg - NO! Fairly well preserved historic core, cute downtown, Old Fort Harrod and beautiful countryside are its perks, so it's not all bad. But you'll literally step 20 years back in time (you already are stepping back ten years when you set feet on Kentucky soil, anyway). Yes, you still see mullets and four confederate flags on pickup trucks; not that this isn't indicative and endemic of many small towns in Kentucky, it just seems to be more so in Harrodsburg. Plus, talk to the locals: even they'll tell you that their Mercer County Public Schools are abysmal.

All Kentucky public schools are abysmal.

Lexington - Generally yes, but what is the original poster's definition of "big cities" and "small towns?" They should elaborate. Lexington-Fayette County has right at 300,000 official population and, in fact, swells to some 325,000-340,000 when UK, Transy, Sullivan, and BCTC are all in session. Fayette Co. Public is generally a decent school system by Kentucky standards. Easy to be in the country from anywhere in the city in 15 minutes, 30-40 minutes in bad traffic.

Very bland, overgrown, though. If you chopped off everything outside of New Circle I'd have much greater appreciation for it.

Nicholasville - No. Dump fest, just an overgrown, poorly planned excuse of a cowtown with very little preserved historic core. In other words, an Eastern Kentucky town in the heart of Central Kentucky. Jessamine County has poor quality schools, too. Nicholasville is kind of like Harrodsburg, but larger and worse.

I'd hardly go that far, Jessamine County Schools are improving. I took a few classes at JCTC and left with several IT certifications. East wasn't bad for the two years I was there, but not good either. Still a KYPS. Bad drug problem, sadly.

Versailles - I guess. Nice town with a lot of history, emphasis on historic preservation, six miles from Lexington's Bluegrass Airport yet still has a very rural, small town Kentucky feel. Woodford Co. Schools are good by Kentucky standards which isn't necessarily saying much. Property more expensive than surrounding counties b/c of concentration of developments and ownership of expensive horse farms and lusher land by the wealthy from all over the world.

It's definitely a much nicer commute than any other suburb of Lex. but is also much more expensive. Better schools than most, very well kept town for the most part.

Danville - Yes! One of my favorite small towns in the state. Good (relatively) public schools, reasonably priced housing and land, more educated population than surrounding towns b/c of the wonderful Centre College, one of the nation's best liberal arts colleges. Highly, highly recommend!

I fail to see the obsession with Danville. Too far to commute to central KY's major job center, the only higher education is Centre (very overrated, snobby 4 year school that few outside of KY have heard of). Still has KYPS.
Other towns:

Burgin - Not a bad little town, just kind of isolated out in Mercer County. Nice setting. I think Burgin Independent Schools are just kind of mediocre, which is a step above Mercer County Schools (but I'm not sure if the dynamics have changed in the last 5-6 years).

Never lived there or have even been there.

Frankfort - Look into it. A lot of great attributes, between Lex. and Louisville. Public schools are total crapola (pardon lack of eloquence), so that alone is enough for me to cancel out any possibility of raising a family there.

Frankfort's public schools aren't THAT bad. There is a hint of eastern Kentucky in the appearance and demeanor and this is both good and bad. Good in the beauty, topography of the natural landscape, bad in the Confederate flags and couches in lawns.

Wilmore - Much like Danville; in fact, it's almost like Danville's little brother. Asbury College is a peer (in size) to Centre and a fine Methodist college. The newly-widened US 68 north gives you great access to Lexington; the old US 68, as well as current US 27 out of Nicholasville, could/can be real PITAs. US 68 south from town toward Harrodsburg and Danville can still be very difficult, however. The biggest problem with Wilmore is the fact that it's in Jessamine County, so you have the schools; if not for that, Wilmore would be catapulted to the top five in all of Kentucky to raise a family, in my opinion.

I spent a few years right down the road. You're not even allowed to wear shorts on Asbury's campus. It's less Methodist and more radical Bible-thumper which radiates through the town.

Georgetown - Read: Frankfort. Difference is its location b/t Lex. and Cincinnati instead.

Georgetown is Toyota and Georgetown College, a less radical, well respected (but still little known) 4 year school. It's right on the interstate and one could commute to Lexington comfortably but also northern Kentucky.
Stay away from:

Richmond, although some would really disagree.

Madison county has some of the best public schools in America and has proximity to both Berea (an arts-centered college town) and Lexington. It's home to EKU and while the housing stock either isn't much or is very expensive, offers a true college-town experience.

Winchester: Not much better than Lawrenceburg, below.

I'd say it's much better than Lawrenceburg in terms of education. It's growing, well kept for the most part.

Lawrenceburg: They have a resident Abraham Lincoln and Col. Sanders impersonator, a Frank Beard-looking (from ZZ Top) character was forced to eat his own beard at knifepoint in a lawn mower dispute, and they have a food court-turned-Japanese-restaurant-turned-greasy-spoon that has since been closed by a white trash "lady" owner from Eastern Kentucky who can't manage restaurants. I'm making none of this up. Anderson County is also always in the top ten (or 8%) in the state in median household income and the city and county still generally looks poor; a result of little genuine community pride. This is all that you need to know about Lawrenceburg.

Someone is bitter. I'm not a fan of it, as it isn't the most characteristic or beautiful of places, but... damn.

[EclecticEars]

Originally Posted by homiej

All Kentucky public schools are abysmal.

Very bland, overgrown, though. If you chopped off everything outside of New Circle I'd have much greater appreciation for it.

I agree with you, it is bland outside of New Circle. Although "old" Lexington inside New Circle has much more character and better quality homes with more historically beautiful architecture. There's even some charm in those 40s-50s just-post-WWII ranch homes that the more modern stucco/vinyl/cardboard homes outside of New Circle generally have.

I'd hardly go that far, Jessamine County Schools are improving. I took a few classes at JCTC and left with several IT certifications. East wasn't bad for the two years I was there, but not good either. Still a KYPS. Bad drug problem, sadly.

JCPS maybe improving, but it's like taking a pocket knife to an otherwise rotten apple and cutting off the brownest area. Sucky is sucky.

It's definitely a much nicer commute than any other suburb of Lex. but is also much more expensive. Better schools than most, very well kept town for the most part.

This is your reference to Versailles: Agree. Woodford Co. Schools are still Kentucky public schools, so Kentucky's "good" is a relative term.

I fail to see the obsession with Danville. Too far to commute to central KY's major job center, the only higher education is Centre (very overrated, snobby 4 year school that few outside of KY have heard of). Still has KYPS.

Centre may be overrated, but in a state that is otherwise a joke for education, PS-12 and postsecondary, then any positive we can extol is tremendous! Snobby, yes, and away from Kentucky, Cincinnati, and maybe Southern Indiana and urban Tennessee, no one has heard of or cares about it. But the educated class mixed with blue collar factory types gives the town a stable, diverse economy and it is still fairly easily commutable to Lexington.

Frankfort's public schools aren't THAT bad. There is a hint of eastern Kentucky in the appearance and demeanor and this is both good and bad. Good in the beauty, topography of the natural landscape, bad in the Confederate flags and couches in lawns.

Agree with your EKY appearance comments. If you cut out Frankfort east of Wilkinson Blvd. and north of East Main St., you'd get a much nicer overall community. However, Downtown Frankfort and some of the established neighborhoods on the west and east ends are solidly middle- to upper middle-class with well kept yards and an educated populace that is also multigenerational local. You can do much worse even in Central Kentucky.

I spent a few years right down the road. You're not even allowed to wear shorts on Asbury's campus. It's less Methodist and more radical Bible-thumper which radiates through the town.

Hmmmmm...thanks for the tidbit, I didn't know that. I still think Wilmore's a nice town, though. Even though it has nearly grown into Nicholasville and even Lexington, it still has a very country, rural, almost isolated feel to it. Given a town of its size it is rather underdeveloped, so you still have to drive into Nicholasville just for many basics.

Georgetown is Toyota and Georgetown College, a less radical, well respected (but still little known) 4 year school. It's right on the interstate and one could commute to Lexington comfortably but also northern Kentucky.

True about Georgetown.

Madison county has some of the best public schools in America and has proximity to both Berea (an arts-centered college town) and Lexington. It's home to EKU and while the housing stock either isn't much or is very expensive, offers a true college-town experience.

MCPS has some of the best public schools in America? Says who?!!! I'll concede that some MCPS elementary schools, as well as the tiny Model Lab School, are fine, but MCPS middle and high schools are the pits. Berea has Berea College which, IMO, is the truly best college, public or private, in all of Kentucky. Richmond does offer a true college town experience, but the bar, nightlife and locally-owned shopping and dining options expected in college towns are rather limited for this city of 30,000 (that swells to 50,000 when EKU is in session); it's relegated to almost all chains.

I'd say it's much better than Lawrenceburg in terms of education. It's growing, well kept for the most part.

Winchester has improved, but parts of East Winchester are kind of run down from when I last saw it 5-6 years ago. Clark Co. Public Schools were abysmal at one time; my father worked in the system in the late 1990s and the quality of education, parent-system relationships, overall quality of students, and system and school leadership were all just awful even by Kentucky standards. I hope CCPS has improved, but I honestly doubt it.

Someone is bitter. I'm not a fan of it, as it isn't the most characteristic or beautiful of places, but... damn.

I've LIVED in Lawrenceburg. You're right, it isn't the most characteristic of places. Not visited, LIVED. For 17 years. I use "LIVED" in the loosest sense of the word; I attended K-12 there and resided, but I know I would NOT raise a family there due to the abysmal public schools. People are superficially warm, engaging and friendly to a tee, but I have very few true friendships from there even at a young. Quite honestly, I could look anybody in the eye and tell them I'm not bitter...and I'm really not.

I just spent much of my Christmas vacation in L'burg and it was a great visit. However, the planning, zoning, leadership, developers, development, and "foresight" of the town have taken a charming, steadily growing community and turned it into a lackidasically-planned, junky looking town just over the last 15 years. It's actually sad. I was glad to leave.

My responses to homiej are above in bold.

Originally Posted by pj1964

I've researched some cities in Kentucky/Tennessee to move to. I'm in Texas as of now. I am interested in hearing from locals, but......with all due respect, it seems EclecticEars, who lives where it's mild during the day but cool at night (?), seems to have a lot of info, but, seems to be a tad biased. How about some good things too? Surroundings. Recreational opportunities. Weather. Employment/unemployment. Crime. Things like that? Anybody?

I do have a lot of knowledge about Central Kentucky and I absolutely call things as I see them. A little biased? On occasion, but the vast majority of Kentucky forumers will call me factual. I now live in California, BTW.

Be more specific here: What are you looking for in surroundings? Rec. opportunities?

Weather in KY and TN are similar, although there's usually a 5-10 degree temperature difference between Covington, KY and Memphis, TN.

Employment/unemployment are better in Tennessee, although in Kentucky you might have your best success around Lexington or Bowling Green.

Kentucky has the tenth lowest violent crime rate in the United States. Tennessee is in the top 15 in violent crime thanks mostly to the worst-of-the-worst in Memphis and Nashville. In Kentucky, West Louisville takes the cake in violent crime rate, and it's pretty bad. North Lexington, Southcentral Covington, West Newport, and the Beltline area of Paducah have absolutely nothing on West Louisville. West Louisville has NOTHING on the bad areas of Houston, Dallas, Memphis, or even Nashville, Beaumont, or San Antonio.

[homiej]

I totally misspoke on MCPS... America... hardly... I was primarily referring to Model Lab which is semi-private.

[CraigCreek]

Calm down, pj1964. Neither you nor EE are trolls.

The portion of EE's message you quoted above is actually quite moderate, and he's broadened his views of Kentucky considerably after moving to California recently. It's true that previoiusly he sometimes - shoot, frequently! - saw Kentucky and Kentuckians through very jaundiced glasses, but he's obtained some eyeglass cleaner out in California recently and has a more accurate perspective most of these days.

For what it's worth, I agree with EE's passages you quote above. And EE and I have rarely agreed about much in the past, though we've kept it pretty civil and respectful.

You'd be well-advised to do the same, so please simmer down and you'll get along better here - thanks.

[CraigCreek]

pj, I just responded to your PM - my response will suffice for your post immediately above this one.