What is it like to live in Tunica? (Olive Branch, Memphis: real estate, apartment)

[bulldogtech]

My husband and I (both Special education teachers) are considering accepting teaching positions in Tunica, MS. We have been reading the many threads that lead us to believe we may wish we had not moved to the area. Anybody out there from Tunica? What do you really think of the area? What is the average rent for a 2 bedroom apartment or house?

[andy4472]

My wife & I visited the Memphis area back in 2002. We stayed with my Aunt who lives in Olive Branch ,Ms. It's only 12 mis or so from the state line. I was pretty impressed with the area over all. We didn't make it to Tunica but others talked like it was a pretty neat place. You know they have Casinos & lots of entertainment. I think a lot of it is family oriented tho. They have a special deal for 50's & over in Oct I believe. They also have many of the "older" entertainers which would indicate they should have an older more settled type of tourist. Olive Branch was growing & had a small town feel. One of my favorite things about the area was how close you are to so many different things! Memphis not that far. Tunica with all the entertainment. Yet you can live in a smaller town if you like & still be convenient to these other areas. Depends on what you like & are looking far? I think Tunica (the Town) itself is pretty small & probably quiet. So this opinion is from a visitor but the cost of living seems very reasonable too. Do some research & try to find what would be the most strategic area to live in considering your work.,etc. I took time to respond because we had considered that area ourselves & did a little research. Best of luck, Andy4472

[onenautiboy]

Please note: The casinos are in Tunica Resorts, MS NOT Tunica. I go through Tunica on a regular basis. Not a bad place, very small, very poor. Nearby cities are a much better choice. Just over the line in DeSoto county is like a whole different world. It is not my cup of tea, but you need to look inot it and decide for yourself.

[mswebb06]

Yes, the resorts are acutally in Robinsonville, Ms (please correct me If I am wrong). Tunica county once was the POOREST county in America, lots of farmers and cotton fields. Personally, I would jump over into Desoto county myself, unless you would like to live in a smaller, poorer, city.

[TimtheGuy]

Tunica would be a DREADFUL place to teach. When I moved to MS (Desoto Co.) back in the early 90's the school system had to be taken over by the Federal Government because the system was so bad. At this same time nearly the ENTIRE SHERIFF'S DEPT. was indicited by the FBI for conspiracy, money laundering, drugs, extortion, etc.! I was a MN boy working in the casinos and had never seen or heard of such things.

You can buy a house there and basically pay $0 real estate taxes because there is so much casino money they don't know what to do with it. YET, still no one is moving or building there. That should tell you something.

I believe every (or at least a strong majority) white student in the county attends private school.

Many of the teachers in Tunica Co. back when I was there were labeled as 'functionally illiterate'. If I remember right they were actually tested and these were the results for many of the teachers.

MS is a strange state as county lines are everything. The difference can be very drastic. The next county up is Desoto and it is propsering and is successful (including the schools) beyond anyone's belief.

With all the casino money and the new exposure to the 'real world' I am sure Tunica County will come around some day. But, I am afraid that is at least one more generation out and maybe more.

[ggluvbug]

IF you are looking for special ed teaching jobs, go to the coast. They are begging for people!

[GoodLivin]

Obviously, some of the posters are not as familiar with Tunica as they think. We are not a poor little Delta town anymore.
Tunica, the town, is a quaint and picturesque Mayberry. There is even a town decorator that put large flowering baskets and pots all over the downtown. There are no property taxes. Water bill is like $5 a month.
And in the Tunica Resorts (Robinsonville) area, the first ever Planned Community Development for Tunica County has broken ground. It is built around the Tunica National Golf and Tennis Club. 3 phases have begun: Detached Condos- 1320 sq ft-1500 sq ft, Garden homes-1400 sq ft to 1850 sq ft, and Single Family Residences-1700 sq ft to 2700 sq ft. Each aspect of the development has architectural guidelines and it will be like Main Street USA with emphasis on a community feeling, walking paths, green spaces and a town center. There will be a town village for shopping and this will probably be a 8-10 year project. See the website: index
As far as the school, they still have a way to go. The plus side is they pay higher salaries than most schools in Mississippi. This is a school system where you can make a difference.

[bobby needs a date]

I was born and raised in tunica until I was 27 years old, I had to leave highschool in the 3rd week of the 11th grade do to having to fight to get from one class to the other and then had to go to work at the age of 15, worked on the same cotton/soybean farm for 1o years and as a result of my lack of finished education I did a stint in the MSDOC for larsony which I commited due to my drug habit and as mentioned earlier the local sheriff's dept. was a bunch of crooks.

The best thing that happened to me is I joined a harvest crew out of tunica (scott small's harvesting) and made a trip to colorado where I live to this day and where I met and returned to marry my present wife of 18 years now.

Tate or Desoto county would be my choice of areas to live IF I were to return to the area.

[TimtheGuy]

Originally Posted by GoodLivin

Obviously, some of the posters are not as familiar with Tunica as they think. We are not a poor little Delta town anymore.
Tunica, the town, is a quaint and picturesque Mayberry. There is even a town decorator that put large flowering baskets and pots all over the downtown. There are no property taxes. Water bill is like $5 a month.
And in the Tunica Resorts (Robinsonville) area, the first ever Planned Community Development for Tunica County has broken ground. It is built around the Tunica National Golf and Tennis Club. 3 phases have begun: Detached Condos- 1320 sq ft-1500 sq ft, Garden homes-1400 sq ft to 1850 sq ft, and Single Family Residences-1700 sq ft to 2700 sq ft. Each aspect of the development has architectural guidelines and it will be like Main Street USA with emphasis on a community feeling, walking paths, green spaces and a town center. There will be a town village for shopping and this will probably be a 8-10 year project. See the website: index
As far as the school, they still have a way to go. The plus side is they pay higher salaries than most schools in Mississippi. This is a school system where you can make a difference.

Yea, there is some money there now, but how would you rate the public school system? Better yet, how do outside impartial sources rate the public school system?

You say it yourself...real estate taxes are 'nil as are other utililties, yet here is what city-data has on population:

Population (year 2000): 1,132. Estimated population in July 2006: 1,081 (-4.5% change)

It is the cheapest place to live in the state, with plentiful good jobs nearby at the casinos, YET Tunica is losing population.

An outsider stepping into that public school system would be in for the shock of their life.

[TimtheGuy]

Originally Posted by GoodLivin

Obviously, some of the posters are not as familiar with Tunica as they think. We are not a poor little Delta town anymore.
Tunica, the town, is a quaint and picturesque Mayberry. There is even a town decorator that put large flowering baskets and pots all over the downtown. There are no property taxes. Water bill is like $5 a month.
And in the Tunica Resorts (Robinsonville) area, the first ever Planned Community Development for Tunica County has broken ground. It is built around the Tunica National Golf and Tennis Club. 3 phases have begun: Detached Condos- 1320 sq ft-1500 sq ft, Garden homes-1400 sq ft to 1850 sq ft, and Single Family Residences-1700 sq ft to 2700 sq ft. Each aspect of the development has architectural guidelines and it will be like Main Street USA with emphasis on a community feeling, walking paths, green spaces and a town center. There will be a town village for shopping and this will probably be a 8-10 year project. See the website: index
As far as the school, they still have a way to go. The plus side is they pay higher salaries than most schools in Mississippi. This is a school system where you can make a difference.

Kind of funny I was on the JACKPOT website today and saw the plans for this develpment that looks like it is in it's infancy. I would hate to be an investor or a the bank involved. I am a banker and knowing where this project is, I would rate it as extremely high risk.

Now if the development somehow has the backing of the 4% that this sparsley populated county takes right off the top of the gaming revenues (around $1.2 billion/yr. last time I worked down there 2003), then the investors, bankers, developers will sleep much better.