City to rural Mississippi (Jackson, Gulfport: low crime, credit, how much)

[C.C.]

I grew up in a pretty big city and moved to rural MS...what a shock! Can anyone sympathize?
I've gotten used to it now, but it was quite a shock to drive 40 miles to a real grocery store.

[spinrider2000]

CC, I am in Oxford and remember when I could bike down the street with no traffic. In the last 10 years a lot has changed. Yes, still a lot of the 40 mile trips but the northern parts of Mississippi are on the move. I read a post somewhere about the traffic problem and laughed. The bad is that a real grocery store seems to mean walmart. I do not know if this is progress...

[kentuckydad95]

Originally Posted by spinrider2000

The bad is that a real grocery store seems to mean walmart.

I think that has become the case in a majority of this nation...sadly.

[aiangel_writer]

Hi guys. Well, born here in MS, but moved around quite a bit from Michigan to Indiana. So know about those big cities. Never did care for 'em and was really glad to be here, back home where I feel happy.

Yes, our area of the state has really bloomed in the past 20 years and progress is still ongoing. I credit our leaders who had the forsight and vision on what they wanted for our area some many years ago. This progress we are seeing took many years of planning and started a long time ago. The dedication of their successors in staying the course has helped us to reach a way of life that many of our Central MS neighbors can only dream of and wish for their towns.

My hat goes off to those dedicated men and women who saw the potential and went after their dreams to make them real and help us have a better day to day life right here in the Deep South.

*****

I can fully relate to you guys also on Wal-Mart. I do not like the meats from there, and try to stay away from the store for everything else as well. I still shop at a Real grocery store and although I pay a bit more for the food, I feel the quality is better and I hope that I am one of the many that appreciates the efforts and will continue to support them.

I currently live in a small village of 144 voting population. This is my home, has been for many years and I love the small town closeness, the bickering that goes along with it and the clicks around here. We might fight amongst ourselves, but underneath, there is a shared love for one another. We are a family and watch out for the other.

Unfortunately and fortunately, we are growing. Neighboring cities are growing as well. Our small town atomshphere will change, new people will move in, and our lives will never be quite the same. That is good and bad. For our area to be successful in providing jobs and keeping the economy moving forward, we must experience growth in all sectors, it is just that when doing so, we lose a part of what made us initially move to this area for. Yet, we must change with the times, and learn how to embrace our new neighbors.

After all, we are the friendly south, full of hospitality.

[ggluvbug]

I wish I could shop at the local store...it is closer to my house....15 rather than 30 minutes, but with a family of 5, I can't afford it.

I moved from the Coast to near Poplarville. It is very, very different! But it isn't all bad. When I was younger, I hated it out in the country, but now that I have several children, I can appreciate the value of not being crowded, open spaces, etc. I still commute to Gulfport for work, so that is a disadvantage. We listen to alot of music as a result.

[cjohnsonRE]

I grew up close to Hattiesburg, Ms. and moved to Charlotte, NC 15 yrs. ago. I didn't realize how much I would truly miss living in a small southern town until both of my children entered middle school. Yes, I love Charlotte and the wonderful things my children are able to experience. The things that living in a big city provide. But, here they go to school with 16 and 17 yr. olds who are still in the 8th grade (and I'm not just talking about one or two). My 12 yr. old hears words at school that I have to look up the meaning to on "slang.com". There is so much overcrowding that kids are getting "felt up" in the hallway and nothing can be done because of course, there are no witnesses (too many kids packed in the hallway to see). Most of the kids have no manners whatsoever, they say "huh", "what", "whatever" and many other rude phrases to adults because, no one stops them and paddleing isn't allowed. My kids have a whole new 30 kids each year in every class. I can remember when I went to school (and let's just say that I am not that old) I had every teacher my brother had. I actually formed friendships with people I am friends with today. We were in school together and always had at least a couple of classes together every year. My parents knew their parents and grandparents. I didn't need a class directory to call someone and the most I feared was getting "talked about" by other girs. I didn't have to worry about guns or knives. And, I knew that if I did something at school that I shouldn't have done either my parents, grandparents or another family memeber knew about before I got home that afternoon. I think it made all of us behave better. I realize that times have changed, but in small towns they haven't changed quiet as fast.

[aiangel_writer]

Oh cjohnson, I can so relate. My school was even smaller. There were a total of 800 students in our school, from 1st (didn't have a k then) thru 12th. We knew everyone, their families and their secrets!

This same school is where my oldest graduated and my youngest is in jr. high. It has changed over the last 20 years, but ya know, it still retains that country flavor and now I can appreciate it so very much. My oldest hated living here, until he realized that the bright lights of the big city are not all they are cracked up to be. That what is on the inside counts more than on the outside. He is all of 20 now and loves this area.

[Trotting the Globe]

I personally like MS. I wonder what part of the state some Mississippians would recommend for me to live.
I am interested in the Deep South rural lifestyle.

[brickpatio]

A few towns that may fit the "rural" description but that also feel livable...

- New Albany would be a good choice. Charming and very clean Main Street and some nice homes, both old and new. Extremely safe. Some nice amenities like those brand-new tennis courts visible from the interstate. Just minutes from the new Toyota plant and shopping in nearby Tupelo.

- Corinth - Charming little downtown area, hundreds of beautiful homes, from antebellum to Victorian to modern. Minutes to lovely Pickwick Lake and an hour to shopping in Memphis suburbs. Even more rural and charming Iuka is another option, just a couple minutes from Pickwick.

- Picayune - Beautiful woodlands of south Mississippi and rolling terrain just north of town. Overall a clean area and many new homes due to proximity to Stennis Space Center and nearby New Orleans suburbs.

- Brookhaven - elegant, with lively little downtown area, huge historic homes amid giant oaks and magnolias, and pretty woodlands and hills in surrounding area. Clean and prosperous, just an hour south of Jackson. Nearby McComb has a nice historic street grid and beautiful surrounding pine forests and gently rolling terrain.

- Natchez - Gorgeous area of hills and lush forests, ridges and ravines and beautiful bluff in downtown Natchez overlooking MS river. Hundreds of antebellum homes. Very quiet area. About an hour and a half north of Baton Rouge.

- Columbia - charming small town with historic homes, beautiful woodlands all around, easy 30 minute drive to shopping in Hattiesburg. Feels like classic Mississippi, especially with location on Pearl River and proximity to Louisiana and New Orleans, and the coast.

- Flora - unassuming country town outside Jackson with plush Madison suburbs migrating right up to edge of Flora, nice rolling pasturelands and hardwood forests

- Oxford and Starkville - lively college towns, not exactly rural but both can be great places to live. Maybe go for rural communities nearby, such as newly gentrifying, tiny Water Valley outside Oxford or tiny Ackerman and Eupora outside Starkville

- Mendenhall - Andy Griffith should have lived here. Most notable is picturesque hilly pine and hardwood forests all around. Just 30 minutes to Jackson for shopping.

Bay St Louis - Magazine-beautiful, located where Bay of St Louis enters gulf. Historic and unique. Can make argument for being best place to live in the world, depending on what you're looking for, along with downtown Ocean Springs and neighboring Pass Christian.

Tupelo - Not exactly rural but small enough to enjoy low crime, low traffic, affordable...while having solid economy and pleasant location near universities (UM, MSU)