I am interested in Tishomingo County and Itawamba County (Tupelo: best towns, houses)

[Trotting the Globe]

I am particularly interested in Tishomingo County and Itawamba County.

What is life like there?

I am a "Northerner" from the East Coast that lives in California, but I have long been interested in the Deep South, its people and culture.

Politically speaking I am somewhat conservative (only liberal on social issues like LGBT rights and pro-choice) and a registered Republican.

I am in my early thirties and run an online business in which I can work anywhere as long as I have my laptop, and I fly around the country a few times a month, mainly to NYC, Chicago, at times London, UK.

I want the rural Deep South life (but not on the Delta, please!), but still close to a major airport.

[golden eagles fan]

If you want to be near a major airport, you may want to live a little closer towards Memphis. Tishomingo and Itawamba counties are on the Alabama border. Places like Benton, Marshall and Tippah counties are to the west, but are still very rural.

[TLHUGHES1962]

Tishomingo and Itawamba counties aren't that far from Huntsville which has a major airport.

[Heartbeats & Brianwaves]

What are those counties like to live in?

[brickpatio]

Itawamba County's main town, Fulton, is just 15 minutes east of Tupelo. So in terms of access to shopping, etc, it's pretty convenient. And Tupelo does have an airport that (usually) has several daily flights to Atlanta where you would catch a flights to wherever you're going. Tupelo is one of the best towns in Mississippi and is often visited by officials from other cities to explore how Tupelo has been so successful over the last few decades in recruiting industry, including most recently the billion dollar Toyota plant.

Fulton is tiny and is slightly nondescript except it does a well-regarded community college, which Toyota officials cited as having the "best work force in the world." Itawamba County along with Tishimingo County is the part of Mississippi that's considered part of the Appalachian foothills. I would describe the terrain as heavily wooded with small ridges and ravines throughout. If it matters one way or the other, these two counties are about 95% Caucasian and generally conservative.

Tishimingo County has basically the same terrain. The main difference (other than Itawamba's proximity to Tupelo and having a community college), is that Tishimingo has the tiny town of Iuka which is charming and historic, and just minutes from lovely Pickwick Lake, which attracts major yachts and other types of boats due to the fact that they can take the Tennessee-Tombigbee waterway (canal) through Mississippi and down to Mobile, Alabama where they enter the gulf. Because of this, just driving through Iuka you tend to see a lot of vehicles that are obviously in town for recreational reasons. Many families have cottages and homes on the wooded bluffs overlooking Pickwick on the Mississippi side. Also, Iuka is just 15 minutes from the larger town of Corinth, which itself is loaded with historic neighborhoods as well as very nice new neighborhoods.

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

Tammy Wynette was from Itawamba County.

[Listener2307]

Originally Posted by Trotting the Globe

I am particularly interested in Tishomingo County and Itawamba County.

What is life like there?

I am a "Northerner" from the East Coast that lives in California, but I have long been interested in the Deep South, its people and culture.

Politically speaking I am somewhat conservative (only liberal on social issues like LGBT rights and pro-choice) and a registered Republican.

I am in my early thirties and run an online business in which I can work anywhere as long as I have my laptop, and I fly around the country a few times a month, mainly to NYC, Chicago, at times London, UK.

I want the rural Deep South life (but not on the Delta, please!), but still close to a major airport.

What are those counties like to live in?

I think a lot of what you both are asking depends on who you are, and how you live, and your comfort level.

It is kind of generally accepted that in order to insulate yourself from irresponsible riff-raff you have to buy about 5 acres and put yourself in the middle of it. And I think there is some truth to that; just like there is in Texas. I lived there, too.

If you would rather live in a town, like Fulton, you'll find the people to be rather ordinary. We have friends in Fulton, and have been to events at ICC and people are pretty much just like they are everywhere else. I should tell you I have lived in Seattle, San Diego, Chicago, Atlanta, Ft Worth, and a few other places. I was born in Boston and raised in Alabama. My sister is half Chinese. So my tolerance level and comfort level may not be the same as yours.

If a young person is looking for a place with opportunity it will not be found in that area.
Wages are low in these areas, so the cost of living is low. Sometimes people in more affluent areas look at their meager wages and allow themselves to believe that Mississippi will be easier because it is cheaper to live here. Houses and taxes are, indeed, low in Mississippi. But everything else costs about the same.

I like living in Mississippi. But I'm retired, and I've been lots of other places. I can sound like the locals if I want, and on occasion I do. (Don't try that if you are not skilled) Mississippi is not the epicenter of racism that is has been reported to be, especially in the NE counties. I have said many times that the best thing about NE Mississippi is our race relations; we just get along. I hope you find that to be true.

BOL to both of you!

[LumpLump]

I went to college at ICC in Fulton for a little bit. Fulton is a small town with not much to do unless you like being outdoors. From what I could see, the community college is the only thing they got going for them. You have Tupelo down the road which is full of things to do. Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, and they have the annual Elvis Presley Festival. A lot of great bands come out to play. It also has a mall, lots of good restaurants, a small airport, and the Bancorp South Arena. Mississippi is a very conservative state, but I believe you would find more like minded people in Lee County(tupelo) rather than Itawamba. I am from New Albany, MS(Union County). Its about 30 minutes from Tupelo, and 30 minutes from Oxford. New Albany is smaller than Tupelo, but bigger than Fulton. It still has good restaurants, very friendly people, and rich history. If you want to be close to a major airport, you have to get closer to Memphis, TN. New Albany is an hour drive to Memphis. It might be worth checking out. If you want to get into Southern way of life, most of us are conservative, church going, friendly rednecks, who just want the Big Government to leave us alone so we can enjoy our sweet tea, hunting, fellowship, mud riding, and all the simple pleasures of life. Its a slower way to live, but I wouldn't change it for the world.