Looking to relocate - Hattiesburg/Jackson or in between (Madison: for sale, violent crime)

[GirlieD]

Hattiesburg is a great college town and a booming retirement destinaton. The University of Southern Mississippi is located in Hattiesburg, you are close to Jackson, the Gulf Coast, New Orleans, the Alabama Coast, etc. There are nice areas of Jackson as well, although I'll agree crime is a problem, but where is it not a problem? I think any large urban area is going to have its share of crime. Criminals tend to go where the money is. Even in small towns and "good areas" these days you have to watch your back. I think you'll find some of us Southerners are quite friendly, welcoming and accepting of people no matter where you are from. The south is becoming more and more diverse with people from everywhere moving in from all over the U. S. & the world. You'll still find some people who are prejudice and unaccepting, but I think as the world has become more global, that is changing.

[elfyum]

"Detroit (Chicago's ugly little sister)"???!!!
And you're FROM there! You owe the big D a big apology!!!

[mhogan10010]

Originally Posted by elfyum

"Detroit (Chicago's ugly little sister)"???!!!
And you're FROM there! You owe the big D a big apology!!!

Have you been to Detroit lately???
I love it, but you can only talk that way about a place you love. Seriously, it is sad to see my hometown now.

[tracktrotter]

I too am retiring in a few years. I have purchased property in Poplarville Miss. 35 miles southwest of Hattiesburg. Will build there in a few years.
Smalltown, plenty of room for growth. junior college in town. no crime.
brand new gated community county club setting going up soon.
Not even a traffic light in town yet. peaceful, just the way I like it.
Mississippi is really a perfect state for retiring persons. low taxes
perfect weather.

[greg1986]

if a european would move to jackson, do you think they'll shoot me?

[Overqualified]

Anything between Hattiesburg and Jackson would be nice if you’re looking for a rural setting. Florence is booming, Richland is mainly a trucking town. Magee is right in the middle of Jackson and Hattiesburg and is growing. Hattiesburg is a wonderful town, but has not been the same since Katrina. A lot of bad politics right now. Jackson is bad in crime like most deep south metro areas. Living around Jackson is the norm around here. There are nice communities in any direction.

[xtrafast]

I grew up in Collins which is slightly closer to Hattiesburg than Jackson. Couldn't tell you a whole lot about Jackson, but Hattiesburg is about as nice as it gets for the south half of the state. Oak Grove would be a really nice area to look into. Its where all of Hattiesburg's growth is moving towards and I went there last Thanksgiving for the first time in 4 years. It has really changed for the better. There are plenty of nice areas around there, and you have USM and some community colleges withing commuting distance.

[usm2009]

Being a college student and MS resident my whole life, i feel as though Hattiesburg is one of the safest, most afforadable cities in MS. I have lived in Flowood, (right outside of Jackson) as well as Gautier (right on the coast). Hattiesburg is the hub city as there are 6 major highways/interstates meeting in the area. Hattiesburg also has Forrest General Hospital, ranked number one for cardiovascular services in the state and also the third largest in the state (behind UMC in Jackson and St Dominics on the Coast). Hattiesburg is also a metro area with a population of about 180,000 with a retail trade population of about 300,000. So during the day, Hattiesburg has a lot of opportunity, whether large or small, and at night you don't have to worry about your car or home getting broke into or other crime found in Jackson. Hattiesburg has a minimal crime rate and had received national recognition as top 100 places to live in the U.S. Being in Hattiesburg, you have the small town feel but the metro opportunity. Since Katrina, Hattiesburg has been one of the fastest growing areas in the state. The University of Southern MS is located at the 49-Hardy St intersection in Hattiesburg and had the highest undergraduate enrollment rate of the three major institutions in the state (Ole Miss, MSU, and USM) last year. Dr. Martha Saunders has been recently named the president of the university and since her inaguration as president, she has had a bond passed by state legislature for a 21 percent pay increase for professors at the school. So, if teaching is where you decide to further your profession, USM has a great campus and wonderful administration. Forrest General and USM are the two highest paying and largest employers in the Pine Belt. They are also two highly ranked institutions and contribute highly to Hattiesburg's economy. As far as housing goes, London and Stetlemen,Inc. have ample space for renting a home or apartment. Another great real estate company is McMahan Realty. They have nice homes on Lincoln Road, mid-scale, 3-4 bedroom homes ranging from $750-$1000. They have lists as you walk in the offices that issue all available renting opportunities owned by them in the city. Unless, you find a place downtown or around the East Hardy area, anywhere is Hattiesburg is completely liveable and in a nice, clean neighboorhood.

[Gritz-kun]

I agree about Jackson. It's not the place to live if you want to be safe. We lived up there for a little while and it was nothing but problems. Crime, expense, traffic, etc.

I have lived in Hattiesburg for over 12 years and LOVE IT. It is expanding but it holds its beauty. Everyone is friendly and the places to go are all near to each other. You could easily live in the country side (Sumrall) for a lot cheaper and get more bang for the buck, and be within driving distance. Oak Grove (West Hattiesburg) is actually more costly than average houses in the U.S. but it's well worth living there. If you can afford Cane Break, it's been one of the most pleasent places to live.

If you don't mind the suburbs, you can get cheap housing downtown. It's not the best, with crime and what not, but it's not horrible, either. Plus, more historical homes are down there, and small businesses.

My father works for the City of Hattiesburg and says apartment and housing prices are starting to fall because there have been so many new complexes buit. My friend and I are renting a 2 bedroom for 700, but there are more cheaper than that, depending if you choose Lamar or Forest county. College wise, I went to many around but found the Hattiesburg's Pearl River Campus and USM to be the best. The atmosphere is always thriving and friendly.

Taxes are high in Mississippi. They will nickel and dime you here.

The comment earlier about 'Hattiesburg not being the same since Katrina': it's better. More people moved in and it's really expanding because of it. More things have opened up. Yes, Politics, specifically the mayor Johnny Dupree is one of the worst (he went to Jackson State for only a semester or two and got a 'Master's degree' and is handing out 20,000 dollars to people who are too lazy to keep up their housing, etc. etc.) but it really doesn't effect the general population.

Don't move to Lumberton, Purvis, or Poplarville unless you don't mind driving for entertainment and cheaper groceries (you will be bored out of your mind and paying too much for everything). Don't move to Laurel unless you have dealt with high crime areas before. Petal is ok but it's about the same as downtown Hattiesburg. Sumrall is ideal because of price, size, and distance away from Hattiesburg.

Hope that helps!

[jacksonian]

I'm all for hoisting my city up on my shoulders from time to time, but some of you are stretching the truth when it comes to Hattiesburg's "quality of life." Looking at the crime rate in H'burg, it's over 50% higher than the U.S. average, and if you compare H'burg to Jackson crime rates at Sperling's, H'burg has a 7/10 with Jackson having 8/10. You may think the Burg is utopian-like, but it's not the truth, and you shouldn't sell it that way.

As for location, Jackson is clearly more centrally located, with interstates I-20 connecting west Texas to Atlanta, I-55 connecting New Orleans to Chicago, the Natchez Trace connecting Natchez to Nashville, and Highways 51 & 49. Speaking of medical care, Jackson is home to:
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Baptist Hospital
St. Dominic Hospital
Central Mississippi Medical Center
Blair E. Batson Children Hospital
US Veterans Medical Center
plus many other support clinics

Also, the cost of living is significantly higher in Hattiesburg than it is in Jackson; over 14% higher overall. Housing in H'burg is much higher at over 45% more than here in Jackson. Looking at those numbers plus the more job opportunities in Jackson would make it easy for me to pick between the two.