relocate (Jackson, Clinton, Natchez: to rent, crime rate, home)

[ttrose99]

I know sounds like same story but I am moving to MS in June of 2007. I am a nursing student and want to be close to a college. Except the problem is I am moving to the west side of Jackson. I don't want a big city. Just something my 4 children can enjoy and I can feel safe letting them outside to play. Know abouts of schools are a must and I need to rent a house. I know it may be to far in advance but I need it starting about July 1. I have never been to Mississippi (whose kidding I have never lived outside of Michigan) just a quick drive to AR to get my step-daughters for the summer. Just need to be close to them. Please someone help me out with any kind of info you can give me to help me. My hubsands job will be in Clinton. Thank you.

[mstation1]

The Jackson Metro Area Clinton and Madison have the best Public Schools.
Clinton is nice with the Natchez Trace going South from Clinton.
Madison is also nice where the Natchez Trace starts again going North.
Clinton has Millsap’s College.
About 10 to 12 miles South of Clinton is Raymond which is home to Hinds Community College.
I use to live in Clinton and find it the best of the metro area cities around Jackson.
There are some parts of Jackson, that in my opinion, are as bad if not worse than parts of New Orleans.

[mhogan10010]

God bless, it sounds like you are moving for good reasons.
I am originally from Detroit but lived in the South many years before moving back north. My sister also lived for about 20 years in Southern MS.
Get ready for major culture shock. I suggest that you find a way to visit a few times to see what you are up against. Be careful around Jackson. As the other poster said, it has some very very distressed areas.
Good luck with your studies. My wife is a nurse and really loves it. It has allowed us to move around with my work.

[kobijosie]

I would definitely choose Clinton if you want to live west of Jackson. Stay away from anything in Jackson. The crime rate is awful.

[Kicking4JC]

The traffic in Madison is chaos. And be prepared for people who do not know how to drive. In and out of traffic as if it's NASCAR, very few turn signals, ride your bumper, speed in the slow lanes, and all that. I thought Memphis was bad!

Culture shock is another thing, the food, the people, the humidity, the heat, the clicks. I experenced this when I first moved to NW MS from Wisconsin. I had a teacher in 9th grade that wanted to spank me because I didn't know to call her "ma'am". I'm like what the freak?

G'luck in your plans.

Vicki

[ccb]

West Jackson is the last place I would consider moving if I had young children! Crime, which is high in all parts of the city, is worse there. Drugs and prostitution are prevalent. It is not a safe place, especially for children!