Anything at all about Iuka (Hattiesburg, Tupelo: houses, construction, university)

[MsMuir]

Hi All....Wondering if any of you good people could give me
ANY info about Iuka? All I know about it is that it is over the border from TN. Also, I understand that a lake is there.

Any info at all would be VERY appreciated!

Thanks for your time.
Angel

[mrradio]

around it, lakes, forested hills, etc. but the town itself isn't very much. I spent a bit of time there a few years ago. It looks very run down and offers little in the way of shopping or services.

[MsMuir]

Originally Posted by mrradio

around it, lakes, forested hills, etc. but the town itself isn't very much. I spent a bit of time there a few years ago. It looks very run down and offers little in the way of shopping or services.

Thanks for the info, mrradio...can you tell me if there's any
other towns near by? Just wondering...hubby has a job offer there. We are going to check it out in Dec, but in the meantime I thought I'd find out as much as I can about the place. Doesn't sound too inviting tho' :-)

[mrradio]

but I think you're really asking if there are towns nearby that offer better shopping, services, medical care, etc. If I've misunderstood your question, please correct me. You really would have to drive a distance to find these things to any degree. Iuka is quite rural and, in my opinion, has seen better days.

I'm retired now but at one time, a few years ago, having come from a hectic life in suburbia I thought I would want something extremely secluded. I now realize that all, or at least most, of us seek decent shopping and services not too far away. I also now realize that we need some degree of connectedness to others whether it's through neighbors, a church, or some other way.

Iuka had been on our list after looking at other towns in N. Mississippi but I really can't recommend it in general. Tupelo, which is much larger, in fact, a real city, has a lot to offer in terms of housing and so forth. You might want to look there. Further afield we also thought a lot of Oxford.

We eventually moved to Tennessee and have enjoyed every minute here.

Wherever you move, good luck in your search!

[MsMuir]

Originally Posted by mrradio

but I think you're really asking if there are towns nearby that offer better shopping, services, medical care, etc. If I've misunderstood your question, please correct me. You really would have to drive a distance to find these things to any degree. Iuka is quite rural and, in my opinion, has seen better days.

I'm retired now but at one time, a few years ago, having come from a hectic life in suburbia I thought I would want something extremely secluded. I now realize that all, or at least most, of us seek decent shopping and services not too far away. I also now realize that we need some degree of connectedness to others whether it's through neighbors, a church, or some other way.

Iuka had been on our list after looking at other towns in N. Mississippi but I really can't recommend it in general. Tupelo, which is much larger, in fact, a real city, has a lot to offer in terms of housing and so forth. You might want to look there. Further afield we also thought a lot of Oxford.

We eventually moved to Tennessee and have enjoyed every minute here.

Wherever you move, good luck in your search!

Well, that about sums it up! We did look at the Knoxville area, but it seemed too crowded for us. Maybe because it was around Christmas...don't know. I had read lots of threads on Knoxville and everyone proclaimed it was very low in traffic....we didn't find it to be so...where do you live in TN? We do like rural, but by the same token, as you say, you do need shopping etc, that's not too far away. Thanks so much for your time.

[mrradio]

of the State. I saw your reply and have just a minute now. I'll answer at greater length later. Sorry to run now.

[MsMuir]

Originally Posted by mrradio

of the State. I saw your reply and have just a minute now. I'll answer at greater length later. Sorry to run now.

No hurry...whenever you have the time...thanks!

[mrradio]

I assumed from your initial inquiry that you and your family were definitely relocating to the area around Iuka. I'm afraid that I really can't tell you more about it. My wife and I as part of my job used to travel a lot through the South, with the exception of Florida, on business. Having lived on Long Island for our entire lives, it seemed only natural to retire (or semi-retire-I still have business interests on Long Island) to the South. I had had enough of ever-increasing taxes, major highways that were in a perpetual state of construction without any benefit, rude people, high prices, and stratospheric utility costs.

We initially considered Mississippi (where we had a lot of acquaintances) and North Carolina, so we really zeroed in on them. We could locate where we wanted since I didn't have to earn a living. Mississippi, contrary to a national view, has a lot going for it-low taxes, friendly people, cheap housing and a good, if somewhat humid, climate. North Carolina, in the west, has gorgeous mountains and beautiful scenery.

We seriously looked at Natchez, having spent a lot of time there, but a long-depressed economy and the pervasive smell of a paper plant killed that idea. But what great houses! Still like the place....

We looked at Oxford, Hattiesburg (Nice housing, good economy) but very, very humid. Oxford, of course, has Ole' Miss and, again, great houses at reasonable prices. After looking at Holly Springs (very run down), Tupelo (not bad), etc., we started to gravitate northward to Tennnessee. We were looking for a not too large town (thereby eliminating Nashville, Knoxville (you're right! Lots of traffic!),and Chattanooga. Memphis has too many problems to even consider.

In Central TN, Cookeville and Crossville seemed to be getting an ever-increasing share of out of staters coming, some to retire, some to work at the University in Cookeville, as well as TN residents looking for something slower. The type of house we were looking for and the location happened to show up here in Cookeville but I could just as easily recommend many other great towns in TN including the Johnson City area, etc. Since we came here, many people from Michigan, Florida, the Northeast and, oddly, California have come here to live. They all tell me the same story of wanting more space, a slower pace, less taxation, a decent place to raise their family, etc. I don't see this migration to TN in the national media but I can tell you that it's a force in the economy.

We've been here almost three years and couldn't ask for more-low taxes, great shopping (and more on the way!), a large regional medical center with every specialty, low taxes, utility rates that are one-third of Long Island's, great neighbors...what's not too like? Well, I can't get a few NY specialty foods....big deal. We're east of Nashville so when I have to go back to NY, I don't have to go through Nashville to get to the airport.

My sister-in-law, fed up with NY City, is moving here. Bottom line: we're fortunate to live in a country that has so many great places to live. May you find yours!

Best wishes.

[MsMuir]

Originally Posted by mrradio

I assumed from your initial inquiry that you and your family were definitely relocating to the area around Iuka. I'm afraid that I really can't tell you more about it. My wife and I as part of my job used to travel a lot through the South, with the exception of Florida, on business. Having lived on Long Island for our entire lives, it seemed only natural to retire (or semi-retire-I still have business interests on Long Island) to the South. I had had enough of ever-increasing taxes, major highways that were in a perpetual state of construction without any benefit, rude people, high prices, and stratospheric utility costs.

We initially considered Mississippi (where we had a lot of acquaintances) and North Carolina, so we really zeroed in on them. We could locate where we wanted since I didn't have to earn a living. Mississippi, contrary to a national view, has a lot going for it-low taxes, friendly people, cheap housing and a good, if somewhat humid, climate. North Carolina, in the west, has gorgeous mountains and beautiful scenery.

We seriously looked at Natchez, having spent a lot of time there, but a long-depressed economy and the pervasive smell of a paper plant killed that idea. But what great houses! Still like the place....

We looked at Oxford, Hattiesburg (Nice housing, good economy) but very, very humid. Oxford, of course, has Ole' Miss and, again, great houses at reasonable prices. After looking at Holly Springs (very run down), Tupelo (not bad), etc., we started to gravitate northward to Tennnessee. We were looking for a not too large town (thereby eliminating Nashville, Knoxville (you're right! Lots of traffic!),and Chattanooga. Memphis has too many problems to even consider.

In Central TN, Cookeville and Crossville seemed to be getting an ever-increasing share of out of staters coming, some to retire, some to work at the University in Cookeville, as well as TN residents looking for something slower. The type of house we were looking for and the location happened to show up here in Cookeville but I could just as easily recommend many other great towns in TN including the Johnson City area, etc. Since we came here, many people from Michigan, Florida, the Northeast and, oddly, California have come here to live. They all tell me the same story of wanting more space, a slower pace, less taxation, a decent place to raise their family, etc. I don't see this migration to TN in the national media but I can tell you that it's a force in the economy.

We've been here almost three years and couldn't ask for more-low taxes, great shopping (and more on the way!), a large regional medical center with every specialty, low taxes, utility rates that are one-third of Long Island's, great neighbors...what's not too like? Well, I can't get a few NY specialty foods....big deal. We're east of Nashville so when I have to go back to NY, I don't have to go through Nashville to get to the airport.

My sister-in-law, fed up with NY City, is moving here. Bottom line: we're fortunate to live in a country that has so many great places to live. May you find yours!

Best wishes.

Hi mrradio....wow, that was quite an enlightening post....
appreciate it. Don't know if I have enough room here to answer it all, but, if not, I'll continue on another post.

First of all, hubby and I are from CA. Left for all the reasons you stated. At the moment we are in Florida..
been here for almost 2 years...just waiting until this year is up so we can put our house on the market...we HATE
the humidity here! Wouldn't be too bad if it were just for
the summer, but it all starts in April and goes on until Nov.
No spring or fall here...just a couple of months that you're able to go outside without sweating to death!

Hubby still works and I'm stay at home...children are raised and gone. We too, looked at North Carolina...just
love the mountains there...there was a possible job in New Bern...we checked out the place and found it to be another FL...hot and humid. A lady we met there, (native), said she didn't know what was happening but the coastal area of NC was getting just like FL....didn't used to be that way.
Needles to say, we're not pursuing that job. Another offer came from, of all places, Iuka...that's why the post. We're also looking at Huntsville, AL.

We do like rural, but not total isolation. If you've been to Huntsville in your travels and have any info to share it would be appreciated. We do plan to go there right after Christmas and check it out....Iuka too!

Again, thanks for your time.

Best Wishes,
Angel

[mrradio]

in your search. As I wrote, we bounced from one possibility to another, eventually finding this home in this town and couldn't be more delighted.

While Huntsville is a good town (strong economy), I'd suggest you look in some of the suburbs. A bit further afield but truly great towns are Arab (pronounced "EY-rab") and Cullman. If I were going to that area I'd definitely check them out. Nice, clean towns with a great housing stock in all price ranges.

I'd like to respond some more, if I may, a little later when I have a bit more free time.