Nashville Is A Very Nice City, However....

[TNRyan23]

Originally Posted by Steve_TN

as whole Rutherford County is quite diverse.

I'd give you the City of Murfreesboro only because of MTSU, However, according to the last US Census, Murfreesboro (city) had a higher White-Non-Hispanic population (79.8%) then Rutherford County as a whole which was 79.0% White-Non-Hispanic.

Granted, It's the 2nd most diverse county in Middle Tennessee (3rd if you count Montgomery) still, 79% of the population being one race is not diverse.

At last census, The U.S. average was 66% White-Non-Hispanic. Tennessee as a whole, At last census was 77.2% White-Non-Hispanic.

That ranks Tennessee below...

Alabama 68.6%,
Georgia 58.5%,
Florida 60.8%,
Mississippi 58.9%,
Louisiana 62.3%,
Texas 47.9%,
Arkansas 76.0%,
South Carolina 65.3%,
North Carolina 67.5%,
Virgina 67.3%,

The only Southern State with a higher White-Non-Hispanic population was Kentucky with a mind boggling 88.0%

[MantaRay]

Originally Posted by TNRyan23

Nolensville Rd. is pretty diverse but it's also an area of town that many people avoid like the plague.

Lenox Village is pretty popular.

[ccr4tigers]

As far as the glorious food comment goes, I was referring to Abay, Horn of Africa, the always lively La Hacienda, Grassmere Grill and Kabob, etc. Also, I wouldn't put too much stock in the census info about the Nolensville area considering the vast majority of my neighbors are here illegally.

A few other brief comments about diversity....Nashville has the largest population of Sudanese refugees of any city in the US, McMurray Middle has a student population that speaks more than 15 major languages, and my next door neighbor has both a pig and pitbull, which I think counts for something.

My point was not to compare Nashville to Paris, but to emphasize that you cannot get to know a city by visiting its main tourist attractions...and I don't like a city that I have come to love being boiled down to BB Kings and Tootsies. Further, we don't say that Dublin, Ireland is without culture because it is 90% white, so I am going to refrain from bashing nashville based on its racial makeup. It is simply a different kind of culture than other cities. I have family from South Alabama, and they, along with their neighbors, are certainly full of culture...sometimes that culture is a bit, er, odd.... but culture nonetheless.

And, that "good ole boy", comment just needs its own thread.

[TNRyan23]

Originally Posted by ccr4tigers

My point was not to compare Nashville to Paris, but to emphasize that you cannot get to know a city by visiting its main tourist attractions...and I don't like a city that I have come to love being boiled down to BB Kings and Tootsies. Further, we don't say that Dublin, Ireland is without culture because it is 90% white, so I am going to refrain from bashing nashville based on its racial makeup. It is simply a different kind of culture than other cities. I have family from South Alabama, and they, along with their neighbors, are certainly full of culture...sometimes that culture is a bit, er, odd.... but culture nonetheless.

And, that "good ole boy", comment just needs its own thread.

Culture and Diversity are two different things, Mi amigo.

[ThirdCoaster]

Let me start off by saying that I love Nashville and have been fairly happy here since I relocated here six months ago from NY. I feel pretty safe here but the police have visited my apartment complex recently because of reports of car break-ins and there was a huge drug bust here about six months before I moved in. Still, the area that I live in is fairly safe and quiet and I just try to stay street smart and careful. Drugs are everywhere in this country and I realize that drug dealers sometimes lurk in quiet neighborhoods such as mine because they try to keep a low profile.
The police in Nashville seem to be good at what they do so I feel pretty safe though I have been warned to steer clear of areas such as East Nashville.

People in the South do move at a slower pace than up North and sometimes I enjoy that pace and sometimes I feel like pulling my hair out! I love the Southern accent and the people in Nashville are generally quite friendly.

In general, the cost of living is lower than in NY but i do find the food prices to be about the same or higher in the supermarkets because they don't have the competition that stores in NY have. I miss the NY produce stands but they do have options here though much fewer. There have been a few cases in which services costs me more than they would have cost in rent-expensive NY and I have to wonder why. Am I being ripped off?

There is a cultural adjustment here that takes some time to get used to. You also have to drive to most places and I miss having the option to walk to places because they don't have sidewalks or parking spaces on the street where I live. Public transportation in Nashville leaves much to be desired and their cabs are very expensive therefore you must drive if you want to live in Nashville.

I don't think that I've found the perfect apartment and will probably have to move in about a year. I spoke to one transplant who told me that she's lived in three different apartments since moving here two years ago. The problem is that some owners don't screen carefully and you could be living next to a one-bedroom apartment that is being shared by six roommates!

Also, I wasn't prepared for the tornado here. I thought they had a tornado now and then but there was a day when there were eight tornado warnings in different areas. At least once every two weeks I would hear the tornado sirens and was warned to go to a safe place until the tornado watch was over. This has gone on for months and if there was not tornado warnings then there was dangerous hail or flash flood warnings. My insurance company told me that I was now required to put my car in a garage because of potential hail or flood damage.

I think that if you are used to this type of weather it's not hard to bear but it has caused me to consider moving to another area. After living through a half dozen or so tornado watches I am a bit weary.

in spite of the difficult weather at times, Nashville is quite naturally beautiful and I have enjoyed the good days a great deal.

I know that every place has its pros and cons and I think that it is up to the individual to choose what they can and can't live with or without.

Nashville is not an edgy town and it lacks the diverse mix of people that New York has. It has its own charm and traditions and that's good. But if you like edgy fashion, films, events, etc., you will be bored in Nashville.

[kingchef]

Originally Posted by ThirdCoaster

Let me start off by saying that I love Nashville and have been fairly happy here since I relocated here six months ago from NY. I feel pretty safe here but the police have visited my apartment complex recently because of reports of car break-ins and there was a huge drug bust here about six months before I moved in. Still, the area that I live in is fairly safe and quiet and I just try to stay street smart and careful. Drugs are everywhere in this country and I realize that drug dealers sometimes lurk in quiet neighborhoods such as mine because they try to keep a low profile.
The police in Nashville seem to be good at what they do so I feel pretty safe though I have been warned to steer clear of areas such as East Nashville.

People in the South do move at a slower pace than up North and sometimes I enjoy that pace and sometimes I feel like pulling my hair out! I love the Southern accent and the people in Nashville are generally quite friendly.

In general, the cost of living is lower than in NY but i do find the food prices to be about the same or higher in the supermarkets because they don't have the competition that stores in NY have. I miss the NY produce stands but they do have options here though much fewer. There have been a few cases in which services costs me more than they would have cost in rent-expensive NY and I have to wonder why. Am I being ripped off?

There is a cultural adjustment here that takes some time to get used to. You also have to drive to most places and I miss having the option to walk to places because they don't have sidewalks or parking spaces on the street where I live. Public transportation in Nashville leaves much to be desired and their cabs are very expensive therefore you must drive if you want to live in Nashville.

I don't think that I've found the perfect apartment and will probably have to move in about a year. I spoke to one transplant who told me that she's lived in three different apartments since moving here two years ago. The problem is that some owners don't screen carefully and you could be living next to a one-bedroom apartment that is being shared by six roommates!

Also, I wasn't prepared for the tornado here. I thought they had a tornado now and then but there was a day when there were eight tornado warnings in different areas. At least once every two weeks I would hear the tornado sirens and was warned to go to a safe place until the tornado watch was over. This has gone on for months and if there was not tornado warnings then there was dangerous hail or flash flood warnings. My insurance company told me that I was now required to put my car in a garage because of potential hail or flood damage.

I think that if you are used to this type of weather it's not hard to bear but it has caused me to consider moving to another area. After living through a half dozen or so tornado watches I am a bit weary.

in spite of the difficult weather at times, Nashville is quite naturally beautiful and I have enjoyed the good days a great deal.

I know that every place has its pros and cons and I think that it is up to the individual to choose what they can and can't live with or without.

Nashville is not an edgy town and it lacks the diverse mix of people that New York has. It has its own charm and traditions and that's good. But if you like edgy fashion, films, events, etc., you will be bored in Nashville.

if you are wanting urban edginess, rich cultural history, diversity, and a real sense of an exciting southern city, pack up your bags immediately and blow "sleepsville", on your way to the big "M" town, Memphis. i, along w/ three close friends, lived in nashville, and we never looked back, while fleeing the bullets and the town. in 6/08, nashville was ranked #4 most violent city in the united states by the FBI. consequently, your concerns about personal safety and property are justified. i would get out w/out a blink of the eye---if yours hasn't been goughed out by a thug on broadway or downtown. join the many who know the rest of the story---don't waste away in nashville watching the rednecks wiping owl sh off the clock! get out in the real world. good luck.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by kingchef

if you are wanting urban edginess, rich cultural history, diversity, and a real sense of an exciting southern city, pack up your bags immediately and blow "sleepsville", on your way to the big "M" town, Memphis. i, along w/ three close friends, lived in nashville, and we never looked back, while fleeing the bullets and the town. in 6/08, nashville was ranked #4 most violent city in the united states by the FBI. consequently, your concerns about personal safety and property are justified. i would get out w/out a blink of the eye---if yours hasn't been goughed out by a thug on broadway or downtown. join the many who know the rest of the story---don't waste away in nashville watching the rednecks wiping owl sh off the clock! get out in the real world. good luck.

Great idea! Might as well also tell the egg that the best way to not be burned in the frying pan is to jump into the fire.

No matter how you slice it, Memphis has a lot more crime than Nashville and is consistently ranked higher in violent crime rates. According to the FBI there's 50% more violent crime per capita in Memphis than in Nashville.

So, nice try at hijacking another Nashville thread to get people to move to Memphis.

[MomsTn]

This has been an interesting thread. I've really enjoyed reading all of the responses, even the negative. It just reinforces why we are moving back to Tennessee.

I'm a southern girl, raised by southern parents, growing up in a military family and traveling all over the place. Ending up in Idaho, marrying my best friend, and moving to Minnesota. Now returning to my roots in Tennessee.

It's kind of like you can take the southern girl out of the south, but can't take the south out of the girl.

In about five weeks, we'll be driving into the small town that we'll be moving to with our U-Haul, and I will be home.
I'm marking off the days.

[Beretta]

Thread Closed.