Rocky Mount area (Wilson, Nashville, Zebulon: for sale, to rent, crime)

[Marg]

My hubby and I are thinking about moving to the Rocky Mount and Whitakers area. We would like to know what these areas are like and where would be safe areas to live in. Thank you.

[mary ann sieres]

Originally Posted by Marg

My hubby and I are thinking about moving to the Rocky Mount and Whitakers area. We would like to know what these areas are like and where would be safe areas to live in. Thank you.

My husband and I moved to Rocky Mount in 2005. We really like it here. I have plenty to do visiting the library, the Imperial Arts Center, and there are a couple of coffee shops I like that also have live music. There is not a lot of fine dining, but Cattails in Zebulon is great and so is the Legacy in Elm City. I find most of what I need here, we have Talbots and a lot of locally owned fine clothing stores as well as a mall for the basics. My kids are out of school, but my neighbors speak highly of our school district, Red Oak Middle and Northern Nash. There is little crime in our neck of the woods, but like all areas there are pockets of poverty especially "across the tracks" in Edgecombe county.

[se7enty]

There is not much in Whitakers.

Rocky Mount is a decent sized city (about 55,000 residents) with smaller "suburbs" of Red Oak, Battleboro, etc. We have the standard chain stores: lowe's, sam's club, target, walmart, petsmart, big lots, best buy, booksamillion, petco (coming soon), bed bath and beyond, etc. We also have the standard chain restaurants: chili's, outback, applebees, lonestar, texas, mcdonalds, zaxby's, arby's, wendy's, taco bell, etc. As far as clothing, if you prefer the "urban" look then you're in luck at the mall. Other options include talbots, joseph banks, old navy, target, belk, ross, sears. Other than that, just go to raleigh (about 50 mins away).

The BEST burgers in town though are at Central Cafe, downtown, next to Bullock's Furniture. It's a hole in the wall type place that was here before there was dirt, but it's great. The food is served on as little as possible (small piece of wax paper for a burger) and the wait staff might not have the most personality, but you're there for the food.

Where to live: it depends on what you have to spend. In general, do not rent. The areas that have houses to rent are usually not safe areas. Houses are cheap enough (to buy) here that you should be able to afford one. In town, the Englewood area is nice for homes in the $90-200,000 range. The cheapest houses start around Forest Hill Ave, built in the 1940s, for around $90k. There is a house next door to me, about 60% newly renovated including the kitchen and bathrooms, for sale for $127k.

The further west you go, the nicer, safer (not to say that Englewood isn't safe - I live there actually), and more expensive they get. Cross over Winstead Ave (into Nobb Hill) and they're even nicer, newer, and more expensive (around $250-300k). Candlewood is where the really expensive homes are (for RM). Go into Red Oak and that's where the newest neighborhoods are being built. Home prices are all over the board here.

The closer you get the Edgecombe Co, it gets cheaper but much more dangerous.

Nashville (about 10 mins west) is generally nice, but a very small city.

Schools: if you have kids, plan on moving out of the inner city RM school district before they get to middle school. Edwards Middle and RM High school are ok but scary schools. They're in a rougher part of RM (compared to West RM) and there tends to be more violence and more dropouts. The elementary school in the same district, Englewood Elem, is a great school in a good neighborhood though. The Northern Nash district is nice, as well as those that include the Red Oak neighborhoods.

[sandinourshoes]

This thread is pretty old, but I'm hoping for some response. I'm considering a move to Gay Street in Rocky Mount. Can anyone tell me about this particular neighborhood? Is it safe? Ok for kids?Thanks!

[se7enty]

gay street is in a not-that-great area of town. most everything in the downtown area is dangerous imo.

[Ann in Oriental]

Lots of gangs around. It gets worse the further east one goes. Cute houses, good prices, but NOT safe. The realators will not tell you any of this. I lived there for 17 years. Look out towards Red Oak, much safer and better schools.

[Wire120]

Rocky Mount has the worst crime and the worst unemployment in the state. You dont want to move to that hole.

[Wire120]

Originally Posted by se7enty

gay street is in a not-that-great area of town. most everything in the downtown area is dangerous imo.

Most everywhere in the whole city is not safe. The break ins on the western side are at an all time high right now.

[Wire120]

You should move to Wilson, really, If you can. Thats where I live. Its a city thats actually on the rise and improving. It has a good amount of nice restaraunts. Rocky Mount could only dream of the restaraunts Wilson gets.

As I type this I just heard another person getting shot in Rocky Mount on the scanner. Seriously, you dont want to move to that hell hole.

[Wire120]

You know, Rocky Mount reminds me of that scene in Back to the future 2 where they go to that alternate 1985 and Hill Valley is suddenly a hell hole. Rocky Mount was once a nice place over 30 years ago, but its a TOTALLY different place now.

It literally has the most thugs and gangbangers of any place in the state.