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a smaller town(pop. 5,000-20,000)
affordable average small town
town square with old shops
decent economy
not located off of an interstate( hate the big box stores that pop up around the interstate towns)
still has the small town ways,charm,character and mentality, local restaurants, stuff like that
perferbaly a country kinda town
it could be located close to a city, just not in its metro area and not in a booming area where sprawl will someday intrude into the small town.
if you know of a town like this, it could be anywhre in the country except the Northeast. Im not interested in the NE.
One that comes to mind is Fayetteville. 90 miles from Nashville, 30 miles from Huntsville, AL (whose economy has weathered fairly well and is growing. If you have a tech, gov't., or engineering background, you'll find a job.). Fayetteville is north of Huntsville, whose growth is primarily to the west and east.
Active town square, population about 7000, no big box stores except Wally world. About 15 miles or so from a freeway (I-65.) Still a lot of ag and cattle, but is also a bedroom community to Huntsville, or at least much of the southern part of the community is.
In all seriousness, your criteria described Fayetteville, but there are many towns in Tennessee that fit. In general, the friendliest area I've lived in.
One that comes to mind is Fayetteville. 90 miles from Nashville, 30 miles from Huntsville, AL (whose economy has weathered fairly well and is growing. If you have a tech, gov't., or engineering background, you'll find a job.). Fayetteville is north of Huntsville, whose growth is primarily to the west and east.
Active town square, population about 7000, no big box stores except Wally world. About 15 miles or so from a freeway (I-65.) Still a lot of ag and cattle, but is also a bedroom community to Huntsville, or at least much of the southern part of the community is.
In all seriousness, your criteria described Fayetteville, but there are many towns in Tennessee that fit. In general, the friendliest area I've lived in.
Like I said, Tennessee is full of towns similar to what you describe.
Tennessee has three distinct regions, with the regions dividing the state into roughly equal thirds. Each region has one larger city, with each one having at least one other smaller city within it.
West Tennessee is relatively flat, more lowlands and it's history largely determined by the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers. Large city-Memphis, smaller "micropolitan"--Jackson.
Middle Tennessee is rolling hills, Cumberland Plateau. Large city--Nashville, with multiple larger suburbs (Franklin, Brentwood, Goodletsville, Madison, Mt. Juliet), multiple micropolitan cities--Cookeville, Clarksville, Tullahoma.
East Tennessee is dominated by the Appalachian Mountains. Large city--Knoxville, smaller city, Chattanooga (although many will also put it in Middle Tennessee), micropolitan cities--"Tri-Cities", Elizabethton.
All are beautiful areas with each being unique in its own right. Some areas are more affluent, some are very affluent (a couple of Nashville suburbs are consistently one of the highest ranking in per capita income in the nation), some areas are poor...each of the three regions has some of each.
Hope you find the perfect place.
As you know, the heat here is different than the desert heat!
a smaller town(pop. 5,000-20,000)
affordable average small town
town square with old shops
decent economy
not located off of an interstate( hate the big box stores that pop up around the interstate towns)
still has the small town ways,charm,character and mentality, local restaurants, stuff like that
perferbaly a country kinda town
it could be located close to a city, just not in its metro area and not in a booming area where sprawl will someday intrude into the small town.
if you know of a town like this, it could be anywhre in the country except the Northeast. Im not interested in the NE.
Eastern CA-the Motherlode and Sierras are full of towns like you describe and the cost of housing is a third of what the urban areas cost.
(For those who consider PA the Mid-Atlantic not the Northeast. If your objection to the Northeast is blue politics, this section of PA is deeply conservative. Also the economy's only decent if you have job skills and experience immediately usable in the natural gas extraction industry.)
Two years ago I could have suggested a great small town near me. But they went and voted in a WalMart.
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