Cookeville, TN - Small town living & a low cost of living (McMinnville: real estate)

[JMT]

Originally Posted by AdrianR

How much is the hourly minimum wage there?

The minimum wage in Cookeville is the same as the national minimum wage. But in reality, I think most places (even fast-food places) tend to pay a little more.

[Sparkman]

Originally Posted by JMT

The minimum wage in Cookeville is the same as the national minimum wage. But in reality, I think most places (even fast-food places) tend to pay a little more.

Correct.

Tennessee has no state minimum wage law, so federal law will be followed.

See this:

DOL WHD: Minimum Wage Laws in the States

Here is Illinois, minimum wage is now $7.50

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by Barbiego

We retired here a year ago and love it. But my concern is that as more retirees come in, costs are going up. Three years ago when we started looking for a town to live in, Cookeville was the #1 most affordable town in the U.S. By the time we moved here two years later, it was in #2 spot. Now in today's paper I see it has dropped down to #4. Retirees with lots of money (especially from Florida) are moving here and buying huge houses and expensive cars and I think people are seeing $$$ signs and costs are going up. I sure hate to see it (by the way, we're not one of the rich retirees). It's still quite affordable (at this time) and we are happy we came.

How sad. It's just like what's happening in East Tennessee. Maybe that's why people seem to drop off of Tennessee forum after they move.

The article was informative.

[AdrianR]

Could someone who lives in Cookeville do me a super duper favor? Could you tell me how far away this address is from town?
35-85 E. 18th St. Cookeville, TN 38501 If I move out there I wont have a car for some time so I'll need to walk everywhere seeing how there is no bus service there. Thanks.

Oh and, would someone be able to send me a couple newspapers, a map, and rental mags from Cookeville? I will pay for the S&H for anyone who does. Thanks.

[AdrianR]

Here is the apt. itself Cookeville, McMinnville Real Estate and Rentals - Stevens Realty is it in a 'good' part of town? close to grocery stores? Also, is there a Wal-Mart in cookeville?

[gemkeeper]

Originally Posted by AdrianR

Here is the apt. itself Cookeville, McMinnville Real Estate and Rentals - Stevens Realty is it in a 'good' part of town? close to grocery stores? Also, is there a Wal-Mart in cookeville?

Adrian, I haven't been in Cookeville myself, but did do a little search for you. You are 1.4 miles from the Cookeville Chamber of Commerce in downtown Cookeville. On the aerial Live Search map it looks like you are about 2 blocks from a school with a large football field. Kids mean stores.

There is a Super Wal-Mart in Cookeville, but it is 3.4 miles from the apts. on the other side of town.

Hope this helps a little. I am sure that as soon as some Cookeville residents see your post they will answer you with more detail.

You might want to start a new post, such as "Need some help finding shopping in Cookeville before I move there." Something that won't get lost in another thread like this one.

Best of everything to you. Hope it works out.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by AdrianR

Could someone who lives in Cookeville do me a super duper favor? Could you tell me how far away this address is from town?
35-85 E. 18th St. Cookeville, TN 38501 If I move out there I wont have a car for some time so I'll need to walk everywhere seeing how there is no bus service there. Thanks.

Oh and, would someone be able to send me a couple newspapers, a map, and rental mags from Cookeville? I will pay for the S&H for anyone who does. Thanks.

If you're moving to Cookeville, the Chamber of Commerce will send you those things you asked for:
Cookeville Area - Putnam County Chamber of Commerce

Otherwise, the local newspaper is online and has its classifieds section online:
Welcome to the Herald-Citizen Web Page!!

If you want a city map immediately, you can download one from the city's web site:
City of Cookeville - Welcome to Cookeville!

The only apartment rental mag that I know of is the Apartment Rental Guide. It's also available online:
Cookeville Apartments

There are two Wal-Mart SuperCenters in Cookeville. Your new apartment is probably closest to the Algood location, about 2.5 miles.

Your apartment is around the corner from a rather large Bread Box convenience store. You're about 1/4 mile from a Family Dollar store. About a 1/2 mile away in one direction is an IGA grocery store, and about a 1/2 mile in another direction is a Dollar General.

Are you going to be attending Tennessee Tech? The neighborhood where your apartment is located is full of student apartments, you're just a few blocks away from the university.

[AdrianR]

Originally Posted by JMT

Are you going to be attending Tennessee Tech? The neighborhood where your apartment is located is full of student apartments, you're just a few blocks away from the university.

Thanks for the info you two!
But in aswer to your question JMT, no, I wont be attending TT. In fact, my mom is tennesseedreamin' so I'm trying to get more info. I keep looking for stuff online but cant find much. Me and her used to live in Gatlinburg for about 7 months, she wanted to go back there, but its so touristy there are barely any "real" stores, let alone a hospital-which she needs. In addition, G-burg and Pigeon Forge dry up in the winter and the rents are are higher there too. Cookeville however, seems to be the opposite of all those and it looks nice too. California is just so high priced, I cant afford it anymore.

One more question, do the apartemnts that are near to and geared for, the college and the students, only rent to college students?

[JMT]

Originally Posted by AdrianR

Thanks for the info you two!
But in aswer to your question JMT, no, I wont be attending TT. In fact, my mom is tennesseedreamin' so I'm trying to get more info. I keep looking for stuff online but cant find much. Me and her used to live in Gatlinburg for about 7 months, she wanted to go back there, but its so touristy there are barely any "real" stores, let alone a hospital-which she needs. In addition, G-burg and Pigeon Forge dry up in the winter and the rents are are higher there too. Cookeville however, seems to be the opposite of all those and it looks nice too. California is just so high priced, I cant afford it anymore.

I definitely understand where you're coming from. And I'm with you about Gatlinburg. I remember going to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge when I was a kid, and it really was paradise back then. You could zip over to Gatlinburg from I-40 in no time at all; there was almost zero traffic. Now the road is just one big parking lot, it's crowded, noisy, expensive, and polluted. I still love the mountains, but I don't think Sevier County is the paradise it used to be.

Cookeville DOES have a bus system, but it's not a scheduled service. It's called UCARTS: UCARTS You have to call ahead to have them pick you up, and it's not available on weekends, but it is available to anyone in the entire Upper Cumberland Region. I know of a lot of senior citizens who use it to go shopping and go to the doctor, for example, but you don't have to be a senior citizen to use it.

There are some large apartment complexes in Cookeville that rent only to college students, but the one you spotted probably isn't one of them. I'm sure that MOST of the people there are college students, but not all. The fact that it's around the corner from an elementary school leads me to suspect that there are a lot of families in the area, too, even in the apartments. (On a side note, that elementary school burned down in the spring, so it's not in use right now and is soon going to be made into an all pre-K school.)

Let us know if we can answer any more of your questions.

[firepower]

Originally Posted by AdrianR

Here is the apt. itself Cookeville, McMinnville Real Estate and Rentals - Stevens Realty is it in a 'good' part of town?

To answer that question...

You are 6 blocks north of TTU campus.Right off Dixie Ave.
It's a large area between Dixie & Washington,from 12th St. to Jere Whitson...What used to be one of the oldest residential neighborhoods in Cookeville has become 75% apartments,duplexes & rent houses.

Those 75% are now mostly Hispanics & college students.

I'm not saying that makes it a "bad" part of town,there dosen't particularly seem to be a lot more crime in that area or anything.Just giving you the demographics.

firepower