Single Mother Need Help PLEASE! (Knoxville, Chattanooga: rental, jobs, house)

[feelnpurdy]

I am a single mother of 4 children, 19, 16, 14 and 3 years old. I live in Peoria Illinois and I am looking to move toTenn, Ky or Nc. Here is my problem. I don't know anyone in either of these states so I don't know where to begin to start to look for a place or town to stay. I currently pay 700 dollars a month for rent for a 5 bedroom, about 200 dollars a month for phone, cable and internet service and about 300 for lights water and gas. So I can afford about 1200 a month for living. I work as a cust. service rep and a server and make about 2100 a month. I stay in a high crime area but my place is nice but the schools suck here. There is NOTHING for the kids to do here but get in trouble. Can any one suggest a city that is well diverse, that is a family kind of place and will not cost me an arm and a leg to stay??? Or at least can someone direct me on how to start looking for info on good rentals and areas to move to??? any help would be nice!

[bbkaren]

Here on city-data Moderator cut: cut, just start poking around. Look around the forums, as well as the data for the cities.

Do you like mountains? Or water? Urban or rural? Those sorts of questions.

Moderator cut: changed to "This site will" give you information on elevation, population density, school per-student expenditures, crime rates, everything you need to know.

But you do have to dig.

I looked at the data, then I came here to the forums and searched for the cities I thought I might be interested in, and read the threads about those cities.

Only after diligently taking those steps for quite some time (weeks/months) did I finally start asking people their thoughts.

It's hard to answer a request for "where should I live"? When the asker hasn't done any research or decided what criteria they're looking for, kwim?

Good luck and happy digging!

[JMT]

bbkaren gave some mighty good advice. Doing the research on your own is a lot of fun, too.

My only concern about your request is the rent. I can't imagine where you can find a 5 bedroom home for $700/month around here. If such a place exists, I highly doubt that it's in a town with very many jobs.

Knoxville might be someplace to start your search. While rent would be a little higher, you could get by without a car. Plus, the worst neighborhoods in Knoxville aren't that bad.

[hiknapster]

True, JMT. But here's the REAL problem. There is no way you are going to pay $700 for a rental of any kind, and make $2,100 for a customer service job around here.

It will probably be safer, but you can't do it on that kind of money. No way.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

True, JMT. But here's the REAL problem. There is no way you are going to pay $700 for a rental of any kind, and make $2,100 for a customer service job around here.

It will probably be safer, but you can't do it on that kind of money. No way.

That's true, although I believe the original post said she worked two jobs to get to $2100/month, customer service rep and server.

But you're right, I seriously doubt she can get much around here for $700/month, at least nothing as large as a 5 bedroom house.

[bls5555]

Being from Illinois and thinking of moving to TN, I must say Peoria has a high crime rate? I never knew that.

The times I have been up there it has seemed like such a nice city.

Also, what do you mean nothing to do? Peoria is going to have just as much to do as Knoxville or Chattanooga or other cities those size in TN.

Also, if you look at personal crime incidents and property crime incidents it appears Peoria has less than the avg. best places to live. I will state they are below Knoxville's also.

Maybe it isn't just Peoria, but (not to be rude, though it will come off as such) the fact that you are a single mother working 2 jobs?

[TriDad]

City-data has competition? They're second to none in my book?

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by JMT

That's true, although I believe the original post said she worked two jobs to get to $2100/month, customer service rep and server.

But you're right, I seriously doubt she can get much around here for $700/month, at least nothing as large as a 5 bedroom house.

Oh, she DID say that! I need a new pair of glasses!

[Robbied]

You dont need to move to prevent them from getting into trouble. You need to spend time with them, know where they are, be their parent and not their friend, and get them involved in activities.

There is plenty of crime and drugs everywhere you go. I grew up in Chicago and didnt get into trouble ,neither did any of my three sisters or my nieces and nephews for that matter.

Where is your family? It takes a village to raise a child, friends, neighbors, and family to assist you especially since you are working two jobs. If you alienate the kids from all they know, there is a good chance they will rebell.

Look for resources where you are.

My two cents... ( I AM a mother of four)

[feelnpurdy]

Originally Posted by bls5555

Being from Illinois and thinking of moving to TN, I must say Peoria has a high crime rate? I never knew that.

The times I have been up there it has seemed like such a nice city.

Also, what do you mean nothing to do? Peoria is going to have just as much to do as Knoxville or Chattanooga or other cities those size in TN.

Also, if you look at personal crime incidents and property crime incidents it appears Peoria has less than the avg. best places to live. I will state they are below Knoxville's also.

Maybe it isn't just Peoria, but (not to be rude, though it will come off as such) the fact that you are a single mother working 2 jobs?

Yeah crime here is bad...We are ranked #2 for Homicides in Illinois...per capita...28 homicides just this year!....And the reason I am working two jobs (and not on welfare), is because the job market here is just this...if you are not working for CATAPILLAR, you are not working...We have every kind of place to go eat here, so as far as working in a fast food place there are plenty of jobs like that...Most places to go have fun(bowling, movies and thats it) close at 10...The City bus stops running at 11 and only runs till 10 on Sat and only then every hour..We had a skating rink the kids could go to but they closed it down because of a shooting...The town is being over ran with gang bangers that come to the Work Release center. In the "bad" neiborhoods there is and overflow of crack cocain and in the "good" neiborhoods meth is a problem. Yes i know that anywhere you go there is going to be crime, but for me and my family can't go to the only Mall we have without dodging bullets, than it's time to go!