High Crime

[Mike in TN]

I think a lot of the crime used to be centralized in many of the areas but with section 8 vouchers and displaced public housing residents being transplanted, I think we are seeing crime being dispersed all over these cities.

For instance, Jackson's east side bore the brunt of the crime until a few years ago. Now, with much of public housing being torn down, the entire city is becoming crime infested instead of it being almost confined to certain areas.

[LauraC]

Meth Lab busts are on the rise, again, in Tennessee:

Tennessee Meth Lab Seizures On The Rise | TriCities

You probably know my take on this. Give USERS stiffer sentences. Many crimes committed against law abiding citizens (especially all kinds of car, home, business, shoplifting, purse snatching theft) are committed by drug USERS (not dealers) stealing to get money to pay for their next fix. The dealers don't have to break into your house, car, store or snatch your wallet/purse for money. In my opinion, the dealers seem to perpetrate more crime against others in the drug culture.

[carolmora]

At least they are busting the meth labs in TN. Some places there is so much pay offs going on that they stay in business. Just come to TX and that is what happens here. It's bad.

[elgusano]

Rochester and Chattanooga have similar crime rates, and you are correct about it being spread all over the city with the welfare handouts being spread out. It used to be centralized, now everyone suffers equally.

St Louis, which is a similar size to Chattanooga Metro (about double the size of Chattanooga city limits) has nearly double the crime rate.

Ft. Lauderdale is considerably lower than Chattanooga, but higher than the national average.

Believe it or not, the crime rate in DC and NYC are lower than Chattanooga, with NYC being below the national average.

[fragments38]

yo,
I will answer your question with my opinion - which hopefully is accurate, being a native Tennesseean and familiar with a good deal of the state.

I have lived in Memphis and if you are looking for a safe city, it is the wrong city... the crime at this point is frequent in almost every part of Memphis, from what I am aware.

I live near Nashville at this point and though it is said to have a crime rate, most of the city is very safe. I think that in Nashville, the crime is usually only in the "bad" areas, as you mentioned. I always feel very safe just about wherever I go in Nashville.

Safe and great places to raise a family would be:

- Knoxville
Knoxville, being one of the major cities in Tennessee, is near the Great Smokey Mountains and has everything a city needs to house your lifestyle.

- Franklin
Franklin is in Williamson County, just south of Nashville. It is one of the safer places in Tennessee, and also one of the best to raise a family. The cost of living may be a little high, but worth checking into. You also may consider trying Spring Hill, which is just south of Franklin... a little more rural but still Williamson county. Has what you need and the cost of living isn't too outrageous.

- I also hear nice things about Crossville and Cookeville.

[kgassen]

Rogersvile tn is very safe and wonderfull schools from what I am told. We have an aunt out the and are moving there I hope in june so I am doing the same research as u. Tri-Cities from what I have been told are the best. Good luck

[mbmouse]

Originally Posted by kgassen

Rogersvile tn is very safe and wonderfull schools from what I am told. We have an aunt out the and are moving there I hope in june so I am doing the same research as u. Tri-Cities from what I have been told are the best. Good luck

I am going to be honest with you, Rogersville's crime has picked up in the past two or three years. They have had car break in's in church parking lots, church vandalism, house break ins and a murder for petty theft. I am not saying it is a crime meca by any means but we have been noticing a lot more crimes against other people (other than someone the victem knew, which domestics are common). And the schools are ok, but not if you have a child that wants to continue on to college without a year or two of community college first. Don't get me wrong, it is a very nice little historic town, my parents live there as do several family friends. But I would never classify it as "very safe and wonderfull schools."