Henderson County - it's pretty, but is it safe? (Jackson: violent crime, homes)

[FiveHorses]

We found a property that offers what we want at the price we want it - it's in Henderson County, about 30 miles from Jackson in (sort of) the middle of nowhere - which is fine, we don't have a problem with that. However, the more I started to dig, the more it seemed to be that not all was as picturesque as the scenery. The statistics just don't make for happy reading. For the foreseeable future, I'll be on my own a lot. My husband will be there when he can, but that's not going to be on a daily basis or even a weekly basis.

Now I know statistics are just numbers and can be misleading.... but having said that, the numbers are not just made up either. As a female who will be on her own for the majority of the time, safety is a priority for us.

Opinions wanted please.
Many thanks in advance to all those that take the time to respond. It's very much appreciated.

[strumpeace]

I don't know where specifically in Henderson County you're looking to relocate. I'm sure that some areas are better than others.

That being said, I have family in the Crucifer / Blue Goose portion of Henderson County, and they love the area. They've never had any problems. I would assume that Lexington itself may have more crime -- though I haven't heard of any major violent crime there (except a highly publicized shooting at the county fair several years ago).

Property crime is high in most of West Tennessee. There's no way around that.

Best wishes.

[FiveHorses]

Originally Posted by strumpeace

Property crime is high in most of West Tennessee. There's no way around that.

Sadly, so it would seem. Thank you for your input.

It's the area around Wildersville, by the way.

[kbg]

Nothing going on in that corner but your basic redneck scene, you have picked some off the beaten path area (hence the selling price) but I think you would be as safe there as anywhere else. Just do like everyone else in the country and arm yourself with whatever and protect what is yours because the local law or even a ambulance is not going to be very time efficent and that is if they can find you! Ha-Ha!

[beachmouse]

A lot of the rural property crime problem seems to come from two sources: bored teenagers who have noting better to do than try to break into homes and people who assume that since they live out in the country that they don't have to lock their home or car up. I had coworkers at UTM that would not only leave their cars unlocked at work but also leave their car keys in the car and my mind totally boggled at that.

The teenagers generally aren't into the home invasion deal and will go somewhere else if there's obviously someone at home (when we got burglarized when we lived in Martin, it was while we were spending a week out of town visiting family) and locked doors are something you can entirely control.

If you've otherwise fallen in love with the area, I wouldn't let the crime numbers scare you off. Just be sensible like you would be in an urban area.

[FiveHorses]

Thanks Beachmouse - I live out in the country now (different state) and around here... no one locks anything.

Having said that I was floored when I went to do statistical comparisons between where this place is and where we now live. The county seat (and the town where I go to do things, about 12 miles from where we live) and the closest place I could get for stats was given a 6 for violent crime and a 3 for property crime. If I remember correctly, the towns I looked up in Henderson Co. all had scores of 7 or above for property while violent crimes were around 3.

But it is why I made the remark that statistics aren't always an accurate reflection - e.g. if violent or property crime is only taking part in one particular area or among one particular group of people, then "normal" people can get on with their daily lives and remain totally unaffected.