Murfreesboro or Manchester???? (Smyrna, Sevierville, Rutherford: 2009, crime, how much)

[itstime2thrive]

My family and I are relocating to TN this summer from Washington State. We have been researching middle TN. Coffee County seems very appealing. We have two daughters 12 & 6. Schools are a concern for us. Murfreesboro seems to be a good area as well. Any suggestions on safe neighborhoods w/ good schools and the world famous southern hospitality? Also, I work in the senior industry. Any info on retirement communities would be helpful... Thanks so much!

[Kim918]

Originally Posted by itstime2thrive

My family and I are relocating to TN this summer from Washington State. We have been researching middle TN. Coffee County seems very appealing. We have two daughters 12 & 6. Schools are a concern for us. Murfreesboro seems to be a good area as well. Any suggestions on safe neighborhoods w/ good schools and the world famous southern hospitality? Also, I work in the senior industry. Any info on retirement communities would be helpful... Thanks so much!

Hi itstimetothrive,

I believe you can find good schools most anywhere if you check them out. Rutherford County offers one of the best school districts in Tennessee according to scores on the state’s 2008 Report Card, which was released Monday by the Tennessee Department of Education.
Rutherford Co. Schools Among Tennessee’s Best : WGNS Radio

I think coffee county is really a pretty area, but a little too far out for me. I don't know a whole lot about it, other than to say, it depends on your lifestyle, more country or more city. There are probably more employment opportunities in your field in Murfreesboro or even Nashville.
I think there would also be a lot more activities available to your children in the boro as well.

Hopefully, someone from Coffee County reads this and chimes in here.

I think I would narrow down where you would working first. There are sooooo many safe neighborhoods in both counties. It would be easier to help you find the right one according to where you would be working and how much of a commute you want to have everyday.

[bhoyal]

The "Blackman" area near the "Avenue" shopping and dining area (Murfreesboro) is nice. Try to avoid the "redneck" or otherwise trashy areas in middle Tennessee (wife beaters on crystal meth with stange violent kids who are constantly getting suspended from school, etc.)

[JMT]

Originally Posted by bhoyal

Try to avoid the "redneck" or otherwise trashy areas in middle Tennessee (wife beaters on crystal meth with stange violent kids who are constantly getting suspended from school, etc.)

What areas are those?

[Kim918]

I was about to ask that very same question.

[bhoyal]

See the thread about "small town danger" for an example. To list all recent example of drunken/drugged-out/mentally ill behavior in middle TN small towns would take too long.

Besides the murder over a $400 car repair in Cannon County in the other thread...

From today's DNJ:

A Smyrna man was indicted on charges of attempted first-degree murder, especially aggravated kidnapping, reckless endangerment with a motor vehicle, DUI, vehicular assault and aggravated assault with a motor vehicle.

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Walker allegedly stabbed Thomas Chester Downey, 39, “several times,” including once in the back of the head at the hotel on August 18.
Detectives have previously said a verbal argument between Downey and Walker, who had been drinking together at the hotel, escalated into the stabbing death of Downey.

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And for JMT...one about East TN today...

Sevierville doctor charged with rape of male patients | www.dnj.com | The Daily News Journal

SEVIERVILLE — A Sevierville doctor has been arrested and charged with raping three males, including a juvenile, at his office.

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Here - a 22 year old raped a 7 year old in Murfreesboro...
22-year old accused of raping 7-year old in Murfreesboro : WGNS Radio

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also from WGNS web site from 2 days ago...

Just barely over the Rutherford County line in Antioch, a man has been arrested for the murder of his wife. Manisha Kratochvil was found in her home strangled to death over a week ago. Now, her husband John has been accused of the death. Metro authorities believe martial problems led to the killing. After the man reportedly strangled his wife he allegedly ransacked the home in an attempt to make it look like she died at the hands of an intruder. Manisha, the victim, was a director at Southern Hills Medical Center and leaves behind two young children.

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This is the tip of the iceberg. Horrible criminal behavior is rampant in non-urban areas...people are only pretending it is not. Drugs, alcohol, mental illness, anger management issues - they all play a part. It's a shame that when one of these creeps gets caught, it turns out many have a rap sheet a mile long and don't even belong in civilized society but yet are roaming the area only to shoot up drugs, rob, maim, or kill innocent law-abiding citizens.

[Mary_Moon]

I think that all your links show is that there are idiots everywhere. It certainly isn't indicative of specific 'redneck, trashy areas' which, like the idiots, exist in every town across the US.

For the OP - there's a pretty big difference between Manchester and Murfreesboro. I've been in the 'Boro area all my life and seen it evolve from a sleepy little college town into a booming city! Manchester still has a very small town vibe to it but is in easy driving distance to M'boro when you need to go to the mall or do major shopping. Murfreesboro hasn't lost all its small-town appeal, but you will find more amenities here like the Greenway, the Bark Park, YMCA, multiple sports parks and extracurricular activities for the kids.

[Kim918]

I can read any newspaper in "Anytown" USA and find crime reports. Crime is everywhere and always will be. Some areas will have more crime than others. I don't believe there is a place in this world you can go that is virtually crime free. If the economy worsens and more jobs are lost, crime will increase everywhere. It has never been soley restricted to urban areas, maybe just more well known or expected. I think if you have lived somewhere all your life and see changes in crime incidents, it has more of an impact on you.

[Kim918]

Originally Posted by Mary_Moon

I think that all your links show is that there are idiots everywhere. It certainly isn't indicative of specific 'redneck, trashy areas' which, like the idiots, exist in every town across the US.

For the OP - there's a pretty big difference between Manchester and Murfreesboro. I've been in the 'Boro area all my life and seen it evolve from a sleepy little college town into a booming city! Manchester still has a very small town vibe to it but is in easy driving distance to M'boro when you need to go to the mall or do major shopping. Murfreesboro hasn't lost all its small-town appeal, but you will find more amenities here like the Greenway, the Bark Park, YMCA, multiple sports parks and extracurricular activities for the kids.

Hi Mary,

I was hoping you would chime in here. You are the boro expert!

[Steve_TN]

I'm just sitting back thinking that things never change, do they? I think it is best to let "haters" be "haters" and just move on to comments worth commenting on and questions worth answering.