Need suggestions please (Knoxville, Clarksville, Murfreesboro: employment, construction, schools)

[peacenquietseeker]

Hi everyone, I am considering moving my family from AZ to Tenn., but not sure as to where I would like to be. That is why I am asking you all for suggestions. I was raised in NE Miss and absolutely loved it there, but can not talk my wife into moving there. She is hesitant about Tenn., but I have our 4 yr old telling here that daddy and her are moving to Tenn., now she is at least willing to visit for awhile and look around.

I am not a fan of snow, a little is fine. I am not a fan of tornados as well. I would prefer a country setting, so I can see rolling hills and farmland. I would also like to have a good/close view of mountains. (that is one thing I would miss about AZ-the mnts). I don 't want to be in town, but close enough to go in shopping (clothes, food, etc). I would prefer not to have my neighbor so close that I can hear them coughing.

I have a great job as a construction project manager for a company that deals in everything dealing with water disinfection. I am always on the road for work, so having a major airport within 4 hr drive is needed. I would prefer decent schools. My wife is just about completed with her Maters in Marriage and Family counseling, So employment for her may be needed.

I have been to Clarksville, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Murphfreeysburough (spelling??) many times for work. Clarksville was nice, but a little to much snow, Pigeon Forge and Seviersville was nice, but way to crowded for me. Murfreesburough was to long ago to remember much about it, so I guess these areas would be out.

Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

peacenquietseeker

[JMT]

Originally Posted by peacenquietseeker

Hi everyone, I am considering moving my family from AZ to Tenn., but not sure as to where I would like to be. That is why I am asking you all for suggestions. I was raised in NE Miss and absolutely loved it there, but can not talk my wife into moving there. She is hesitant about Tenn., but I have our 4 yr old telling here that daddy and her are moving to Tenn., now she is at least willing to visit for awhile and look around.

I am not a fan of snow, a little is fine. I am not a fan of tornados as well. I would prefer a country setting, so I can see rolling hills and farmland. I would also like to have a good/close view of mountains. (that is one thing I would miss about AZ-the mnts). I don 't want to be in town, but close enough to go in shopping (clothes, food, etc). I would prefer not to have my neighbor so close that I can hear them coughing.

I have a great job as a construction project manager for a company that deals in everything dealing with water disinfection. I am always on the road for work, so having a major airport within 4 hr drive is needed. I would prefer decent schools. My wife is just about completed with her Maters in Marriage and Family counseling, So employment for her may be needed.

I have been to Clarksville, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Murphfreeysburough (spelling??) many times for work. Clarksville was nice, but a little to much snow, Pigeon Forge and Seviersville was nice, but way to crowded for me. Murfreesburough was to long ago to remember much about it, so I guess these areas would be out.

Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

peacenquietseeker

Well, there's lots of beautiful countryside in the Clarksville and Murfreesboro areas, but those are both cities of 100,000+ residents and aren't anywhere near mountains.

You can find lots of countryside with mountain views in East Tennessee, but then you won't be near a major airport. Knoxville's airport is tiny (only 12 gates). There's also more snow in East Tennessee than in the Nashville area (Clarksville and Murfreesboro).

I recommend looking into the area between Carthage and Cookeville. It'll put you within an hour of the Nashville airport (hub for Southwest Airlines), you've got beautiful views, small mountains/big hills (we call them mountains, you might call them hills), waterfalls, and lakes.

If you go any farther east than Cookeville you'll be up on the Cumberland Plateau where you'll get more snow.

Anywhere, here are some pics I found of the area between Carthage and Cookeville:

[TNRyan23]

If you want to be in the country but also would like to get to a big city within a reasonable amount of time (about 50 miles south from downtown Nashville), I'd suggest Columbia/Spring Hill..

City of Columbia, Tennessee



Spring Hill:

Welcome to Spring Hill, Tennessee

[MomsTn]

Ooooooooohhhhhhh thanks TN Ryan for the pictures of Columbia and the view of the mountains in the background.We'll be moving right next door in Lawrence County.

The picture of the farmland with the mountains reminded me of Idaho where my Grandma lived. Such a beautiful area.

[TNRyan23]

Originally Posted by MomsTn

Ooooooooohhhhhhh thanks TN Ryan for the pictures of Columbia and the view of the mountains in the background. We'll be moving right next door in Lawrence County.

The picture of the farmland with the mountains reminded me of Idaho where my Grandma lived. Such a beautiful area.

Wow, I've been out there and I'll just say.. You must LOVE nature...

[MomsTn]

I do love nature.
I've lived all over the U.S. and there are only two places that my heart really loves.

Tennessee and Idaho.
Tennesse, because that's my roots and Idaho because that's where my Grandma lived.

I also love seeing mountains in the distance.

[skinem]

There's basically 3 Tennessees...west, middle and eastern--each different.
Typcially, west Tennessee is flatter, middle Tennessee lot of rolling hills, eastern Tennessee is hilly to mountainous. These are broad generalizations, but true. If you want views of real mountains as are in AZ, you'll need eastern Tennessee. Lots of space but can be close to lots of shopping and a low cost of living.

Not a whole lot of snow anywhere, but eastern Tennessee can get it depending upon elevation. But, if you thought Clarksville gets too much snow...wow. You may think east Tennessee gets a LOT of snow!

With mountains, less odds of tornadoes, and your wife's possible need for employment, Knoxville or Tri-Cities or Elizabethton, Johnson City may be options.

Tornadoes can occur anywhere in the state, but seem less common in eastern Tennessee.

If you've been to Gatlingburg/Sevierville/Pigeon Forge, you've seen some of the densest and most "touristy" place in the state. If it's been quite a while since you've been to Murfreesboro, it's grown a whooooole lot over the years. The day is coming when it'll be solid city between it and Nashville.

[hiknapster]

East Tennessee fits all your needs. Places around Knoxville are near the foothills, snow is a couple of dustings a year, and there are hardly any tornadoes. You start getting west of here and the tornado risk becomes higher. Didn't Murfreesboro just get a tornado a couple of months ago?

But, like JMT said, there is not a major airport, so that just puts you back to square one.

And of course you need to find work before you can even consider an area to live.

At least this will give you some food for thought.

[peacenquietseeker]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

East Tennessee fits all your needs. Places around Knoxville are near the foothills, snow is a couple of dustings a year, and there are hardly any tornadoes. You start getting west of here and the tornado risk becomes higher. Didn't Murfreesboro just get a tornado a couple of months ago?

But, like JMT said, there is not a major airport, so that just puts you back to square one.

And of course you need to find work before you can even consider an area to live.

At least this will give you some food for thought.

thanks to everyone so far for their suggestions as well as the beautiful pictures.

I am thinking eastern tenn. as said, I don't mind snow, just don't want lots (used to live wisc/ill border and do not miss the winters-LOL) I can deal with a couple inches every now and then.

Yes Murfreesburough just got hit a while back (one died). I was in Nashville airport while that was going on.

I am not in the need of a job, I can live anywhere with my job. I do not have to have total access to a major airport, as long as one is within between 4-6 hour drive away I am fine (I drive about 3 hours due to traffic to airport now)

please keep the suggestions coming if you wouldn't mind, I sure do appreciate it.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by peacenquietseeker

thanks to everyone so far for their suggestions as well as the beautiful pictures.

I am thinking eastern tenn. as said, I don't mind snow, just don't want lots (used to live wisc/ill border and do not miss the winters-LOL) I can deal with a couple inches every now and then.

Yes Murfreesburough just got hit a while back (one died). I was in Nashville airport while that was going on.

I am not in the need of a job, I can live anywhere with my job. I do not have to have total access to a major airport, as long as one is within between 4-6 hour drive away I am fine (I drive about 3 hours due to traffic to airport now)

please keep the suggestions coming if you wouldn't mind, I sure do appreciate it.

Then definitely consider East Tennessee. Look at Maryville/Blount County. It's a bustling suburb of Knoxville (Knoxville's airport is in Blount County) but it's also right smack against the Smoky Mountains. I mean there are mountain views everywhere around there. And the Knoxville airport might just be big enough for you anyway at least from time to time.

Here are some pics of Blount County: