Moving to Bluefield,WV (Charleston, Beckley: violent crime, houses, unemployment)

[reganzmom]

Hi. My family and I are moving from Pooler,GA (outside of Savannah)to Bluefield in the next few months and I wanted to get some general info on the Union Street area. We have a 4yr old,2yr old, and one on the way so I just wanted to make sure this is a safe,quiet area. Also, I'd like to know what kind of people live in that area. Is it mostly an older neighborhood or young families? Any info would be helpful. Thanks

[cry_havoc]

Originally Posted by reganzmom

Hi. My family and I are moving from Pooler,GA (outside of Savannah)to Bluefield in the next few months and I wanted to get some general info on the Union Street area. We have a 4yr old,2yr old, and one on the way so I just wanted to make sure this is a safe,quiet area. Also, I'd like to know what kind of people live in that area. Is it mostly an older neighborhood or young families? Any info would be helpful. Thanks

There are not many young families in that area of WV. Why are you moving to Bluefield, that is an area of WV that is rapidly shrinking?

I cant comment on that area in particular but that region of WV is known for unemployment, poverty, meth, and prescription drugs.

[mattec]

Originally Posted by cry_havoc

There are not many young families in that area of WV. Why are you moving to Bluefield, that is an area of WV that is rapidly shrinking?

I cant comment on that area in particular but that region of WV is known for unemployment, poverty, meth, and prescription drugs.

Maybe they work for Norfolk southern, who still has a large presence there, and got transferred. Or, maybe they got a job at the hospital. Don't jump on someone just because they're not moving to your area and don't needlessly deride the are they're moving to. Is there poverty and drug abuse in bluefield? Yes. Is it any different from the rest of the state, Charleston and morgantown included? No. The entire state is known for its poverty and drug use.


As for union st., it probably has a mix of old and young, but leans old. Its just your typical older (age of houses) neighborhood. I can't really speak of crime and what not, but the few times I've been by it, I haven't noticed anything abnormal or sketchy.

[cry_havoc]

Originally Posted by mattec

Maybe they work for Norfolk southern, who still has a large presence there, and got transferred. Or, maybe they got a job at the hospital. Don't jump on someone just because they're not moving to your area and don't needlessly deride the are they're moving to. Is there poverty and drug abuse in bluefield? Yes. Is it any different from the rest of the state, Charleston and morgantown included? No. The entire state is known for its poverty and drug use.


As for union st., it probably has a mix of old and young, but leans old. Its just your typical older (age of houses) neighborhood. I can't really speak of crime and what not, but the few times I've been by it, I haven't noticed anything abnormal or sketchy.

Im sorry Mattec but the Southern tip of WV that borders Kentucky, where Bluefield is, is known as the very worst area in WV for poverty, unemployment, and drug use. Is there problems everywhere in WV, yes. Are they MUCH worse in the bluefield area, yes.

[CurseOfWilmore]

Bluefield is almost a 1:45 hour drive from the KY border. Bluefield is in decline, but I would advise living in Princeton if moving to that area. It is safer, scenic and more accessible to medical services and better schools. Exit 14 off I-77 has numerous restaurants and your only 30-40 min from Beckley in that area. Another option is moving to Bluefield, Va, they also have good schools, lower crime rate, and more of a laid back country town. Mercer County is in better shape than most of the counties in SWV economically.

[reganzmom]

Thanks for the replies. We're looking in that area because the homes are cheaper but not in the middle of nowhere.We were originally looking at Grafton but it was a little more expensive. Bluefield seems convenient and for the most part I've seen good comments from people who live there. We're just tired of the lack of seasons here, and unbearable summers. I certainly don't want to move my kids to a dangerous city but I didn't know if it was more one or two bad neighborhoods or streets or is crime widespread?

[CurseOfWilmore]

There are a couple of places of places in Bluefield that are bad, of course there are places like that in almost every WV town. It's not violent crime, mostly drugs and your occasional thievery. Union St. is a pretty good neighborhood, I wouldn't mind living there.

[mensaguy]

Originally Posted by CurseOfWilmore

Bluefield is almost a 1:45 hour drive from the KY border. Bluefield is in decline, but I would advise living in Princeton if moving to that area. It is safer, scenic and more accessible to medical services and better schools. Exit 14 off I-77 has numerous restaurants and your only 30-40 min from Beckley in that area. Another option is moving to Bluefield, Va, they also have good schools, lower crime rate, and more of a laid back country town. Mercer County is in better shape than most of the counties in SWV economically.

I'd never think of Bluefield as being close to Kentucky. I think of Bluefield as fairly close to Wytheville, VA, where I-77 connects to I-81. I've got relatives living in Bluefield, VA, and in Princeton. It never occurred to me to ask why they weren't living in Bluefield, WV.

[CurseOfWilmore]

I wouldn't even consider it close to Ky, two separate places and identities. It's actually 2 hours 45 min to Pikeville. If you go thru McDowell, to Iaeger, then to Panther, then into Hurley,Va, then to the Ky. That's actually 2 hours so I was off in my original estimation, and that's just to the state line.

[cry_havoc]

Bluefield is approx 50 miles from the Kentucky border.

It is not in the worst meth area of WV but it is in that area.