Western NC or Eastern TN?

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

As much as I LOVE North Carolina, I'll most likely end up in Eastern Tenn because the homes are cheaper and there is no property income tax there, and I'll be a lot closer to NC there than I am now in Houston.

[viajero8]

Although I've never been I've heard some good rumblings about Chattanooga. Will it be the next Asheville? Given its proximity to Atlanta it seems like it is should be going places.

[Schickelgruber]

The grass on this side of the fence may not be as green as you're hoping it will be.

[sujaco]

I have property in both Asheville, NC, and Elizabethton, TN, so I can speak to this a little bit. Pros and cons: Asheville is pretty progressive and the further out you go from the center of Asheville, the less progressive it is. Real estate is outta sight in Asheville because everybody's moving down and up here and will pay most anything for a home. Houses in East TN cost half or less than half of what it would cost you for the same house in Asheville. There are always more job ops in Asheville than in the Johnson City area and usually with better pay. Hope this helps. Susan

[efex101]

Thank you all for the very informative responses. I guess, my family and I will have to visit and see four ourselves but it sounds like East TN is cheaper COL but maybe not as culturally driven and progressive as NC. To be honest as long as I am from within an hour or so to a major metro city, I can be content.

[a.curvin]

The tri-cities is a growing area with good opportunity. Johnson City has a major university and a major VA hospital. Morristown is also a nice little town which is growing. TN taxes are in general cheaper and housing prices are cheaper too. TN does not have income tax, NC does. TN does not have annual property tax on vehicles, NC does. I don't know what your current cost of living is but you can compare that at salary.com.

East TN, though, is not overly progressive. Historically known to not be and quite proud of it. I've talked to other transplants to Morristown and they have said it was quite hard to make friends. Knoxville is a major metropolis if that is more what you are looking for.

Asheville area does have many colleges, and good reputation for public schools. It also has a VA. But housing is more expensive and so are the taxes. And the job market is tough unless you are in the medical field.

[a.curvin]

Originally Posted by viajero8

Although I've never been I've heard some good rumblings about Chattanooga. Will it be the next Asheville? Given its proximity to Atlanta it seems like it is should be going places.

My husband and I are from Chattanooga but now live in Asheville. Chattanooga has definitely made huge strides in self-improvement within the last 10 years or so. But, you better LOVE humidity. And it is also real bad for allergies if you are prone to that sort of thing. It is now a much more family-friendly town. Real estate prices are on the move upward. There is lots of entertainment and neat funky areas as well as all the traditional big-box and mall stores.

[iabhornc]

Jenn, just my 2 cents...stick with the Knoxville, TN general area. Unemployment in the Hickory/Lenoir NC area is MUCH higher (15%) and jobs would be much tougher to come by there.

Another area I love is the Roanoke, Virginia area. Unemployment there is only about 6%! The surrounding countryside is gorgeous and it's a great place to raise kids [/quote]


I totally agree with EVERYTHING you just said. I currently live in NC and Virginia (a state NCians *think* is worse) is one place I am considering. Just to say the unemployment rate in NC is high is an understatement. Not to mention the jobs here pay nothing. I have even had North Carolinians tell me they liked Tennessee better and that people there were nicer. I have been to almost every state in the U.S. and no other place compares to NC (a state they think is the best in the nation). Tell this to a NCian and they will run their ignorance in your face. Hopefully, I will not have to live amongst these snobs for much longer. However, I am not a parent so I can't say. Most of the states which surround NC are nicer anyways. This place was more decent until everybody started moving here.

I don't know why NCians think every other state in the U.S. sucks. I am even willing to consider Northern Virginia and even Maryland. Besides, there is more work in the Washington, D.C. area than there is in NC and the people were not all over my back like they are here in NC. If you ask me, NCians should be forbidden to leave NC (like one of my other buddies said). When I told this one disgruntled NCian (currently living in Asheville) that people have always been nicer to me in all the surrounding states they were, like, ''no, I think it's the other way around.'' The entire Western part of NC is my least favorite part (just like the Raleigh/Durham area towards the coast). The only city here I barely like is Greensboro. Not to mention people's work ethic here is for !@#$. I have already tried looking in some of the surrounding states and the way they conduct the interviews is very professional (unlike here in NC where they will give you a boss who doesn't make eye contact and you don't get work). They have ''all the jobs in the world'' such that they have nothing. Most of the jobs here are all sales related. Hopefully, I will be moving out soon. Avoid NC like the plague that's all. It has become a retarded cross between California (another state I would consider living in) and NYC (a place I dread); the worst of both worlds you'd better believe. I could go on and on but I will leave it here. I don't know how anybody could think these simple-minded North Carolinians are the nicest in the whole country. Then, what is worse, is we get all these arrogant Northerners with that ''everywhere is the same'' kind of attitude. I don't know what world they are living in to why they think that way, but those NCian hypocrites can !@#$ off. They can harass me all they want but if I don't want to talk to them, I reserve the right to have my way. One thing I liked about Tennesians is they didn't seem to bother me while I was walking down the road like these NC !@#$s constantly do. The last time I was there, they were all, like, ''hi.'' !@#$ North Carolina. Don't come here unless you want to be annoyed by Kellie Pickler and Clay Aiken. Later.