[racer56]

We have a trip planned out but it will have to only be a few days and we want to get the most out of the trip. We are trying to get a feeel for which area better fits our list.

We would rather...
Be fishing than shopping
Swim in a lake than a city pool
Grill out than eat out
Spend our money on vacation than a high end house
Watch a good high school football game than watch the pros
Buy local than save a buck or two somewhere else
Wake up to birds chirping instead of lots of cars
Less government in our life not more
Buy our produce from food stand or farmers market than the store
Have neighbors with good morals than money
Buy American goods than pay less
Watch a good dirttrack race than go to the movie
No processing plants in the area

We have three kids in school, one is a solid football player, our oldest is into the arts like me and our youngest likes to play all the sports. We enjoy making and selling handmade goods. Bike Clubs/car clubs in the area? We want to buy out in the country and be at 70k or less.
Which area has the better hospital, school, job market and so on. We want our new area to be a stand alone town and not have to depend on traveling to another town for much. Does either town have a good steel supplier? We are excited to get out of the concrete jungle we are in now! Thank you for any information anyone can add.

[thewizard16]

I'm a little biased, but I think Mountain Home fits your list much better. Mountain Home has the better hospital hands down, and has what most higher education people consider a better school system (though Harrison's is also quite respected). Mountain Home does offer some more opportunities (and has a great community college and new arts center very near the high school) as far as academic programs. I don't know enough about their football teams these days to compare them, but both have good turn outs for their games. It is also surrounded by Bull Shoals and Norfork lakes, which are both large and just a few minutes drive to go enjoy some boating, swimming, camping, etc. Harrison doesn't have as close access to the lakes. There is a dirt track/racing track in between Mountain Home and Harrison near Yellville/Flippin. I don't know exactly what you mean by processing plants- both areas have some industrial employers but in different market segments. Mountain Home has a pretty good gearhead crowd, but I don't know about the clubs. The T-buckets and a couple classic car shows come to Mtn. Home pretty frequently and those are fun to explore. Both cities have pretty good retail and dining offerings for towns their size. You're not going to have the stores Little Rock, Fayetteville, or a large city would have, but they both offer a lot more than most towns of about 12,000 people.

Good luck with your search and let me know if you have any questions! I'm not in the area much anymore, but I still have family up in the Mountain Home area that might know more.

[RogMar]

I'd vote Mt. Home for sure.

It's spread out, so you have room, many transplants, so you're not sitting among locals, and the vacation season gets into full swing there.

Lots of resorts and cabins to stay at.

[racer56]

My wife has removed Harrison from the list, I guess it has quite a history. We are having a hard time trying to find out what the average pay is in Mountain Home. Anything to go on would be helpful. I have called down and asked a feww places what starting pay is and they say they aren't hiring but won't say how much the wage is if they had been hiring. I would guess it must be very low or they would be upfront.
Anyone know what Walmart, any fast food, gas stations or something like that starts at? We can base that on what that type of job pays here. Here fast food pays 9-9.50 to start for example. Wwe are starting to wonder if it is a town we can make a living in.

[thewizard16]

Originally Posted by racer56

My wife has removed Harrison from the list, I guess it has quite a history. We are having a hard time trying to find out what the average pay is in Mountain Home. Anything to go on would be helpful. I have called down and asked a feww places what starting pay is and they say they aren't hiring but won't say how much the wage is if they had been hiring. I would guess it must be very low or they would be upfront.
Anyone know what Walmart, any fast food, gas stations or something like that starts at? We can base that on what that type of job pays here. Here fast food pays 9-9.50 to start for example. Wwe are starting to wonder if it is a town we can make a living in.

What kind of fields do you have experience or interest in? The biggest employers are the hospital, Baxter Healthcare (medical supply manufacturing plant, quite large), Eaton, ThermoFisher, American StitchCo, and the boat companies outside of retail work. I believe most retail pays a dollar or two above minimum wage for starting wage for the entry level jobs, but depending on your background you might not be entry level. Food service is probably closer to minimum.

[mother mammal]

Originally Posted by racer56

My wife has removed Harrison from the list, I guess it has quite a history. We are having a hard time trying to find out what the average pay is in Mountain Home. Anything to go on would be helpful. I have called down and asked a feww places what starting pay is and they say they aren't hiring but won't say how much the wage is if they had been hiring. I would guess it must be very low or they would be upfront.
Anyone know what Walmart, any fast food, gas stations or something like that starts at? We can base that on what that type of job pays here. Here fast food pays 9-9.50 to start for example. Wwe are starting to wonder if it is a town we can make a living in.

My suggestion is to go ahead and plan your trip, and spend some time in both the Harrison and Mountain Home areas. It's only an hour's drive between them. If you are looking for a place in the country for around $70K then someplace in between the two locations might suit you (Yellville).

If you are really out in the country, and drive into, say, Mountain Home to work, then gasoline prices become a serious consideration. I drive 10 miles into Harrison to work. It seems like a short drive, but that's 100 miles per week round trip and the gas adds up. If you are on a dirt or gravel road that adds both wear and tear on the vehicle, and extra driving time. On the other hand, some places within Harrison city limits really seem like "the country."

Harrison's school sports teams (the Goblins) have a highly dedicated local following. It may be similar in Mountain Home but since this is a factor with your kids you may wish to make games in one or both towns part of your trip, to see if they would be a good fit. I'm afraid I don't know anything about their schedules but I do expect the schools would be happy to give you info over the phone. (OK, I did a quick lookup: Mountain Home = Tigers, Yellville = Panthers.)

Places aren't going to tell you their starting wage over the phone (I wouldn't expect employers in any area to be likely do that). There are gas stations with hiring signs. I just presume without asking that they probably start at federal minimum ($7.25). I don't know about Walmart first hand, but I would expect it might be that too, same for fast food.

There are a large number of properties throughout the area with For Sale By Owner signs on them. You aren't going to find out about them from real estate agents or through internet listings. You'll find them by driving around. For $70K with a spread of land it's probably going to be a trailer. With just a yard it might be an actual house, but if it has just a yard it's going to be in town.

I hear Mountain Home has a nice farmers market; Harrison's is kind of puny, but people do grow stuff and there are roadside stands in season.

I really think the whole area in general would be a good fit and you should come spend a few days and see how it feels. The job situation is a very serious limiter but once you're here (visiting) you might find something that would be a good fit and make a move feasible.

P.S. Even though Mountain Home doesn't have a "history," racial attitudes are substantially similar in Harrison and Mountain Home.

[thewizard16]

Mother Mammal made some very good points. Just two minor things I would add/correct.

-Mountain Home's athletic programs mascot is the Bomber (there is an actual bomber/fighter jet mounted in front of the high school). Not sure who the Tigers are. One of the fun things about Mountain Home and Harrison games was always the two unusual mascots. No Bulldogs, or Tigers, or Bears, it was Goblins vs. Bombers.
-I disagree about the racial attitudes, but not because I think Harrison is as bad as people say (I think it gets a bad reputation due to the actions of a very few). Mountain Home does have a lot of older retirees whose attitudes may be outdated at best, but when you talk to people in Mountain Home you'll realize how imported the area is. People are from Chicago, California, the Midwest, etc. With that degree of importation people are often coming from much less homogeneous/much more diverse areas and their attitudes reflect that. I don't think you'll find any more issues with racial attitudes in Mountain Home than you would most places if you account for age.

[mother mammal]

Ack, well I did say it was a quick lookup. I see now that the Tigers are in Mountain Home... Idaho! Yes, I've seen Bomber bumper stickers. Thank you for the correction.

As to the high proportion of imported residents in Mountain Home, particularly retirees: yes, they come from more diverse regions, and they choose to move away from those places to lily-white Mountain Home. If they loved diversity they would stay where they already were. The affordable cost of living and beautiful environment are not the only reasons they choose Mountain Home, even though they may not acknowledge it (even to themselves).