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Hi all!
My name is Lisa. I'm a woman in my mid-30s and have lived in Wisconsin my entire life. I am SO incredibly sick of the cold, endless winters, and flatness of Wisconsin. Lately, I have been seriously considering moving somewhere down South. I have never been to TN, but I've talked to people who have visited. They said it was beautiful and the people were incredibly friendly.
I am very early in my research process. I've done some research on Chattanooga, and I'm very impressed. It sounds like it might be a good fit for me.
However, I have a few questions that I would like answers to.
1) How big of a city is Chattanooga? I don't want to live in a really small town, but I can't see myself living a major city (Minneapolis, Chicago, New York, Seattle, etc) But I would like a mid-sized city. I also want a place that is easy to navigate by foot. I would also like to be within easy walking distance of some hiking, walking, or bike trails.
2) How is the job market in Chattanooga. Right now, I live in Northeastern Wisconsin, and the job market has pretty much dried up. There are so many people unemployed and so few jobs. I have a degree in Medical Transcription. Here in Wisconsin, transcription jobs are hard to come by. There are NO entry-level transcription jobs. They all require 3-5 years experience or have gone to voice recognition software. However, I do also have some general office experience. I would like to find a receptionist position or some type of data entry, possibly for a smaller, specialty clinic of some kind.
3) How much would it cost (approximately) to rent a two-bedroom apartment? Are there are lot of places to rent? Or would it be difficult to find a place to live? I know it is generally cheaper to live in a suburb. Can someone give me some information about the suburbs around the Chattanooga area?
4) What is the climate like?-This is a biggie for me. I want to move somewhere where there is little to no snow and pretty mild year round. I don't know much at all about the climate in TN. My favorite season is spring. I'm not too crazy about fall, and I especially hate winter.
5) What is there to do in and around Chattanooga?-I am not into the bar or nightclub scene. But I do like things like museums and aquariums. Is there that type of stuff around?
6) Finally, What kinds of food are available in/around Chattanooga? I love little out of the way, mom and pop diners, Italian, Indian, and Mexican food. I would also be willing to try something new like Thai food. I want to live somewhere that has a lot of options and diversity as far as food.
Sorry this got so long! Any and all answers will be appreciated!
Hi Lisa. Your story sounds a little like ours. We (my husband and I and kids) have lived in WI our whole lives.... In fact we have lived about within a 5 miles radius since we were BORN.
And we are currently moving down to Ooltewah, TN outside of Chattanooga. We have been down 3 times now and are going down again next week. We love it! We sold our house in Pleasant Prairie, WI and bought a house 3 weeks ago in TN when we were down there. It's a huge change for us too believe me!
But everything we see and do in TN reaffirms our decision to move there. LOVE the climate. It's about 15 degrees warm at all times.
It depends on were you are from the Chattanooga seems to have it all for us. We love the wide variety of resturants and shopping. The city of Chattanooga seems to be like Milwaukee in size (a little smaller) but really friendly. They have an aquarium that is one of the best in the USA
My husband's company is the one that is moving us down there but I have looked for jobs and found a couple things. I would think with some office/computer knowledge you should be fine. I am looking for something part time and I have found a couple things. With the VW plant there seems to be growth
An as apartments I would think you would do fine. There cost of living is less then WI (where we are from anyway). They have no state income tax.
Good Luck we did our research for about a year before buying and moving.... we actually don't move till May
I think you can learn a lot from Wikipedia-ing "Chattanooga". I will try to answer some of your questions. Once you have narrowed down possible cities, you should really visit. Nothing can compare to the experience.
1. The metro area is roughly half-a-million, according to Wikipedia. I'd call it mid-sized (on the low end). I'm not 100% sure I know what you mean by "easy to navigate on foot". Most Southern cities are not what I would call "easy to navigate by foot". They are absolutely nothing like Chicago, Boston, or NYC, where you don't have own a car. You will need a car or at least a bike. Living downtown, from what I've seen, is pricey. I don't know about walking to "hiking, walking, or bike trails". There is the River Walk, which is beautiful, and you can walk or bike it. There are scads of trails all around the city and outside the city. No shortage. But I don't know about walking to them.
2. The job market is Chattanooga is pretty good. The unemployment rate is lower than the national average so we're not necessarily feeling the crunch like some other states. I have no idea about your particular line of work though. Do a google search for Chattanooga jobs. Should get lots of hits.
4. Again, check wikipedia for more information. We can / do get snow in Chattanooga, and remember 3 inches here will shut down schools, businesses, and make driving treacherous. We don't have the equipment to deal with it. I would not call the climate mild. We have four seasons. It can and does get cold in the winter, but it's nothing like Wisconsin. It gets miserably hot in the summer, but not like south Texas. It's all about perspective. Fall here is stunning, so is spring.
5. Check out the Chattanooga Visitor's site for more info about things to do. We have museums, parks, trails, state parks, hiking, rock walls, lakes, the river and so much more.
6. Food is a non-issue in Chattanooga - Greek, Italian, Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, barbeque, mom & pop, high end and more. I don't know about African foods. There used to be a great Ethiopian spot in Memphis. Don't know if there's one here.
Based on your criteria and interests, Chattanooga would probably be a good fit for you.
Lisa~i think you are making a great choice if you pick Chattanooga Its a wonderful City, if you choose to live on the outskirts of Chattanooga....one of my suggestions would be Ooltewah, TN
1) The "half a million" number includes the entire "Metropolitan Statistical Area", and includes all the towns and villages in the surrounding 6 counties. Inside the city proper (including attached towns such as Red Bank and Ooltewah) you only have about 250,000 or so. But we do have a minor-league baseball team!
There are hundreds of miles of trails around Chattanooga (see HERE), but they aren't all connected. Major trails somewhat hear residential areas include the TN Riverwalk (7.5 miles, paved, plus a few miles of side trails), Chickamauga Battlefield (many connected trails covering many miles, gravel, multi-use), Colledgedale Greenway (4 miles, paved), North Chickamauga Greenway (1.5 miles, gravel), and the trail networks on Signal Mountain. There are also outstanding overland hiking trails (Cumberland Trail State Park, for one) and award-winning mountain bike trails (SORBA's Raccoon Mountain Trail Network).
2) There are people out of work, but the job market here is actually pretty good. Major local employers (TVA, BCBS, etc.) didn't have much in the way of downsizing during the recession. People always need power and health insurance. We lost houses in the housing bust, but well below the national average.
3) I don't know this one.
4) It's the south-eastern USA. It will be hotter and more humid for longer here than where you're from. I've lived in Mississippi and Kansas City, and it actually seems cooler here in the summer than in either of those locations. Winters will be MUCH warmer here than up north. This winter it's snowed (with accumulation) a total of 3 times in the valley (a few more times on the mountains), which is about thrice as much as a normal winter. The roads are usually clear within a few daylight hours after precipitation stops and all the snow is gone within a day or three.
5) Our zoo is rather small, but we have one. Our AQUARIUM was the largest in the south-east until recently, and I think it's still the largest fresh-water aquarium around. It's supposed to be one of the highest-rated aquariums in the USA. Lots of other museums around, ranging from historical (civil war, civil rights) to modern art.
6) Any type of food you want, we've probably got it. But no guarantees as to quality - it's just not that big of a town.
My name is Karla and as I was searching the web for information regarding jobs, housing, etc., in TN, I came upon your post. Are you ready for this?
I have been an MT for 28 years and currently work out of my home located in Shawano, WI. When you mentioned that finding an MT position was difficult, I was wondering if you have applied to any of the companies located outside of the state. Have you been to MTJobs.com to read the jobs available?
I don't know for sure but Spheris may hire entry level MTs. I read somewhere that Spheris was purchased by Medquist, which is huge. I don't think the sale is final yet and Spheris continues to post employment positions available.
My brother moved to Chattanooga about 4 or so years ago when he was hired as the president and CEO of WTCI, a PBS TV station. Needless to say, I have been to CHA a couple of times and me and my somewhat unconventional family will be moving there as soon as possible. I live with a very close girlfriend and her daughter. My friend and I are so close, we call each other sister and her daughter calls me Aunt Karla. None of us likes it here at all, really can't stand it, and can't wait to move to CHA. It is so pretty and the people are really friendly unlike us stoic, hard-to-get-to-know Scandanavians. Because I work for a company located in California, I just take my job with me as it's all done over the computer. The account I work on is located in New York.
Unfortunately, with our sad economy, I see more and more listings for MTs that only offer IC (indepedent contractor) status, which means no benefits whatsoever. I have been an IC for the past 7+ years and I just can't do it anymore. I need health and dental insurance desperately. I finally decided to buckle down and get a new job and was hired at Medquist. Not only do they offer employee status with benefits, they will provide you with equipment if you need it. If I'm not mistaken, MQ is the largest outsourcing transcription company. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they hire "newbies" to work on clinic accounts.
One year ago, my "real" family got together in TN for my mom's 70th birthday. We rented a cabin in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains for a week. Me and mine came from Wisconsin, my mom and dad from Florida, my sister and her husband from Massachusetts, and my brother from CHA to the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area. It was just gorgeous and we are so ready to go. We went to Dollywood while there, and I was extremely impressed by the employees there. There were oodles of seniors working there and I never met a rude person.
I will pray for the both of us that we can make the move we desire with as few bumps in the road as possible. In the meantime, nice to meet you!
I'll pitch in my own answers for the heck of it. I've lived in Chattanooga for about 7 1/2 months now after relocating from Tacoma, Washington.
1. I think Chattanooga is the size you're looking for. Not major (Chicago, Boston, Seattle), but not real small either. It has a downtown, with taller office buildings, music clubs, restaurants, baseball stadium, etc., but in some ways it still has a little bit of the smaller town/city feel to it too. I think it's just right. But it is growing. And there are plenty of trails and outdoor activities all around the city--not necessarily within walking distance, but most within a short drive. The biking and hiking scene here appears to be very healthy.
2. Can't comment on the job market as a whole, but I had no problem getting myself a good one.
3. Apartment prices are pretty decent, at least compared to where I come from. Check out the Chattanooga Apartment Guide website mentioned by another poster, it's a great resource. I'd also employ reviews on Google Maps once you start hunting. I don't know the suburbs well enough to comment too much, but I do know some areas on the south side of the city are a bit seedier. I live on the north side, near Red Bank, and it's not bad. Some parts East/Northeast of the city seem decent, such as Ooltewah.
4. I'd say climate here is mild, trending to warm/hot. You're going to have hot/humid summers in the 90s, but the Fall/Winter/Spring seem (so far) to be very decent--not too cold or too warm. Although the unseasonably cold Winter this year was a little chilly. But I'm sure nothing like you're used to in Wisconsin. If you can handle the heat and humidity of the summer, you'll like it here.
5. There's a great aquarium here. There's a (seemingly) very nice American Art Museum, but I have not been there yet. There is a smaller zoo. There's nice movie theaters, some great restaurants, the riverfront parks. There's frequently outdoor concerts series, especially during the summer, such as the Riverfront Nights. There's an outdoor market on Sundays (I think) downtown. There's a couple arts theaters I think. I'm sure there's more I don't know about, too.
6. There's no shortage of foods of all types here, the restaurants are great.
I am from Michigan so I understand. I have lived here about 20 years. The weather is overall agreeable, with 4 true seasons, unlike where we are from, where there are really two: miserable winter and nice but short summer. The summers here are miserably sticky and hot for 3 months. The rest of the year is good, except for a freezing spell or two each winter that lasts a week or so. Snow is minimal, and the schools close with even a half-inch. The downtown areas of Chattanooga are very walkable. Everything people want to do, such as theatre, sports, university classes, restaurants, are all within a half-mile radius. A person in good shape can get to any of these places in 10 minutes from any other. Second, this is a terrific area for hiking, rafting, rock climbing, hanggliding, canoeing, fishing, etc. There are ample opportunities for theatre, concerts (few major stars but great variety), etc. Rents are moderate, and you can get a 2-bedroom apt for around $700-800 a month. More expensive downtown, unfortunately. The North Shore is currently hip but not so hip as to be worth the prices they want either. The job market is generally bad for college grads or union-style blue collar workers, but good for individuals with highly specific applied skills, like nursing or legal secretaries or accountants. There is a surprisingly high number and diversity of restaurants here, as this is not a town full of high wage earners so it astounds me how they can stay in business. People here are very nice. Like anywhere, you find some longtime locals who are suspicious of outsiders.
1) The "half a million" number includes the entire "Metropolitan Statistical Area", and includes all the towns and villages in the surrounding 6 counties. Inside the city proper (including attached towns such as Red Bank and Ooltewah) you only have about 250,000 or so. But we do have a minor-league baseball team!
There are hundreds of miles of trails around Chattanooga (see HERE), but they aren't all connected. Major trails somewhat hear residential areas include the TN Riverwalk (7.5 miles, paved, plus a few miles of side trails), Chickamauga Battlefield (many connected trails covering many miles, gravel, multi-use), Colledgedale Greenway (4 miles, paved), North Chickamauga Greenway (1.5 miles, gravel), and the trail networks on Signal Mountain. There are also outstanding overland hiking trails (Cumberland Trail State Park, for one) and award-winning mountain bike trails (SORBA's Raccoon Mountain Trail Network).
2) There are people out of work, but the job market here is actually pretty good. Major local employers (TVA, BCBS, etc.) didn't have much in the way of downsizing during the recession. People always need power and health insurance. We lost houses in the housing bust, but well below the national average.
3) I don't know this one.
4) It's the south-eastern USA. It will be hotter and more humid for longer here than where you're from. I've lived in Mississippi and Kansas City, and it actually seems cooler here in the summer than in either of those locations. Winters will be MUCH warmer here than up north. This winter it's snowed (with accumulation) a total of 3 times in the valley (a few more times on the mountains), which is about thrice as much as a normal winter. The roads are usually clear within a few daylight hours after precipitation stops and all the snow is gone within a day or three.
5) Our zoo is rather small, but we have one. Our AQUARIUM was the largest in the south-east until recently, and I think it's still the largest fresh-water aquarium around. It's supposed to be one of the highest-rated aquariums in the USA. Lots of other museums around, ranging from historical (civil war, civil rights) to modern art.
6) Any type of food you want, we've probably got it. But no guarantees as to quality - it's just not that big of a town.
Regarding point #1 about population, oddly one adjacent county is not counted in the metropolitan population of chattanooga, and it is the largest in population of all the surrounding counties. I am speaking of Bradley County (Cleveland) which has about 100,000 residents. Reached from Chattanooga directly by I-75, its population would bring the chattanooga metro area well over 600K if it was counted... and I'd be surprised if it is not counted in the next census (a designation based on percentage of commuters in/out of the county).
Furthermore, another large county (Whitfield, GA) has about the same population as Bradley and it's only about 20 miles due south of Chattanooga/Hamilton County. There is a lot of commuter traffic both ways between the two. Obviously unofficially, this adds a whole other "unaccounted" large county to the Chattanooga regional population.
Teacherlocal: Don't you mean 2 seasons as in winter and road repair? :-D
Last edited by peachyme414; 04-24-2010 at 03:01 AM..
Reason: I replied to a certain post but my reply ends up being on the bottom and doesn't look attached to the entry replied to.
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Because I work for a company located in California, I just take my job with me as it's all done over the computer. The account I work on is located in New York. 
To Wisconsin Lady:
