Small Town Kentucky- Please Help! (Lexington, Louisville: to rent, high crime, house)

[Mississippi Mamma]

Hey y'all,

I'm looking for a smaller town for me and my boyfriend to move to and start a family. We currently live in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and are looking throughout the South. I am not quite sure if Kentucky has a Southern culture, though. I want a town of 20,000 or less that not to many Northerners have moved to. I hear good things about Murray, Madisonville, and Danville. Can y'all Kentuckians help out a Mississippi Girl?!

Thanks!
-Megan

[kentuckydad95]

I live in Murray, so my vote goes there. It's a great place and if you have any specific questions, please let me know.

[Mississippi Mamma]

Originally Posted by kentuckydad95

I live in Murray, so my vote goes there. It's a great place and if you have any specific questions, please let me know.

Oh wow thanks for the quick reply! I'll PM you.

[EclecticEars]

Towns I would closely look into as they are actually nice towns with overall good school systems:

• Murray (includes Hazel, New Concord)
• Owensboro (includes Maceo, Whitesville, Philpot, Stanley, West Louisville)
• Calhoun (includes Island, Livermore)
• Danville (includes Perryville, Junction City)
• Elizabethtown (includes Glendale, Millerstown and south Hardin County)

Murray would be the most obvious qualifier in the Southern culture department as it is closest to the Tennessee state line; PM KentuckyDad w/ more questions as he is an expert on the area.

Owensboro feels hybrid Southern/Midwest; on one hand, it certainly feels like Kentucky (move here, stay long enough and you'll understand), but on the other hand it has great influence from Evansville, Indiana just downriver.

Calhoun is a small town about 20 miles SW of Owensboro with very little to it except a main drag, some nice historic homes and a county courthouse; you even have to drive 15 miles east to Livermore to access the county's (McLean County) public library. Yet, McLean Co. for whatever reason consistently kicks arse in state standardized testing. Now, standardized testing isn't always a reflection of school quality, but often times the school systems that perform best on such testing are the systems that incorporate academic instruction as PART of getting ready for the test RATHER than just preparing for the test itself.

Danville is a nice town in Boyle County in central Kentucky that will place you in the recreational opportunities of southern Kentucky in about an hour, Lexington in 45 minutes, and a historic and important Civil War battlefield in about 20 minutes. Also, Danville and Boyle County school systems are both some of the best in the state (which really isn't saying much b/c Kentucky's public schools are about as wonderful as Mississippi's).

Elizabethtown is a comfortable small city of about 25,000 people that really has every amenity you ever could need without having to drive to Louisville. Nonetheless, it has had a large influence from DC/Northern Virginia as the BRAC (Armed Forces HR, basically) has moved its operations to nearby Fort Knox. Also, it serves as a commuter city to Louisville which really is a more Midwestern city in personality. The Southern culture isn't nearly as strong in E'town, but it is one of the nicest communities in the state in my opinion.

Other nice areas of the state include Henderson, Columbia, Russell Springs/Jamestown, London, Maysville/Washington, Frankfort, Wilmore, Springfield, and Lebanon. However, I can tell you that the school systems in each of these places are generally, uhm, lacking.

Oldham County and Boone County are modern suburban counties near Louisville and Cincinnati, respectively, with some of the best school systems in the state. Given their locations, though, they may be a little "Yankeefied" for you, especially considering that most people who move to that part of the state from outside the state tend to be from Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, upstate New York, Chicagoland, etc. But the overall qualities of life in those places are quite high, some of the highest probably in the entire eastern U.S.

I am originally from the Madisonville area. I frankly would avoid it. Not a very upbeat/impressive area; in fact, kind of depressing.

I would also avoid:

• Most of Kentucky along or east of I-75. The quality of life there (especially the farther east you go) will be as low or lower than even the poorest areas of the Mississippi Delta. No exaggeration.
• Somerset/Pulaski County: unfriendly people, high crime for such a small place, gawd-awful traffic planning, but at least it has a nice downtown
• Muhlenberg County: eastern extension of Madisonville area
• Grayson County: very high unemployment rate, but nice land
• Most of rural Central Kentucky; even w/ close proximity to the majority of the state's public universities and best private colleges, there are some truly terrible K-12 public school systems. Danville/Boyle County would be the obvious exception to this rule.

With you coming and me leaving (intention of California or Texas), the state's net loss/gain will be zero. I'm not interested in being all positive and a cheerleader. I'm interested in calling it as I see it. Hopefully I've been of help.

[Mississippi Mamma]

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

Also, Danville and Boyle County school systems are both some of the best in the state (which really isn't saying much b/c Kentucky's public schools are about as wonderful as Mississippi's).

I'm used to Mississippi schools so I don't have the highest of expectations, but I might do private.

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

I am originally from the Madisonville area. I frankly would avoid it. Not a very upbeat/impressive area; in fact, kind of depressing.

Oh that sounds a lot different from others... but I would take the word from a native!

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

Most of Kentucky along or east of I-75. The quality of life there (especially the farther east you go) will be as low or lower than even the poorest areas of the Mississippi Delta. No exaggeration.

OH god... There is a reason I left the Delta (Greenville)! I don't need to experience it again, although Eastern Kentucky ain't nearly as flat as the Delta!

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

With you coming and me leaving (intention of California or Texas), the state's net loss/gain will be zero. I'm not interested in being all positive and a cheerleader. I'm interested in calling it as I see it. Hopefully I've been of help.

I am not a cheerleader for Mississippi either- I tell the pros and cons of my state to others. Although if I were you, I would pick Texas over California any day. And yes, you were very helpful! Thanks

[kygman]

I'm just about 35 miles from Murray, in Cadiz, Ky., so I'll put my vote in for Murray. I was born and raised in Mayfield and spent a lot of time in Murray. When my wife and I were house looking we considered moving there. Murray, Kentucky - MyMurray.com

[The Dissenter]

Elizabethtown is a comfortable small city of about 25,000 people that really has every amenity you ever could need without having to drive to Louisville. Nonetheless, it has had a large influence from DC/Northern Virginia as the BRAC (Armed Forces HR, basically) has moved its operations to nearby Fort Knox. Also, it serves as a commuter city to Louisville which really is a more Midwestern city in personality. The Southern culture isn't nearly as strong in E'town, but it is one of the nicest communities in the state in my opinion.

As one who moved from DC/NoVA to Hardin County (encompasses Elizabethtown) everything quoted is accurate. However I have to add a couple of things. If your allergies are bad, you will be MISERABLE here. The Ohio Valley area is terrible for those with sinus problems. My mother who has bad sinus troubles has had a doctor tell her point blank that she needs to move. Also, if you like to have other young people to hang out with it will be tough here. You do have the option to drive to Louisville to do fun things but as one who commutes there every day that will get old quickly (I'm 22 and looking to rent a place in Louisville in the summer.)

[Mississippi Mamma]

Thanks for everyones help!!!! Y'all on the Kentucky forum are so nice, I got attacked when I posted on the Texas forum and was told to stay in Mississippi because they don't want a neighbor like me

[kygman]

We're just a bunch of friendly folks around here. Come on up! No matter where you decide to settle, I hope you'll take some time every now and then to check out the rest of the state. There's plenty to see and do!

[dixiegirl7]

Why would you want to leave Mississippi? I have family in the Hattiesburg and coast areas and I always loved to visit them in the summers when we were kids. I find the people in that area so friendly and much more open than they are here even...not that we aren't friendly enough...lol. Much milder winters too.