Mayfield,Kentucky (Lexington, Henderson, Paducah: transplants, real estate, crime rate)

[Desertwmn1]

We are thinking of buying in the Mayfield,Kentucky area my fathers side of family were from there and growing up I always heard what a beautiful place to live out in the country. Living in Az. and can't handle the heat anymore we are retired raised in Ohio so I do know it snows in Ky. and understand cost of housing lower. I love small towns ,I read high crime in Mayfield is this true and what area of town to avoid? Also looking for the nearest big hospital that does organ transplants? Maybe Nashville? Thank you

[kygman]

Desert, I live in Mayfield. Born and raised and moved back after 40 years. We don't have the heat like AZ but the heat index gets pretty high in the summer. I've seen it hit 110 several times. Somebody else posted a thread a few months ago about Mayfield and a high crime rate here listed by the FBI. I emailed the chief of police here and his response was ""The article you reference is, “click bait” for advertising. It began circulation about 18 months ago or so. Ironically, within a month of that click bait, Mayfield / Graves County was recognized as a Top 50 Micropolitan area in America." I wouldn't hesitate to walk to downtown from anywhere in town, day or night. True, there are bad neighborhoods, but find me a town anywhere that doesn't have them.
As far as snow, I'm retired from the state highway department, but not in Graves Co., but I've worked a lot of snows in the 26 years before I retired. A "good" big snow around here would be around 8-10 inches. Had some friends move here from a northern state and thought it was funny when doctor's offices and other places shut down with 2-3 inches of snow.
We have several very good hospitals in the area including Jackson Purchase Medical Center here. As far as a transplant hospital, I'd say Nashville and St. Louis.
Hope you find somewhere around here.

[Desertwmn1]

I also have relatives that live in Mayfield and Sedalia most all there lives I never met them in person and was told it was a nice place my dad was born there along time ago . I asked her about the crime and she didn't seen to know what I was talking about said some like any town. Thank you for the reply makes me feel better.

[kygman]

You won't find a town anywhere that doesn't have a lot of crime from time to time. Most of what I read about is drugs. But I didn't let it bother me when my wife and I moved here in 2012. I moved away in '78 and moved back in '12 after my mother died, to be here for my dad. But I do know there are a lot of friendly people around here. Not always a lot to do like any small towns, but you have Paducah about 20 miles north and Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, and the 170,000 acre Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area within 30-40 miles. Ky. Lake is the largest man made lake, by acreage, east of the Mississippi River. So you have plenty of boating fishing, camping, hiking, biking, and just about anything else outdoors.
For travel, I-69, which runs from southern Texas to Michigan, passes by Mayfield. It enters Kentucky at Fulton on what was the Purchase Parkway, and leaves at Henderson, going into Indiana. The section between Mayfield and Fulton hasn't been upgraded to interstate specs yet, and neither has a section around Henderson and crossing the river into Evansville. Then 69 meets up with I-24 near Calvert City. Also, Ky. 80 has been 4 laned from Mayfield going east. Still a little construction between Lake Barkley and Cadiz, but that's a quicker trip to I-24 if you want to go to Nashville, the Smoky Mountains, or anything in that direction.
You'd never guess I get carried away talking about Mayfield, would you? lol

[Trail Dreamer]

Originally Posted by Desertwmn1

We are thinking of buying in the Mayfield,Kentucky area my fathers side of family were from there and growing up I always heard what a beautiful place to live out in the country. Living in Az. and can't handle the heat anymore we are retired raised in Ohio so I do know it snows in Ky. and understand cost of housing lower. I love small towns ,I read high crime in Mayfield is this true and what area of town to avoid? Also looking for the nearest big hospital that does organ transplants? Maybe Nashville? Thank you

I moved from Lexington to Phoenix 15 years ago and every summer about this time I look at real estate for back east. I totally get what you are saying about the heat out here. It's horrid! The ONLY... ONLY reason I am still here is for the jobs. We both have good-paying jobs. And, at our age moving and changing career gears is not always wise.

We are approaching retirement and Western KY has hit the radar, particularly the KY Lake area. Mayfield is a beautiful place. I spent many a summers in the Paducah area as a kid. You can't find any nicer people than there and Kentucky generally for the most part.

Good luck in your adventure!

[nalabama]

kygman, you are a good spokesperson for the area. Been through Mayfield a couple times myself and found it to my liking also. I stay lost frequently and everybody I ran into there was very pleasant and helpful.

[Sundance]

There is A LOT of crime in Mayfield. Lots of it. Paducah, also. I'm not going by some statistics I read; I am a resident of western KY and I get the news.

[kygman]

Originally Posted by Sundance

There is A LOT of crime in Mayfield. Lots of it. Paducah, also. I'm not going by some statistics I read; I am a resident of western KY and I get the news.

Was born and raised in Mayfield and been here this time for 11 years and also get the news. All I'm saying is I wouldn't be afraid to walk to downtown from anywhere in town anytime.

[Sundance]

Originally Posted by kygman

Was born and raised in Mayfield and been here this time for 11 years and also get the news. All I'm saying is I wouldn't be afraid to walk to downtown from anywhere in town anytime.

Bet you don't do it too often, though.........

[kygman]

Originally Posted by Sundance

Bet you don't do it too often, though.........

Wouldn't hesitate any time