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Oh gosh! Not another should we move here post!
Yes, sadly :P
About us:
Family consists of:
Myself in mid/late 20's
Husband in mid/late 20's
Daughter 3
Large woofer
And two fat cats
Jobs:
I am a medical administrative assistant and also a certified pharmacy technician (in my state, I will have to look up certification laws for TN :P). I'm pretty sure I can transfer right up there with my company, so I'm not too worried about myself as long as the medical industry is big up there.
My husband is finishing his AA (woohoo!) and will start to work on his bachelor's when we move up there. He'd like to become a dietician, but isn't set on any set career yet and will most likely keep going to school in the medical area. He has a lot of work with haz-waste, department of transportation type stuff.
Just because I know it is the first, and kindest thing to be said, don't worry,
we are not moving up there until he secures a job.
Then I will put in for a transfer and off we goooooo.
Our family is done with Florida. So done. My husband and I both ended up here when our families moved down here and we've never been fond of it. We aren't beach people. It's too hot. Crime (at least in Brevard county) is pretty bad, and we need to get out. The guy in the apartment next to us was selling heroin. Someone was stabbed on our front lawn in our last apartment. And guess what? We don't live in the bad part of town either we live in a cute little area right near 4 churches and three public schools.
We've looked all over, and originally fell in love with Portland, Oregon, but not so much the cost of living and housing/renting market. Then we looked at NC, and someone recommended we checked out TN, specifically, Johnson City. We want to be near the mountains, and be able to camp and hike on weekends type thing.
My concerns about Johnson and Tennessee in general:
Religion: We are very much live and let live, but not religious. I am worried our family may have a hard time fitting in the community because of this.
Schools: The schools seem OKAY, but not amazing. I'm a little bit worried about that, specifically middle and high schools. Someone change my mind?
Friends: Everything I seem to read says that people are superficially friendly in the state. we are really looking for a great community we can in the next few years buy a house in, and really settle down and feel part of.
Politics: We try not to get into politics too much, but we are pretty liberal on most things.
City to Country: We currently live in a very metropolitan area, you can pretty much bike, take a bus (I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS), or drive 15 minutes and be anywhere you need to be. I understand that TN is much more rural and spread out, and that we will need a second car. How far away is everything generally?
Apartments: Currently leaning towards Knob Hill Apartments, but considering Country Shore Apartments, and Swadley Park, Creek Side Village as well. Does anyone have any experiencing with these places?
Do you think we should be trying to find a place in Johnson City, or on the outskirts in another city?
What places should we AVOID like the plague?
Heat: Lots of comments on heat and humidity, which we are trying to escape. Has anyone been to FL and can give me a comparison of the two?
If you made it this far I think we should be friends!
Seriously though, thank you so much for any/all advice. It is greatly appreciated.
I'm sure I'll be back with more questions and edits
1) This is a pretty religious area- and you are likely to be invited to church at some point. But I know of nobody who will harass you due to the lack of religion. Religion does impact political views on social issues (discussed below).
2) Schools: The thing is that after elementary school- there is only one school choice. I have always been critical of this, and believe that this is the case simply to not take away from Science Hill's athletics. The schools are well funded (the teachers are some of the best paid in the state), and there are very good students and teacher in the city school system. Unlike some cities which have some schools located in "bad" parts of town and others that are located in "good" parts of town- here everyone goes to the same schools. This probably brings the average score down and prevents even the best schools/teachers from ever achieving an "amazing" average on students' standardized tests. Other than the size of the schools, I have no reservations at all sending my children to these schools.
3) Friends: Most people in your age group probably make friends by attending church, attending sporting events with your kids, or joining the PTA at school when it comes time. If you are social, you will be able to make friends in this area. If not- nobody is going to go out of their way to be your friend. The "live and let live" mindset is pretty prevalent in this regard.
4) Politics: This won't be an issue unless you get really worked up over being in the political minority. This is a conservative area, though Johnson City is more liberal than the surrounding areas. 60-70% of the people you interact with might disagree with you on most issues and they will certainly talk about their political feelings around you. As a libertarian, I am used to being in the political minority and am very comfortable with it. But I certainly know people who were miserable here because they just couldn't understand why people could possibly disagree with them on political issues.
5) The area is likely more spread out than where you are from, but the traffic is not bad at all. You can easily drive (not sit in traffic) from any point of JC to any other point in 15 minutes. And if you know the roads, you can drive to surrounding areas pretty quickly also. Example: I lived in Jonesborough for a time- and could drive from my house to Bristol Hwy. on the far end of Johnson City in 15-20 minutes. Alternatively, I could drive from my house to ETSU on the other end of Johnson City in the same 15 minutes. Housing, both to buy or to rent, is more expensive in Johnson City than the surrounding areas due to the student population and the desirability of the city. Once you come down here, you will be able to determine fairly quickly whether you prefer to live in the city or on the outskirts. For what its worth, Johnson City has been making a large investment into making the city very accessible for bikes or walking.
6) It gets hot and humid in July/August. However, for me it is nothing like Florida. Florida heat is miserable! One of the reasons that I stayed in Johnson City after college was the weather. I can honestly say that if I were to choose any climate to live in, it would be that which exists from Johnson City to Knoxville and to some extent even down to Chattanooga.
Religion: We are very much live and let live, but not religious. I am worried our family may have a hard time fitting in the community because of this.
While many people in this area are quite religious, it's not really an in your face sort of thing; especially in Johnson City. There are plenty of non-religious people and nobody will hassle you about not attending church or being a non-believer. It's a very live and let live attitude.
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Schools: The schools seem OKAY, but not amazing. I'm a little bit worried about that, specifically middle and high schools. Someone change my mind?
Johnson City, as well as Kingsport, have some of the best schools in the state with the highest paid teachers in the state. The quality of education in the city schools is very good. County schools not so much. As far as other options, ETSU operates a K-12 laboratory school called University School which is free to attend with admittance based on an annual lottery. Providence Academy, Ashley Academy, and Tri-Cities Christian School are private options.
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Friends: Everything I seem to read says that people are superficially friendly in the state. we are really looking for a great community we can in the next few years buy a house in, and really settle down and feel part of.
If you are an outgoing person and are willing to get involved in community groups and activities, I think you will find there are opportunities to make friends. Johnson City has a decent number of transplants with diverse backgrounds so opportunities to meet new people are greater than in other parts of the region. There are events and groups to suit just about any interest and some wonderful tight-knit neighborhoods.
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Politics: We try not to get into politics too much, but we are pretty liberal on most things.
Again, this area is very live and let live and while most people tend to be conservative, you won't get hassled for having a differing opinion. Johnson City itself is actually pretty moderate and actually leans liberal in the areas around downtown and ETSU. The neighborhood I live in (Tree Streets) was full of Bernie Sanders signs this past spring FWIW.
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City to Country: We currently live in a very metropolitan area, you can pretty much bike, take a bus (I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS), or drive 15 minutes and be anywhere you need to be. I understand that TN is much more rural and spread out, and that we will need a second car. How far away is everything generally?
You can be anywhere in Johnson City in less than 15 minutes and traffic is rarely an issue. There is an ok public transit system and the city is making a dedicated effort to improve bicycle and pedestrian accessibility.
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Apartments: Currently leaning towards Knob Hill Apartments, but considering Country Shore Apartments, and Swadley Park, Creek Side Village as well. Does anyone have any experiencing with these places?
I would avoid everything in the Swadley Road/Plymouth Road area. These are all rent-controlled apartments and there have been issues at some of these places. Honestly finding an apartment in Johnson City can be a difficult task. Check out Craigslist. You will also find prices to be pretty high. You'll be lucky to find a good two bedroom in the city for under $700.
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Do you think we should be trying to find a place in Johnson City, or on the outskirts in another city?
I would stay in Johnson City simply for the schools, city services, and proximity to shopping and restaurants.
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Heat: Lots of comments on heat and humidity, which we are trying to escape. Has anyone been to FL and can give me a comparison of the two?
The heat and humidity is nothing like Florida. Sure it gets hot and humid here but it's never oppressive, IMO. There are four distinct seasons with no real extreme weather.
If your looking for a livable city in the mountains that is affordable, with good schools, beautiful scenery, and abundant outdoor recreation on your doorstep it's hard to beat Johnson City. I like to say JC hasn't been "discovered" yet like Asheville and Greenville, SC. It offers a lot of the same things as these cities and is still evolving. Finding a well-paying job will probably be your biggest challenge but they do exist. Good luck!
Religion is a big thing in the Tri-Cities, and in the South in generally. You'll likely be invited to a church by a stranger anywhere in the area. This is a local way of showing friendliness and caring. If you politely decline, most people generally drop it. If you want to attend services, there are many denominations and various flavors you can sample.
As far as the schools go, I have no children, so take this for what you will. Even though the schools in the area may rate highly, I have a hard time believing Kingsport or even Johnson City can compete at all with a wealthy suburban community like Brentwood or Franklin, which are attracting wealthy and educated folks to an extent this area simply does not. Ratings are one thing - Johnson City does not have the wealth or "pedigree," IMO, to compete with the wealthiest communities around Nashville. If you see JC schools ranked above Brentwood, that's likely not accurate in any "whole experience" or real world situation.
I just moved back to the Tri-Cities (my hometown) from the wealthiest city in a Midwestern state. The schools here do not have the funding nor the parental involvement (even in the cities) to compete with where I was at. I've lived in nice communities in MA, IN, and IA, and would barely put the schools in the best communities in east TN (including Knoxville) at a par with regular upper middle class communities in these states. These areas simply have more financial, corporate, and intellectual capital, more parental involvement, and more skill to draw upon than anywhere in east TN generally will. If you live in a wealthy, prestigious part of Brevard County, it's unlikely you'll find anything to that tune in the Tri-Cities.
As far as politics go, you generally won't be hassled, but if you are a Democrat, stick to the city cores. JC has a pretty strong urban core with some quite liberal families.
As someone who just turned 30, it's going to be tough to make friends outside of church as someone who isn't local. Yes, there are plenty of organizations not focused on religion, but church is still a big (central) part of the lives of many folks our age. Cast a very wide social net, including Meetup, civic involvement, the local YMCA (or Wellness Center/MSHA gym), etc.
My opinion is to rent for six months at most, or not at all. Rentals are far, far higher than PITI on a comparable property - in many cases, rent is often 1.5x - 2x PITI. Rent is not so out of kilter with owning at it is in bigger metros, but it's still robbery.
JC has some heat and humidity, but it isn't FL by a long shot or anywhere as bad as most of the Deep South. It's generally a little better than where I was in Indiana, and around the level of some of the lake communities in Michigan, for example.
You absolutely need a written offer before moving. This area is tough to find a living wage ($50k+) job in. I would wager you're going to face a significant income decline coming from a rich and prestigious county in Florida. Do due diligence on the local labor market before committing to anything.
Religion: Not a big deal IMO, but it may be a little more difficult to meet people outside of Church circles.
Schools: The city schools are generally good; the county schools are "hit and miss".
Friends: I think this depends on how you choose your friends. People around here are generally "friendly to your face", even to their worst enemy. That's part of the culture. But also my general perception as a life long resident is that two out of three local folks are genuinely friendly, especially if you are first to "break the ice". I think one thing that gets mistaken is that new residents will try to take that next step in friendship, you know, actually hanging out or doing things together and things get cut off. The new resident thinks that person has just been "acting friendly". In a way I can see that, but local folks are often very private and when they spend their free time often they stick to their close family. That's not to say that deeper friendships can't be found. It's just that a percentage of your efforts to establish deeper relationships may go unrewarded.
Politics: You may go your time spent here perhaps your entire life and not see a local democrat elected. I don't see much if any hostility toward democrats, but that is mostly because they are irrelevant, locally. However, there are some fairly heated republican primaries.
City to Country: If you were to work and live in Johnson City, you could be anywhere you needed to be in 15 minutes. You will need two cars, there is little public transport to speak of. We did get Uber service two days ago.
Apartments: Renting is weird around here. Little advertising. You may check with a realtor with one of the larger outfits because they usually have knowledge and a good list.
Do you think we should be trying to find a place in Johnson City, or on the outskirts in another city? You would be OK in any of the cities. Based on your preferences, it seems like you would want to live and work in the same city. As far as amenities, Johnson City is #1 and Kingsport and Bristol are tied at #2.
What places should we AVOID like the plague? Public housing and trailer parks. Generally, things around here are as they appear. I don't really care for the area south or east of the Johnson City Country Club - ironic, I know.
Heat: Lots of comments on heat and humidity, which we are trying to escape. Has anyone been to FL and can give me a comparison of the two? Yes. It is both hot and humid for about 3 months. It is noticeably less hot and humid than Florida. Far fewer mosquitoes too - most areas don't even have mosquitoes. I think it is generally people from the North or the West Coast that move here and are not prepared to deal with the heat and humidity.
2) Schools: The thing is that after elementary school- there is only one school choice. I have always been critical of this, and believe that this is the case simply to not take away from Science Hill's athletics. The schools are well funded (the teachers are some of the best paid in the state), and there are very good students and teacher in the city school system. Unlike some cities which have some schools located in "bad" parts of town and others that are located in "good" parts of town- here everyone goes to the same schools. This probably brings the average score down and prevents even the best schools/teachers from ever achieving an "amazing" average on students' standardized tests. Other than the size of the schools, I have no reservations at all sending my children to these schools.
This makes a lot of sense, and makes me feel so much better! Thank you (and everyone else) for taking the time to comment so detailed! Since it seems you have kids, (I know this is quite a good deal away for me but) how do older kids and teens seem to like the area?
My kids are 5 and 9 years old, so that might not apply to your question. They are usually busy with baseball and soccer games which, to be fair, are probably available in most any decent sized city. They do enjoy hiking to waterfalls which I take them to every chance that I get during the summer. There are plenty of outdoor activities to keep kids involved in.
I also teach at ETSU and for college-aged students, there seems to be some who complain about the nightlife in the city. However, this complaint is less prevalent now with the continued improvements to downtown.
This makes a lot of sense, and makes me feel so much better! Thank you (and everyone else) for taking the time to comment so detailed! Since it seems you have kids, (I know this is quite a good deal away for me but) how do older kids and teens seem to like the area?
I certainly think JC is becoming more kid friendly. I was in JC yesterday and a kickball league thing popped up on my Facebook as a sponsored post. Young families in the area seem to be moving to Washington County and Johnson City - the rest of the counties and cities seem to be getting older.
yeah, Johnson City is (and continues to grow as) the headquarters of outdoor recreation for the upper part of the Southern Appalachians (versus Asheville for the lower part). Tweetsie Trail, Trek Bikes, a new running store downtown in the old railroad depot, Tannery Knobs bike park, the extensive ETSU trail system, the Rocky Fork state park and impending federal designation, are all working together very very nicely. It serves to really attract the families and active people who are moving to the area.
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we live in a cute little area right near 4 churches and three public schools. 
we are really looking for a great community we can in the next few years buy a house in, and really settle down and feel part of.
