Is Little Rock Area Good for a Memphis Musician? (Jonesboro: high crime, homes)

[songtown]

Hello everyone,

I am a musician from Memphis looking to move to Arkansas but am unsure of which area might be best. I lived in NWA (Northwest Arkansas) previously and liked it, but it was too isolated from other band members in Memphis. I have (kind of) narrowed down areas to the Jonesboro area or the Little Rock area.

I'm looking for somewhere not more than maybe a little over 2 hours from Memphis (max) so I can get to band practices, somewhere with a good homeschooling group, and a pretty safe area for a family with children to live. The main reason I want to leave the Memphis area is the high crime - and it only seems to have gotten worse. I've read horror stories of how high the crime in Little Rock is, and while I know it's not as high as Memphis, I am afraid of moving into a questionable area.

Thank you!

[Old Fossil]

Originally Posted by songtown

Hello everyone,

I am a musician from Memphis looking to move to Arkansas but am unsure of which area might be best. I lived in NWA (Northwest Arkansas) previously and liked it, but it was too isolated from other band members in Memphis. I have (kind of) narrowed down areas to the Jonesboro area or the Little Rock area.

I'm looking for somewhere not more than maybe a little over 2 hours from Memphis (max) so I can get to band practices, somewhere with a good homeschooling group, and a pretty safe area for a family with children to live. The main reason I want to leave the Memphis area is the high crime - and it only seems to have gotten worse. I've read horror stories of how high the crime in Little Rock is, and while I know it's not as high as Memphis, I am afraid of moving into a questionable area.

Thank you!

The only question I can answer is about living area in L.R. If you live north of I-630 and west of Bowman Road you should be O.K.

[songtown]

Originally Posted by Old Fossil

The only question I can answer is about living area in L.R. If you live north of I-630 and west of Bowman Road you should be O.K.

Thank you Old Fossil! I will check out the map and look in those areas.

[Regajohn]

There's nice sections of Little Rock and not so nice sections of Little Rock ... just like in Memphis. I can't imagine moving 2 hours when you could move 10 minutes to a different part of Memphis and be in a perfectly safe / upscale area, or a less expensive rural area.

I-40, from between Memphis and Little Rock, has been under construction for years. They keep claiming it is going to be done soon, but ... Sometimes you can make it in 2 hours sometimes it takes 3+ if there are lane closures or an accident (which happens as I-40 carries a huge number of trucks).

[songtown]

Originally Posted by Regajohn

There's nice sections of Little Rock and not so nice sections of Little Rock ... just like in Memphis. I can't imagine moving 2 hours when you could move 10 minutes to a different part of Memphis and be in a perfectly safe / upscale area, or a less expensive rural area.

I-40, from between Memphis and Little Rock, has been under construction for years. They keep claiming it is going to be done soon, but ... Sometimes you can make it in 2 hours sometimes it takes 3+ if there are lane closures or an accident (which happens as I-40 carries a huge number of trucks).

Thanks Regajohn, those are good points.

[tyty501]

I know it's been awhile but as a musician I can help you out.
Don't even consider the Jonesboro area.
That area of the state sucks, there's nothing to do besides go to Memphis or STL.
No good music scene either.


Little Rock, depending on what music you play, will determine your success.
I've played metal and indie.
Both have a pretty decent amount of shows, venues, etc in the city.
It's died off some, but if you get connections it shouldn't be a problem getting shows.

Also yes just live north of I-630 and west of Bowman and you'll be okay lol.

[North Pulaski Player]

Originally Posted by tyty501

Also yes just live north of I-630 and west of Bowman and you'll be okay lol.

Sad but it's so true. In 2016, nearly 95% of all murders were south of I-630, and over half were within a block of Geyer Springs Road(southwest LR). Other than a Trojans game I attended, I haven't been south of 630 in like three years(and no I was not seeking drugs nor prostitutes).

[Old Fossil]

I'm not a musician so may not use the right terms, but, I have a friend who is and is part of a large group and when one gets the prospect of a job, he alerts the others and they organize a "make up" band to do the job. I talked to him a few days ago and he said he was getting more calls than he wanted to do, so if he couldn't, or didn't want to do the job he purposely priced himself out of the market rather than refuse the job. He said that way people will know he is still available.


This probably is no help but thought I'd pass it along anyway.

[songtown]

Originally Posted by tyty501

I know it's been awhile but as a musician I can help you out.
Don't even consider the Jonesboro area.
That area of the state sucks, there's nothing to do besides go to Memphis or STL.
No good music scene either.


Little Rock, depending on what music you play, will determine your success.
I've played metal and indie.
Both have a pretty decent amount of shows, venues, etc in the city.
It's died off some, but if you get connections it shouldn't be a problem getting shows.

Also yes just live north of I-630 and west of Bowman and you'll be okay lol.

Thanks tyty, I will keep this in mind.

[songtown]

Originally Posted by Old Fossil

I'm not a musician so may not use the right terms, but, I have a friend who is and is part of a large group and when one gets the prospect of a job, he alerts the others and they organize a "make up" band to do the job. I talked to him a few days ago and he said he was getting more calls than he wanted to do, so if he couldn't, or didn't want to do the job he purposely priced himself out of the market rather than refuse the job. He said that way people will know he is still available.


This probably is no help but thought I'd pass it along anyway.

Thanks Old Fossil!