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No, we lived in S. La for decades, left in 2016 when the house in Baton Rouge flooded.
2-3 hours away is fine. We're 10 hors away now, just want to be closer to family.
No, we lived in S. La for decades, left in 2016 when the house in Baton Rouge flooded.
2-3 hours away is fine. We're 10 hors away now, just want to be closer to family.
Both the Jackson and Hattiesburg areas have very strong healthcare.
Jackson metro is quite a bit larger (600,000 vs 150,000 people), so the options in terms of shopping, restaurants, neighborhoods, etc are much greater in the Jackson area.
Brandon is a nice area that includes two parts. The actual city of Brandon feels like a small town that has evolved into a nice, middle-class suburb while retaining its small-town feel. They have a small main street, neighborhoods of all types old and new, and lots of trees.
The other part of Brandon (i.e. within Brandon postal code) is the unincorporated area near the Ross Barnett Reservoir (about ten minutes north of Brandon). This area feels like a thriving suburban area, and its best asset is the reservoir which is some ten miles long.
Regardless of which part of Brandon you select, the area is loaded with shopping, neighborhoods, golf courses, and parks. The city of Brandon just built a fancy, new amphitheater which attracts national music acts throughout the year. Neighboring Pearl has the AA baseball stadium (the Braves), Bass Pro shops, and an outlet mall. This area feels like a classic American suburban area, but perhaps more trees than most and the reservoir which is a nice amenity.
(Incidentally, since you are from north of Atlanta and familiar with areas like Alpharetta and Johns Creek, the suburb in Jackson closest in similarity to those places is Madison, Mississippi).
Hattiesburg although smaller than metro Jackson, does have a modern, thriving feel, particularly out Highway 98 west into Lamar County. They have the University of Southern Mississippi which is a nice amenity, and downtown Hattiesburg is pretty nice for a town of this size. Hattiesburg offers cultural benefits such as the symphony and arts programs at USM for which that university is known.
To me the prettiest places in the Hattiesburg area are Lake Serene and the Canebrake community (lake and golf course), which are out Highway 98 west in Lamar County. These residential areas and surrounding areas are thick with pine forests that characterize the Hattiesburg area. Hattiesburg residents like their location, surrounded by New Orleans, the gulf coast, Mobile, and Jackson.
There is also the neighboring town of Laurel just 30 minutes from Hattiesburg, featured on the HGTV home renovation show Home Town, which is a small town packed with elegant historic homes and a recently revived Main Street area. Also in the Hattiesburg area is the suburb of Petal, which is a safe, affordable semi-rural area just east of Hattiesburg.
If I were choosing between the two, I would weigh the advantage of the Jackson area being larger with more amenities versus the advantage of Hattiesburg being closer to your family in Mobile and Baton Rouge by an extra hour and a half, with both communities having excellent healthcare. Both cities are fairly close to your family and both areas are modern and prosperous, so the main distinction is size (Jackson) vs location closer to your family (Hattiesburg).
Both the Jackson and Hattiesburg areas have very strong healthcare.
Jackson metro is quite a bit larger (600,000 vs 150,000 people), so the options in terms of shopping, restaurants, neighborhoods, etc are much greater in the Jackson area.
Brandon is a nice area that includes two parts. The actual city of Brandon feels like a small town that has evolved into a nice, middle-class suburb while retaining its small-town feel. They have a small main street, neighborhoods of all types old and new, and lots of trees.
The other part of Brandon (i.e. within Brandon postal code) is the unincorporated area near the Ross Barnett Reservoir (about ten minutes north of Brandon). This area feels like a thriving suburban area, and its best asset is the reservoir which is some ten miles long.
Regardless of which part of Brandon you select, the area is loaded with shopping, neighborhoods, golf courses, and parks. The city of Brandon just built a fancy, new amphitheater which attracts national music acts throughout the year. Neighboring Pearl has the AA baseball stadium (the Braves), Bass Pro shops, and an outlet mall. This area feels like a classic American suburban area, but perhaps more trees than most and the reservoir which is a nice amenity.
(Incidentally, since you are from north of Atlanta and familiar with areas like Alpharetta and Johns Creek, the suburb in Jackson closest in similarity to those places is Madison, Mississippi).
Hattiesburg although smaller than metro Jackson, does have a modern, thriving feel, particularly out Highway 98 west into Lamar County. They have the University of Southern Mississippi which is a nice amenity, and downtown Hattiesburg is pretty nice for a town of this size. Hattiesburg offers cultural benefits such as the symphony and arts programs at USM for which that university is known.
To me the prettiest places in the Hattiesburg area are Lake Serene and the Canebrake community (lake and golf course), which are out Highway 98 west in Lamar County. These residential areas and surrounding areas are thick with pine forests that characterize the Hattiesburg area. Hattiesburg residents like their location, surrounded by New Orleans, the gulf coast, Mobile, and Jackson.
There is also the neighboring town of Laurel just 30 minutes from Hattiesburg, featured on the HGTV home renovation show Home Town, which is a small town packed with elegant historic homes and a recently revived Main Street area. Also in the Hattiesburg area is the suburb of Petal, which is a safe, affordable semi-rural area just east of Hattiesburg.
If I were choosing between the two, I would weigh the advantage of the Jackson area being larger with more amenities versus the advantage of Hattiesburg being closer to your family in Mobile and Baton Rouge by an extra hour and a half, with both communities having excellent healthcare. Both cities are fairly close to your family and both areas are modern and prosperous, so the main distinction is size (Jackson) vs location closer to your family (Hattiesburg).
Fantastic. Thank you so much. I have looked at some older homes near the Reservoir. I wasn't sure what to think since the prices were less than I was expecting. Brandon sounds ideal, but you make a great point about being closer to family. Madison is worth a look the way you describe it.
Are you familiar with the flood areas? My wife is absolutely insistent that where no where near a food zone.
The flood zone areas are mainly in Northeast Jackson, neighborhoods that back up to the Pearl River. The Reservoir by definition doesn't flood because they increase the amount of water released through the spillway automatically when water levels reach a certain level. So the areas at risk are below the spillway which means Northeast Jackson. In other words, there is no flooding to my knowledge in any of the suburbs.
The Rankin County side of the Pearl River has a large flood zone several miles across going east from the river, but there is no development in that area except for some commercial development along Lakeland Drive (Hwy 25), which is the main commercial artery through that area.
Since you are visiting Jackson and looking to get a flavor for the area, I thought I would point out some places to visit or drive through to get a sense of the metro area, including some places that your wife will be delighted by.
- Highland Village - lovely shopping center built around inner courtyards with restaurants and outdoor tables. I haven't found another shopping center in any city that is like Highland Village.
- Banner Hall - across I-55 from Highland Village, this has a fabulous local bookstore (LeMuria) and bakery/restaurant, and is also another unique place ideal for having a cup of coffee and doing a bit of browsing and hanging out.
- The Renaissance - an outdoor shopping mall in Ridgeland that feels a bit like a French or Italian village. This too is probably the most lovely outdoor shopping mall that I've seen anywhere (except Highland Village).
- District at Eastover - perhaps the coolest "new-urban" development I've seen anywhere, with a little neighborhood green with restaurants on each side, and at times musicians playing on the green and families relaxing on the green.
- Town of Livingston - Another new, adorable, tiny, main-street style development north of Madison that resembles and authentic historic hamlet. The drive out there (Hwy 463 from I-55 in Madison to Hwy 463 at Hwy 22) is scenic and passes some of the area's most expensive new neighborhoods (often gated).
- Township at Colony Park - Another picturesque main-street style development (up the street from the Renaissance) that has a picturesque residential area (houses look like Charleston, South Carolina, but new), but this development is best known for the many hotels that are centered around small lakes. Just another pretty little place to drive through and see, etc.
- Fondren - A quaint, eclectic neighborhood that is home to some of the metro's most unique, locally owned restaurants, that was originally the city's streetcar neighborhood in the 1940s. The area is thriving due to proximity to four giant medical centers and two colleges within a half-mile or so. This area is still in the middle of being revived with three new restaurants under construction presently on the main little strip.
- Belhaven Town Center - brand-new tiny walkable, main-street style development with several restaurants, new apartments, and a brewery under construction.
- Belhaven College - the neighborhood around the college (Belhaven) is Jackson's most historic residential neighborhood from the 1920s. Picturesque to drive through.
- Eastover Drive - This is where many of Jackson's mansions are, on giant, heavily wooded lots and hills. Nearby Woodland Hills (Glenway Drive and nearby Hawthorne Drive at Avondale St) has the 1930s and 1940s mansions.
- Lost Rabbit - New neighborhood (expensive) built to resemble a historic town that has some of the best views of the Reservoir in the metro area. To get there you go east on Hoy Road in Madison towards the Reservoir. It's gorgeous.
- Natchez Trace - Beautiful federal parkway that now has a 20-plus mile trail for walking and cycling. For walking I believe an entrance point is near the Bill Waller Crafts museum on Rice Road in Ridgeland.
- Old Trace Park and nearby Jackson Yacht Club - off Post Rd and Yacht Club Road in Ridgeland on the Reservoir, these are places to get scenic views of the Reservoir. The Yacht Club has sailboats, pool, and deck which is picturesque to drive through.
- Old Agency Road - Picturesque drive next to Natchez Trace and near the Renaissance. Nearby are some of the area's most expensive homes (Bridgewater neighborhood), although many of them are gated, yet it's a pretty area to drive through.
- Cedar Hill Road - This road is an extension of Gluckstadt Road in Madison and virtually all the homes out this way are on large acreage, which makes for a pretty drive.
- Lake Caroline - A large lake that is the center of a very large residential development, with golf course. I find it pretty to drive through because at the entrance you have the golf course on one side and then you come to the 800-acre lake. Would be a lovely place to live actually.
- Reunion - An expensive residential development with lakes and country club. This is where many of the expensive new homes in recent years have been built. Makes for a pretty drive. The development entrance in Hwy 463 is gated, however there is a side entrance off Gluckstadt Road that is usually open.
- For drives through residential parts of Madison, take Rice Rd and North Old Canton Rd on the east side of I-55, and Hwy 463, Bozeman Rd, Gluckstadt Rd, Cedar Hill Rd and Highland Colony Parkway west of I-55.
- Lakeshore Park - nice park on the Reservoir on the Rankin County/Brandon side of the Reservoir.
- Arbor Landing - picturesque new residential development right on the big water, on the Rankin County side. Get there by taking picturesque bridge over the Reservoir called Northshore Parkway, then around to Fannin Landing Circle at Marblehead Drive (for google maps). There is a place there for people to put their boats in the water and Arbor Landing is just after that. Past Arbor Landing there are many nice homes on spacious lots.
- Spillway Road - This runs across the Reservoir dam, giving scenic views of the Reservoir, and then east into Rankin County through many of the Reservoir area neighborhoods, some newer and some older and quite affordable (1970s). This is a scenic drive with trees and great places to walk. For google maps, Spillway Road at Hugh Ward Blvd is a starting point (for neighborhoods in Rankin County) and it runs east to Hwy 471. Some of the newer neighborhoods are on the Northstore, which requires crossing the water along Northshore Parkway.
- Downtown Brandon - For a picturesque drive through Brandon, try Government Street (from downtown eastward to I-20 exit), Louis Wilson Drive, College Street, Shiloh Road (and Shiloh Park), and Trickham Bridge Road (see Trickham Bridge Rd at Easthaven Drive on google maps, some pretty, wooded neighborhoods here). Brandon feels like a real town rather than a suburb and is quite nice. They also have the brand-new Rankin Trails park and amphitheater.
- Shopping areas in Rankin County - Dogwood shopping area at Lakeland Drive and East Metro Parkway (major shopping area); Outlets of Mississippi (outlet mall) and Bass Pro Shops are both in Pearl.
- Shopping areas in Madison - The Madison exit (Grandview Blvd and Madison Parkway) has all new suburban shopping. Also across the interstate at Highland Colony Parkway at Hwy 463. This area feels fancy for a suburban area. Downtown Madison Main St at Magnolia St) is actually soon to be under construction but there is a little bit to see, as this was originally a small farm town and now a growing suburb. The new downtown will resemble a city center in Sweden. Downtown Ridgeland (West Jackson St at Old Town Crossing) is also soon to be under construction but there is a bit there now which is meant to resemble a traditional Main Street. It's okay but nothing spectacular, although they haven't started construction on the actual downtown yet.
- Downtown Clinton - Drive through picturesque Mississippi College campus. Quaint downtown Clinton is about three blocks from campus, at Jefferson St and W. Leake Street on google maps, identified by its brick streets. Clinton has very nice residential areas that make for a pretty drive, along Clinton Parkway/Pinehaven Drive north of I-20 and Clinton-Raymond Rd south of I-20.
- Downtown Canton - Although Canton has a fair amount of poverty, the downtown square has gorgeous historic architecture, with a number of antebellum mansions along East Peace St and East Center Street.
- Downtown Flora and Downtown Florence - these are tiny towns on the outskirts with bucolic countryside in the surrounding areas. Hwy 49 south to Florence is under construction but will be a really nice road when finished. Hwy 49 north to Flora is mostly countryside. Flora is a little farm town that finds itself on the outer edge of upscale, large-acreage residential developments growing its way from Madison.
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