Why do you like living in Mississippi? (public schools, income)

[Michigander3]

Hi there! I am from Michigan, lived here my whole life. My husband has a job offer in Hattiesburg, MS and I'm wondering if anyone knows about the town. We're young (24) and have 3 kids so I want to be in a family-oriented place. I'm excited, but a little apprehensive because it's a big move. I guess I just want to know what to expect. Also does anyone know if MS has tornados and how do people fair if they have horrible allergies? Living in Michigan pretty much guarantees allergies, it'd be nice if they got better with the move Thanks!
-Michigander3

[brickpatio]

Hattiesburg is a booming small city, that happens to have a university (USM) and a good location convenient to New Orleans, the MS Gulf Coast, Mobile, and Florida. Nearly all the new development is out Highway 98, running roughly from the USM campus all the way out west for several miles. Everything is up to date and new (malls, hospitals, subvisions) and the schools (Lamar County on the west side and the city of Petal on the east side of town) are well regarded. The area is very wooded with pine forests. It's definitely warm overall, slightly cooler in winter than Florida (daily high temps near 60 degrees) and hot and humid in the summers.

[winkatme]

Originally Posted by Michigander3

Hi there! I am from Michigan, lived here my whole life. My husband has a job offer in Hattiesburg, MS and I'm wondering if anyone knows about the town. We're young (24) and have 3 kids so I want to be in a family-oriented place. I'm excited, but a little apprehensive because it's a big move. I guess I just want to know what to expect. Also does anyone know if MS has tornados and how do people fair if they have horrible allergies? Living in Michigan pretty much guarantees allergies, it'd be nice if they got better with the move Thanks!
-Michigander3

The two places I recommend you looking into would be Petal or Oak Grove. Both are family oriented places. Petal is smaller while Oak Grove has a lot more going on and it's developing rapidly. They also both have good schools.

Tornados: Yes, but they are not a common occurance.
Allergies: Yes, in the springtime the pollen is pretty bad. I'd say you're ok though, it's not the worst place to live for allergies. I never had a problem.

My dad moved here from Michigan and never regretted it. He loves it here.

[FLW1938]

Originally Posted by 3jsndez

I live in North Mississippi. I am a transplant, but have lived here for 10 years. Mississippi can be a nice place to live. I am sure that there are pro's and con's to just about anywhere in the states. I will start with the pro's...

The south in general is a VERY friendly place to live. People are polite, laid back (yet more conservative than most), and most would give you the shirt off your back if you needed it. Housing here is very cheap, the small towns are very eclectic. Most people here present themselves as good Christian folks with very good morals and high family standards. Everything here is close together so even if you live in a small town there is a large one within an hour.
The Cons about Mississippi are thus...
Schools are rated the lowest in the nation, Old money runs the state and it tends to be pretty crooked, The black and white population are still at each others throats, People don't mind living off Medicaid, Taxes are Incredibly high, and the drug problem here is horrible. If you live in a small town like we do people are INCREDIBLY nosy and phony.

I moved to northern Mississippi in 1973, still live in the same house. Overall we like it. Most people are very friendly & nice. To me the taxes are not high.
I pay no state tax on any retirement income. I have a modest home valued at about $150K & pay $79.00 @ year in tax. I have two older vehicles & both together cost me about $125.00 @ year.
I know very few people on Welfare or Medicaid
The schools are o k but not the best. I do think the teachers are under paid but I think that most everywhere.

[Norbit282]

Originally Posted by tennreb

I don't live in Mississippi any longer, but I loved living there because of the friendly people, laid-back attitude, and great culture. I only lived there for four years, but it will always feel like home. Mississippi seems to do that to a lot of outsiders. As Paul Harvey said, "If people knew the truth about Mississippi, the yankees would show up and ruin it." I live in Charleston now, and the yankees are ruining it. Not that all yankees are bad (there are plenty in Mississippi who are great people), but a significant portion of them are just difficult people to be around.

I had No Idea that people in this day and age use the word 'Yankee" as a noun. The fact that you use the word "Yankee" at all is very sad and discouraging.

[Southern man]

Originally Posted by Norbit282

I had No Idea that people in this day and age use the word 'Yankee" as a noun. The fact that you use the word "Yankee" at all is very sad and discouraging.

What word or words do folks from New Hampshire use to describe folks from the South?

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

Originally Posted by Norbit282

I had No Idea that people in this day and age use the word 'Yankee" as a noun. The fact that you use the word "Yankee" at all is very sad and discouraging.

Where do you live? You sound like you believe the word "Yankee" is an offensive term. I never been there but from what I can tell, most New Englanders are very much proud to be "Yankees" and that's what they call theirselves.

You say never heard the word "Yankee" used as a noun in this day and age? Ever heard of the New York Yankees baseball team? They are still in existance in this day and age and the word "Yankees" is most definitely a noun.

[Listener2307]

Originally Posted by Norbit282

I had No Idea that people in this day and age use the word 'Yankee" as a noun. The fact that you use the word "Yankee" at all is very sad and discouraging.

Around here the word Yankee can, indeed, be a mild insult. It is meant to describe someone who is argumentative, pugnacious, combative, truculent, or narrow in their views, even if that person is from the south.
Or, in special cases, he may just be a member of a baseball team.

But I would not use such a word to describe you. Someone who becomes "sad" or "discouraged" in this situation could be more accurately described as supercilious.

[UKWildcat1981]

Who cares if people in the South call Northeast people Yankees, I am from the Northeast and you could not pay me enough to move back to the Northeast, the people are horrible in the Northeast. I love visiting Boston, NYC and Philly lot to do but the people's attitudes are horrible. Just enjoy life and stop complaining every 5 secs, I couldn't take that about the Northeast.

[Mr.2089]

Originally Posted by mackinac81

Hi! I'm from Michigan and I like to learn about the world. In the media the deep south doesn't have a great reputation, but I also know the media isn't always right.

Now, I know almost nothing about your state (I drove through when I was ten), so I'd like to know...what is the best thing about living in Mississippi? Why do you like it, for those who do?

Thanks

Mackinac

They've never been anywhere else so they don't know any better