Would you move out of Mississippi ? (Tupelo, Southaven: new home, job market, good schools)

[NWS]

I just moved to Raymond Mississippi about 3 months ago. I lived in New York City all my life. I personally got bored with that fast life. I wanted 40 acres and a mule. I ended up with 20 acres and 3 chihuahuas
I was tired of the rat race and wanted to retire at 42. In Mississippi I could do that. The cost of living in Mississippi is very low.
The learning curve is funny.
In NYC you HAVE to tip everyone. I was actually chastised by a heating/cooling worker for tipping him. LOL Imagine a worker refusing to be tipped. I love it here. It seems many in Mississippi do not tip and do not expect to be tipped (Not including waiters/waitresses ect.).
My home if dropped in the same location I lived in in Queens/NYC would be worth 2 million easy. I paid less than 290k for 20 acres with a 4/3 ranch with 2 ponds and 4 out buildings. I feel if I ever get bored I can travel.
I'm free to travel the world and then come home to Mississippi.
Honestly the only thing I miss about NYC is the diversity. NYC is truly a rainbow city. You have people from every country. Every color, religion ect. I love to learn about different cultures. You have some diversity here but it seems like it's mostly black and white. So many young people I have met want to leave. I can understand that they want more income.
Sometimes we want what we don't have. City mouse and country mouse I guess. Are there better places in the world to live...yes. Mississippi is the best place for me to live. I have no regrets. I could move next week if I wanted to but for me this is home

[southernfried]

WELL LET'S SEE WE DO HAVE SOME NICE PEOPLE HERE,THINGS SURE CAN BE SLOWER~HERE,BUT THE HUMIDITY CAN BE MURDER HERE,(FOR WHAT I DO FOR A JOB)THE TRASH IS JUST HORRIBLE! THE ROADS CAN TAKE YOU PLACES,BUT THEY WILL TEAR UP YOUR CARS. I WAS BORN & RAISED HERE! BUT THE CRIME,DRUGS, AND DECLINE OF ECONOMICS,IN THE JACKSON AREA,NOT TO MENTION A GHOST TOWN. SO I BELIVE,WE ARE IN THE MARKET FOR LOOKING AT AOTHER STATE TO CALL HOME!! SORRY TO SAY!! MS MAYBE CALLED HOME FOR MY FAMILY,BUT YES WE ARE PLANING ON MOVING!!

[Tama]

I am kind of thinking about leaving now that I am retired. I am from Pa and I have all my family there. I love PA and missed it a lot at first. But now I would miss Ms like crazy. As another poster said it has a mystery and is haunting. It has special charms and an appeal that grew on me. Most importantly, it is a cheerful place. Blue skies, smiling faces, and upbeat attitudes despite adversity.

For the "MS is boring" problem, I would like to make this point. When I was younger and without family obligations, I enjoyed the big city. Certainly, that is understandable that young single people looking for adventure and new experiences and a chance to grow don't want to be settled into a family-oriented locale. That would be true of many places besides Ms. When you are young you should explore the offerings of as many places as you can and that includes a big city and its myriad opportunities for learning and meeting a variety of viewpoints, tons of freebies as far as fun things, and connecting with the world at large.

But when you become engrossed in your career, your family, and your home then turn back to Ms. Particularly if you have a great job and have the means to travel and stay connected with the outside world, it becomes your personal oasis from which you can venture out as often as you like. Then you can come back and enjoy the smiles and the sunshine and sit poolside in your
beautiful five bedroom home on a lake that you paid about $300,000 for--before you book yourself a trip to see some shows in New York. So Ms is great if you are settled or if you have means. Young or on a strict budget--not so much.

[ozzie679]

Originally Posted by Tama

I am kind of thinking about leaving now that I am retired. I am from Pa and I have all my family there. I love PA and missed it a lot at first. But now I would miss Ms like crazy. As another poster said it has a mystery and is haunting. It has special charms and an appeal that grew on me. Most importantly, it is a cheerful place. Blue skies, smiling faces, and upbeat attitudes despite adversity.

For the "MS is boring" problem, I would like to make this point. When I was younger and without family obligations, I enjoyed the big city. Certainly, that is understandable that young single people looking for adventure and new experiences and a chance to grow don't want to be settled into a family-oriented locale. That would be true of many places besides Ms. When you are young you should explore the offerings of as many places as you can and that includes a big city and its myriad opportunities for learning and meeting a variety of viewpoints, tons of freebies as far as fun things, and connecting with the world at large.

But when you become engrossed in your career, your family, and your home then turn back to Ms. Particularly if you have a great job and have the means to travel and stay connected with the outside world, it becomes your personal oasis from which you can venture out as often as you like. Then you can come back and enjoy the smiles and the sunshine and sit poolside in your
beautiful five bedroom home on a lake that you paid about $300,000 for--before you book yourself a trip to see some shows in New York. So Ms is great if you are settled or if you have means. Young or on a strict budget--not so much.

You can get a 5 bedroom lake home for $300k? Is that for a fixer-upper or a newer construction. With prices like that, I'll bet MS is a up and comer for us snowbirds.

[eli222444]

Originally Posted by bluchidog

Hello, I'm not from Mississippi, I live in the Chicago area. As I'm reading some of the Mississippi threads, I hearing that alot of people that from Mississippi want to move out of the state and a lot of transplants from up North and west coast that moved to Mississippi recently saying that they have made a big mistake, saying that it is too slow and boring, lack of nightlife, activities, good schools and they want to move or move back to a big city metro area. I want know your feelings on if you have/had chance ,would you move out of Mississippi if the opportunity comes to you ?

i was born in mississipi , i grew up in mississippi and i might live here forever in mississippi .mississippi has some good southern cooking the best!

[chesscat]

well my wife and our children and i , will be moving to grenada in about a month and i have been reading these threads and it really makes me feel good when i hear all the positive things said about miss. the only knock i hear is the slow lifestyle and the low pay rates, which is kinda a product of the low cost of living which is what draws me here. i have visited grenada a few times and all the people i spoke with says they just go to memphis to let loose and i am sure if we miss the lights and noise that this is what we will do also. i really am looking fwd to the move!!!

[Pamela50]

We moved here from a suburb of Chicago about 17yrs ago. Our oldest was 2 1/2. I was 33 and my husband was 38. There has never been a day of regret! People here think its high crime here...oiy..mucho worse elsewhere I promise. Here atleast you can move 30-50miles to get away from the worst..not so near bigger cities. Here the soil has such a gentle sweet aroma, the trees wave to you as you walk by.
There are negatives to all places to live.
I am uncertain about the "trash" ppl are talking about as Philadelphia/Meridian areas are pretty clean I think. Some of the best food I ever placed in my mouth has come from gas stations..won't find that in chicago lol. You won't find the friendly smiles or waves...most ppl would give you looks like you were a nut if you waved at them.
I worked as a nurse...up north the patients were rude..demanding..rare was the thank you. Here every patient I have had always said ty and 98% were genuinely kind and friendly...lets face it you are always going to find a grumpy butt somewhere lol.
Even though I was born and raised for 33 yrs in Illinois..I don't miss a bit of it except for one particular food..Italian beef sandwiches with pepperochinis..but no way will I trade my catfish fillet for it.
I can sit on a swing in my backyward...watching small streams of sunlight twinkle through our tree branches..the flowers and grass dancing in the sunlight and think..who needs valium or alcohol when they have Gods hands dancing in their view .
There are things I would like to see improved ...education...medical facilities but all in all..I am glad the rest of the usa thinks we are a bit undesireable place to live as I love our oasis from the rat race full of uncaring cold ppl. If they knew how great it is, then it would change and I would hate that.
Most ppl who have grown up here take much of it for granted. I think it does many good to move away for a few years. Ms will pull them back even in their dreams. Just go up to Chicago or New York and sniff the air..do you want to raise children breathing in that? Have a great day!!

[imarose100]

I have lived in a rural MS area all of my life, 60+ years. I would just love to shake the dust off my coattail & get out. My son feels the same way, but he stays because of us, his parents; and I am working on my hubby to leave here when he retires. One poster was correct about litter. I will never understand why people want to litter our highways. But they do--drastically. It was so pleasant to see Missouri where there is no litter. Mississippi used to be a beautiful state, particularly in the fall. There were hardwoods everywhere; now, because of lumber companies, mostly what you see are pine trees, everywhere. Also, in Louisville, there is nothing to do. The town is smaller now than it was back in the '60s. Further, businesses are shutting down, moving out.We have as shopping options--Walmart, Fred's, Dollar General and the internet. That's it! Rural schools really cheat the students--they offer the basics with no further opportunities to learn and experience. If you have school-age children, definitely stay away. Ridgeland and Southhaven, however, are noted for better schools. I always wonder why anyone would leave another state to come here. OH, and don't forget: it is hot as hell!

[Pamela50]

hehe still better to have hot than to have to shovel two feet of snow off and around your vehicle 3 months out of the year just to go for milk and bread. Chicago basically has winter from late october all the way thro april..argggg believe me that gets old real fast. The salt they lay to keep icy roads safer..ruins your cars, your boots, everything..the cost of living is horrid. You can move when you retire but unless you have really saved....you will hardly be able to afford much inthe way of fun. Missouri is nice enough though. Their weather is not quite as bad as chicago area.

[ookla]

i already did