Looking to move with our family to the Franklin area. (Knoxville: sales, real estate)

[Ollie from PNW]

My husband's is being relocated from the Seattle area (which we love!). We can choose between Franklin, TN, Tampa, FL (near the airport), and North Charleston, SC. I have been doing research on these area's, trying to decide which would be the best for our family. We have 6 children, ranging from 3 to 20, so good public education is a priority, as well as safety! I'd like to get an insiders view to some of these areas. Any input would be greatly appreciated!!

[RSMTN]

You would be hard pressed to find a place any prettier than Franklin. There is some serious "Music City" (Nashville) money floating around in that area........beautiful horse farms and homes. That said, Charleston, SC is special also but very hot and humid in the summer. As for SC schools, our son is a product of them, including the College of Charleston. He went on the get a Masters in Chemistry and is a VP with his company. Did we luck out? Maybe, but a lot of his friends did as well also.

[md21722]

Franklin (Williamson County), TN is one of the highest per capita counties in the country and the Southeast. The public schools are very good. Many people from California, New York, and New Jersey have discovered the area and move to Franklin and Brentwood. The tax system is similar to Washington State with a high sales tax and no income tax (but unlike Washington State, there is a income tax on interest and dividends over a certain limit). For higher education, your kids could go to Vanderbilt or MTSU in the nearby area, UT in Knoxville, any of the other fine universities/colleges in Tennessee, or look farther away. The overall area is rolling hills or flat. The nearest mountains are the Cumberland Plateau areas to the East, or the Appalachian Mountains along the NC state line. For beaches and ocean, many people go down to the Gulf Coast of Alabama. The Nashville airport offers a number of direct flights (domestic and Mexico) at reasonable prices. Nashville has two pro teams, the Titans (football) and the Predators (hockey).

Charleston, SC is a very nice area. The downtown is much larger than Franklin and very walkable. It has a great feel. It is very hot and humid in the summertime. People generally do outside things earlier in the day, stay inside during the hottest part of the day, and go back out in the late afternoon. The area is rich in colonial architecture. The beaches and ocean are right there. No pro sports teams in the state. The nearest mountains are in "Upstate SC" (Greenville). Taxes are higher than in Tennessee. There is an income tax and car tax, but real estate tax rates and sales tax rates are lower.

I have never been to Tampa, so I cannot comment from first hand experience. I can tell you that many people are leaving Florida because of extremely high utility bills, homeowner's insurance, and property taxes.

I have lived in Nashville and visited Charleston. You should visit both and decide which you like better. The cities are very different. Given the chance, I would probably choose Charleston. I prefer mountains over beaches, but Middle Tennessee offers neither.