Need help finding great schools in TN! Relocating from Florida (Memphis: to rent, low crime)

[tweeder03]

Hi there! I've spent hours (and hours) reading through threads on here. Very informative! I've found bits and pieces of answers to my questions but nothing sturdy to lean on. So I am going to just ask everything....it'll be long (WARNING!!!) so here goes

We are relocating this summer (May/June) to Tennessee from Central Florida. Hate it here. (I am from Missouri, husband is from New Hampshire). I am 29 and hubby turns 33 on Sunday. We have a (soon to be) 7 year old daughter.

Elementary schools are our TOP TOP TOP priority! She is doing excellent down here in school and at the top of her class so I want to find a school that will continue to challenge her. Education is my BIGGEST factor in this move. She'll be going into the 2nd grade in the fall.

Hubby has worked as a truck driver/parts delivery driver (dump trucks, flatbeds, semi's) for YEARS now (I'm talking 8+) so that's what he's looking at for employment up there since he has had a Class A CDL for so long now.

I just finished school for Health Administration (billing and coding) and am very excited to start my new career.

We are looking for a great family area, low crime definitely, very KID friendly area (museums, parks, art center, etc).

I visited Nashville 2 weeks ago and will be coming up again next week. I fell in love. I love country music and it just seemed like a great place! We don't want to live IN the city, but less than an hour away would be the most we'd want to be away. My husband loves the mountains. He's very outdoorsy (hiking, fishing, shooting, etc) so he wants to be able to do this on the weekends.

THE CATCH!!! My family lives in Cullman, Alabama so I'd like to stay at least (if possible) 2 to 2 1/2 hours from them so I can visit often.

I have researched for MONTHS now and can't nail down an exact area. We fell in love with Spring Hill, but found it was way too expensive for us. We are looking to rent right now (we want to get to know the area first before buying). We are comfortable spending up to $800 a month right now. I don't know how the wages are up there yet so I don't want to be house poor. We are looking for at least a 2 bedroom house (1 or 2 bathrooms). Pet friendly (1 dog and 1 cat).

If anyone can help me I'd be so grateful. It's hard trying to research an area over the internet

[hiknapster]

I used to live in Florida and hated it.

I'm in a rush but here's a list of the best high schools in the state. Usually, where there are great high schools, there are great elementary and middle schools as well, so this should get you started.

Top Tennessee High Schools | Best High Schools | US News - US News

[tweeder03]

Thank you. Hopefully some other people can help too.

[hiknapster]

Ultimately, where you find a job or jobs will be where you settle. If you find the perfect place but can't find a job, your research is useless.

[Serious Conversation]

Wages are low in TN for most occupations, even when you account for cost of living and low taxes. Depending on where you're from in FL, it may be a wash. There are justifiable reasons TN ranks low in most quality of life studies in the country. Outside of a few cities, most of the state is a poverty stricken, pill fueled, crime-ridden disaster.

The only places really worth considering for a working person in TN are Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. The smaller towns in the state are devastated economically.

If you can't get a decent job in those places, you could very well be moving from the frying pan to the fire.

[DubbleT]

OP I think you might want to focus your questions in the Nashville forum if you need to stay near your family in AL. That forum covers the small towns to the south of Nashville too.
Also wanted to point out that if you are researching schools to make sure you look at the individual schools with in the system and not just look at the system as a whole. My kids attended one of the worst school systems in the state (Memphis City Schools), but they went to some of the best schools (and one of the top ten high schools) in the state, that just happened to be a part of that truly awful school system.
Couple links if you haven't seen them yet: //www.city-data.com/forum/cooke...y-schools.html and //www.city-data.com/forum/32459646-post4.html
...and for the record, most of TN is not a "poverty stricken, pill fueled, crime-ridden disaster". Don't let Mr Sunshine scare you, but do keep in mind that it IS a good idea to have a job before coming here, just like it is in many other parts of the country.

[Memphis1979]

Sango, TN. Great schools, best in the county, slightly higher cost of living over Clarksville in General. Less then an hour from Nashville and Clarksville is the 5th largest city in the state, and one of the fastest growing regions in the country. We are getting a new Hankook tire plant that will hire a bunch of people.

Small town values, military personnel around so lots of good folks.

Just my opinion

[tweeder03]

Thank you all for your responses! We are looking now at Smyrna. My husband has 4 job offers already in place for Nashville so we're sticking around there. We just need to find a place to live first and then he goes up and starts working. It's just hard trying to find a house to rent in our budget with good schools. I know TN is not a poverty stricken place so no worries. Every state/city has their fair share of druggies/crime/poverty in certain places. I have visited and it's a beautiful place and somewhere that we have chosen to continue raising our family. Florida economy is obsolete and it is impossible for us to find good work here. Plus we miss the seasons/snow. It's too dang hot and humid here! I appreciate all of your answers and opinions! Thank you for taking the time to respond to me. It has definitely helped.