Your thoughts on Greeneville, or TN in general-? (Knoxville, Johnson City: crime, houses)

[boilingblacksea]

Hello -

We're American Fed. Gov't employees currently in Berlin, Germany - our children attend the JFK school here.

We are late 40s but retirement is looming (mandatory), and due to online RE, my spouse is suddenly smitten with small-town TN's very low cost of living and home ownership - and enrolling the kids into the local public schools there (Greeneville High gets good marks). We know they'll lose their German instruction and maybe an international perspective, but they are native English speakers.

While we've visited Nashville once and my late father-in-law's place in Sewanee 16 years ago, we wondering what big factor we're missing here.

What is not being disclosed in Internet searches? As photos show bucolic rolling hills, quaint farmhouses and natural paradise. Why aren't more Americans living there?

Thanks/Danke -

[JMT]

Originally Posted by boilingblacksea

Hello -

We're American Fed. Gov't employees currently in Berlin, Germany - our children attend the JFK school here.

We are late 40s but retirement is looming (mandatory), and due to online RE, my spouse is suddenly smitten with small-town TN's very low cost of living and home ownership - and enrolling the kids into the local public schools there (Greeneville High gets good marks). We know they'll lose their German instruction and maybe an international perspective, but they are native English speakers.

While we've visited Nashville once and my late father-in-law's place in Sewanee 16 years ago, we wondering what big factor we're missing here.

What is not being disclosed in Internet searches? As photos show bucolic rolling hills, quaint farmhouses and natural paradise. Why aren't more Americans living there?

Thanks/Danke -

If you're looking for a small town with beautiful scenery, low cost of living, and excellent schools, particularly one that offers German, I'd look at Cookeville. One of its middle schools, Avery Trace, is an International Baccalaureate School which means the entire school follows the IB curriculum. Cookeville HS also offers the IB program and offers German.

Cookeville is about an hour east of Nashville and is home to the state's technological university which is probably one reason its schools are top notch and its economy is so robust.

[Serious Conversation]

Greeneville is a small, somewhat isolated town in northeast TN. Greeneville has historically been quite dependent on manufacturing. Manufacturing in this part of the state has really taken it on the chin over the years, and unemployment in Greene County/Greeneville has been quite a bit higher than surrounding areas. In short, there is little in the way of employment there, and it's not commutable to the job centers around Knoxville, and even Johnson City would be an irritating commute on a daily basis.

It's a very scenic area, as is the rest of northeast TN, but most people have to have a job, and Greeneville is struggling in that regard. Greeneville city and even Greene County schools tend to be good. County schools in upper east TN are generally not as well-regarded as city schools, but Greene County bucks that trend a bit.

Will you need employment at all or will you be completely retired?

[boilingblacksea]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

Will you need employment at all or will you be completely retired?

This forum is so enlightening -

Yes, I will be working online for a nonprofit organization - and, (now realizing) hoping Internet availability won't be a problem...
Spouse is totally retired.

JMT, you're right- wow- Cookeville HS does offer German. We'll certainly look into this district.

Thanks again!

[Serious Conversation]

Originally Posted by boilingblacksea

This forum is so enlightening -

Yes, I will be working online for a nonprofit organization - and, (now realizing) hoping Internet availability won't be a problem...
Spouse is totally retired.

JMT, you're right- wow- Cookeville HS does offer German. We'll certainly look into this district.

Thanks again!

As long as you're not dependent on the local job market, you should be fine. Broadband internet won't be a problem in town. It might be in the county - it depends on exactly where. It looks Comcast will be the ISP.

https://www.highspeedinternet.com/tn/greeneville

[JMT]

Originally Posted by boilingblacksea

This forum is so enlightening -

Yes, I will be working online for a nonprofit organization - and, (now realizing) hoping Internet availability won't be a problem...
Spouse is totally retired.

JMT, you're right- wow- Cookeville HS does offer German. We'll certainly look into this district.

Thanks again!

Cookeville has gigabit internet. It's not all over town, but, oddly enough, it's available in the rural areas just outside of town.

[Chowgirl]

Older post, but what are the opinions of Greeneville area for retirement? No job needed! Chuckey..Telford..Limestone? Thank you

[Serious Conversation]

Originally Posted by Chowgirl

Older post, but what are the opinions of Greeneville area for retirement? No job needed! Chuckey..Telford..Limestone? Thank you

There are plenty of posts on the Tri-Cities boards regarding it.

In short, improving, but isolated, bad economy, typical rural drug/crime issues outside the city, insular, great mountain views.

[JRR]

Originally Posted by Chowgirl

Older post, but what are the opinions of Greeneville area for retirement? No job needed! Chuckey..Telford..Limestone? Thank you

We seriously considered Greeneville for our retirement. Visited it several times over the years. I liked it more than my wife did; love those mountain views. Finally decided that Cookeville area suited us better; haven't regretted the choice.

[Chowgirl]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

There are plenty of posts on the Tri-Cities boards regarding it.

In short, improving, but isolated, bad economy, typical rural drug/crime issues outside the city, insular, great mountain views.

I was hoping maybe someone on here lives in the Chuckey area and could give me some insight.