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Hi Everyone
I am new to this procedure so hopefully will get everything correct...
My husband and I live in Sacramento, CA with our 2 dogs...we r
retired and want to find a small Tennesee town within an hr. of
a big city...we would be renting at first...we are looking for a town
where the past is revered, lots of trees, clean air and water,
dog friendly, a VFW as my husband loves to volunteer...a veterans
hosp. nearby...friendly people...if possible to rent a small acerage
or farm...low tornado activity...I am researching places such
as Baxter, Crossville, Algood, Greenville and many more...
would like it in the 1500-10,000 pop. range...small, quiet
and quaint...having pets a vet nearby is important...no
children or grandkids...love to garden...ride horses...healthy
environment is very important as is low crime...good hosp.
of course important...we r taking our time with this and
hope to leave CA. by the end of this yr. 2010 or sometime
next yr...oh yes...the humidity is it like Georgia's??...do winters
get very cold...being Canadian I can tolerate the cold but
my husband cannot...thank-you so much for any info...hopefully
this was not too long...
CalgStampeders
I think of those towns you listed, Crossville and Greenville would probably be the ones to look at, as they have decent hospitals. I'm sure you want to be within an hour of a large city. You can get to the outskirts of Nashville in an hour and 1/2 and probably a bit less to Knoxville, which has several great medical centers too... Greenville is closer to Knoxville (apx. 1 hr) but not Nashville. Both towns are beautiful and have healthy economies. I don't know a lot about Greenville, but my family used to spend parts of our summers near Crossville when I was a kid. It has grown a tremendous amount since the 70s/80s. I know that Crossville has become very popular with retirees who want a warmer climate/four seasons/lower cost of living. Good luck!
Hi Everyone
I am new to this procedure so hopefully will get everything correct...
My husband and I live in Sacramento, CA with our 2 dogs...we r
retired and want to find a small Tennesee town within an hr. of
a big city...we would be renting at first...we are looking for a town
where the past is revered, lots of trees, clean air and water,
dog friendly, a VFW as my husband loves to volunteer...a veterans
hosp. nearby...friendly people...if possible to rent a small acerage
or farm...low tornado activity...I am researching places such
as Baxter, Crossville, Algood, Greenville and many more...
would like it in the 1500-10,000 pop. range...small, quiet
and quaint...having pets a vet nearby is important...no
children or grandkids...love to garden...ride horses...healthy
environment is very important as is low crime...good hosp.
of course important...we r taking our time with this and
hope to leave CA. by the end of this yr. 2010 or sometime
next yr...oh yes...the humidity is it like Georgia's??...do winters
get very cold...being Canadian I can tolerate the cold but
my husband cannot...thank-you so much for any info...hopefully
this was not too long...
CalgStampeders
You mentioned Baxter which is an excellent suggestion. It's about an hour from Nashville (depending how far from I-40 you are), it's near the Cookeville hospital (one of the top 5 heart hospitals in the state) as well as lots of VFW activities in Cookeville.
If you plan on doing a lot of traveling you might appreciate being close to the Nashville airport which has--by far--the cheapest air fares in Tennessee because it's a hub for Southwest Airlines. Crossville and Greeneville are closer to Knoxville which is infamous for its high air fares and fairly limited service.
I really like Algood. It's in your population range and is immediately adjacent to Cookeville which is a much larger town, although depending on what you're looking for in a "big city" Cookeville might suit your needs (except for the airport which would still require a drive to Nashville). Land in the Algood area is gorgeous. Cookeville has 2 symphonies, several museums, and a mid-major university (which is not a party school) with a steady supply of stage productions, sporting events, lecture series, exhibitions, etc. It's got quite a bit more shopping than most towns its size and a lot of excellent, independent restaurants. Crossville has the big retirement communities but Cookeville is also a popular retirement area (one of the 9 areas the state is advertising specifically to retirees).
About the weather around there: it's probably a little less humid than in Georgia although in the dog days of summer it'll feel pretty muggy. But in a typical summer that's just a few weeks out of the year, and it generally cools down at night to pleasant temperatures. And being out in the country you'll be able to enjoy the beautiful display that nature gives us with thousands of fireflies which help make those muggy summer days worth it.
Thank-you Shinestx and JMT...will do further research in those areas...love the thought of fireflies, beautiful scenery and cool nites...an hr. from a big city is only for a once in awhile fix of shopping, site seeing, etc...then back to calm, quiet beauty...a town called Sparta has been mentioned any thoughts on this...we are in our middle 50's and like to ride bikes, walk our dogs, and as I said before ride horses...I cannot believe the incredible beauty of your State and can hardly wait to leave the overcrowded, crime ridden, and high costs of California...and breathe fresh air...good too know about the access to the hospitals...
Thank-you Shinestx and JMT...will do further research in those areas...love the thought of fireflies, beautiful scenery and cool nites...an hr. from a big city is only for a once in awhile fix of shopping, site seeing, etc...then back to calm, quiet beauty...a town called Sparta has been mentioned any thoughts on this...we are in our middle 50's and like to ride bikes, walk our dogs, and as I said before ride horses...I cannot believe the incredible beauty of your State and can hardly wait to leave the overcrowded, crime ridden, and high costs of California...and breathe fresh air...good too know about the access to the hospitals...
Again thank-you for your time...
CalgStampeders
No problem at all! We love to help.
Sparta is a nice little town, too. Here's a thread about it which might answer some of your questions:
My grandmother grew up in Sparta and she returned there in her later years. It is a really, really, really sleepy town. So you may give it a long time to check out the place before "pulling the trigger" (sorry, but I guessed you're originally from Calgary. LOL)
Don't get me wrong, I love the people of Sparta, but of all the towns you mentioned, perhaps it's been hardest hit by the last three big recessions reaching back 30 years. Forty years ago, its economy was heavily based on manufacturing, and in the following decades it lost a lot of jobs. In recent years however, things have changed for the better... such as the four-laned expansion of Hwy. 111 to Cookeville, which puts the two towns only about a fifteen minute drive from each other... but it's still trying to recover (population has remained flat). That may be exactly what you're looking for, but I get the impression that you are looking for a bit more infrastructure (such as greenways, entertainment, libraries). I think you'd also miss some decent restaurants that can be found in the larger towns. In comparison to Sparta, Crossville has focused much more on tourism and the retirement communities.
Finally, (you're still young for retirees but) I'd also look closely at medical facilities. I know Crossville has a larger regional medical center. Of course, it serves a population 2.5 times greater than Sparta/White County. Now if you do still decide on Sparta, you'll probably find that going to Cookeville is no problem. My grandmother always went to Cookeville for her healthcare, and she lived to be 88 years old (not sure there's a direct link).
I really hope you decide on Sparta, but I encourage you to visit the town on several occasions (daytime, nighttime, weekend etc.). Of course, I wish you the very best, and welcome you to Tennessee wherever you settle.
Hi Everyone
I am new to this procedure so hopefully will get everything correct...
My husband and I live in Sacramento, CA with our 2 dogs...we r
retired and want to find a small Tennesee town within an hr. of
a big city...we would be renting at first...we are looking for a town
where the past is revered, lots of trees, clean air and water,
dog friendly, a VFW as my husband loves to volunteer...a veterans
hosp. nearby...friendly people...if possible to rent a small acerage
or farm...low tornado activity...I am researching places such
as Baxter, Crossville, Algood, Greenville and many more...
would like it in the 1500-10,000 pop. range...small, quiet
and quaint...having pets a vet nearby is important...no
children or grandkids...love to garden...ride horses...healthy
environment is very important as is low crime...good hosp.
of course important...we r taking our time with this and
hope to leave CA. by the end of this yr. 2010 or sometime
next yr...oh yes...the humidity is it like Georgia's??...do winters
get very cold...being Canadian I can tolerate the cold but
my husband cannot...thank-you so much for any info...hopefully
this was not too long...
CalgStampeders
Hi CalgStampeders,
My wife and I are also currently living in the Sacramento, CA area (Citrus Heights). We also have had enough of California. We bought a 4 acre lot in a development called Cumberland Cove in Monterey, TN, off of Interstate 40, between Cookeville and Crossville, in 2007. We will build our retirement home on our lot as soon as we can retire, hopefully in 6 years. We love the Cookeville, Monterey, Crossville area. You will find all of the goods and services you could ever need in Cookeville as it is a town of around 30,000 people. Crossville has a lot to offer as well. This area is beautiful. There are many parks within a short drive from this area. I was born and raised in Louisiana and I can tell you that humidity if far worse in the deep south than it is in Tennessee.
I did an overall cost of living comparison between Citrus Heights, CA and Cookeville, TN a while back using the services of an on-line website and found the cost of living in Cookeville was about 35% lower than in Citrus Heights, CA. That's a huge difference! The state of Tennessee is very attractive to retirees because of the incentives it offers and the low cost of living.
I have provided a link below that will take you to a video done by the Mayor of Crossville to promote retirement in Crossville. I hope this helps.
Lots of little towns around Knoxville that will make you happy.
Yes. And even though Knoxville is a city, it has that "townish" feel. Ten minutes out and you are in rural country. I don't like cities, but this country girl loves Knoxville!
We have EXCELLENT hospitals.
Also, if you are looking for a place with a VA hospital, I would suggest Johnson City, which is also "townish." That entire area also describes what you are looking for. It is slightly colder than in Knoxville, but not hardly by much.
And speaking of cold, our winters are very, very mild, especially compared to the northeast and midwest. You will think it is fabulous. You said your husband can't tolerate cold at all? We've had a brutally cold winter - as most of the country has - but our winters are usually highs in the 40s and lows in the low 30s. We get a few days, here and there, of highs in the 30s and lows in the 20s and occasionally in the teens.
This year has been terrible, but even still, we have had tolerable weather in the 40s and occasional 50s.
You'll have to find out what temperature your husband considers intolerable.
Thank-you all...
I will cont. to check in as well as asking
questions...yep I am from Calgary, Alberta...loved that
"pulling the trigger'' Shinestx...do have
an important question which I had forgotten...are there
Bank of America in the smaller towns or would u have
to go to a large city? I have to stay w. Bank of America
my husband does not...the weather sounds perfect...
still nothing compared to 30-50 below F. Canadian winters...
Do alot of the freeways cut through these small towns...
We want to b as far away as possible from the noise/pollution
that is created by heavy traffic...
I am one of those treehuggers, vegetarian, animal loving
organic gardeners...
Thanks Citrus Heights will check that info...
Will check the Knoxville area...definitely want low
tornado activity...
CalgStampeders
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We bought a 4 acre lot in a development called Cumberland Cove in Monterey, TN, off of Interstate 40, between Cookeville and Crossville, in 2007. We will build our retirement home on our lot as soon as we can retire, hopefully in 6 years. We love the Cookeville, Monterey, Crossville area. You will find all of the goods and services you could ever need in Cookeville as it is a town of around 30,000 people. Crossville has a lot to offer as well. This area is beautiful. There are many parks within a short drive from this area. I was born and raised in Louisiana and I can tell you that humidity if far worse in the deep south than it is in Tennessee.
