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You're welcome JSapp; I know you will eventually find your 'sweet spot'. Have you considered Maryville TN ? or other towns within a reasonable driving distance to Knoxville for the medical facilities over there.
You are still within 'shooting distance' of the Appalachians and in Maryville in particular. At this stage in your lives, higher salary(ies) are a priority. If you think about the future approaching retirement, you hopefully will have socked away a good amount of money in 401k, IRA's, possibly an annuity or two. You don't want to wind up living only on Social Security, or some hair brained scheme that a politician thinks it should be replaced with. That is what is important -- getting and retaining good jobs, longevity and that piggy bank should be your first goal. The very best to you both.
If you do a craigslist search with your rent budget, you will find a some apts. for under $700. I think it is doable as long as you are not expecting anything fancy or the latest appliances, etc. Don't give up too easily.
Good luck to you both!
There is a large hospital in Sylva - you might look for job openings there. Sylva is right in the mountains, and there should be young people as there is a university nearby in Cullowee. There's basic shopping in Sylva and also Waynesville even if you do go to Asheville for entertainment. Not sure of the housing costs but it doesn't have the cachet of Asheville.
If you do look at TN, a young couple will find more social life in Knoxville than Maryville. Or consider Johnson City. It has a big VA hospital and is also a college town.
If you do a craigslist search with your rent budget, you will find a some apts. for under $700. I think it is doable as long as you are not expecting anything fancy or the latest appliances, etc. Don't give up too easily.
Good luck to you both!
Agreed, it can be done; it depends on how badly you want it . . . and don't let other people tell you what your priorities are.
Also agree with Creeksitter about Johnson City . . . worth checking out.
I know it's been said a lot on here, but Hickory is not a dying town. Hickory is, in fact, growing. It is coming back from a hard place and it is nowhere close to what Asheville has achieved, but there are significant improvements in just the 5 years I've lived here. The areas of NW Hickory and South Caldwell County have geography on their side: surrounded by lakes, in view of the mountains, 45 min to being on top of the mountains, 1 hr from Asheville, 1 hr from Charlotte, lots of outdoor activities (mountain biking, hiking, boating, etc.)
And right now, housing is much more affordable here (not as cheap as South Georgia but good for western NC.)
Jobs are an issue for sure, but please don't move anywhere without first securing a job. There are several hospitals in the area and a new surgery center scheduled to be built in Granite Falls soon.
This area is definitely not for everyone, but it might fit your needs. I've lived in Georgia and I was so glad to get back to the NC mountains. Tennessee is great, too. Knoxville is a great city. Search a wide radius for jobs and visit the towns. What works for you will be unique to you.
Lukasag, creeksitter, NC_Paddler, thegofoxgo, I'd just like to thank all of you awesome people for the kind and helpful responses!! Trust me, I'm not letting a stranger tell me what my priorities are, haha. Me and my husband know what works for us and we live a VERY modest lifestyle with absolutely no debt, so even though we don't make a large amount of money, we get by very comfortably as is. We don't require many material objects to be happy, we just want to be surrounded by those mountains, so we just need to figure out the most affordable place for us. As my research continues, I've discovered that Knoxville TN is a MUCH more affordable place for us and still within a comfortable reach of the mountains. It seems very well in "our league". We also love that its over twice the size of Asheville and has the University. Hopefully this means lots more opportunities for adventures. I did a cost of living comparison and according to Sperlings, it's 27% cheaper to live in Knoxville than Hendersonville, and apparently there's no state income tax in TN. So as much as I had my heart set on NC, it appears that it's just not a realistic option for us to pursue. But no worries, we are determined to make our dream come true, and that dream just requires us to get in those mountains that you guys get to call home! Thanks again everyone for the kind words and helpful tips!
There are some beautiful areas in Eastern Tn and as you are discovering more affordable. Think you might find it works for you on many levels, try to visit and look around seeing first hand is best. Have heard some good things about Chattanooga so that could be an option. Fall is a beautiful time of year there. Good luck!
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That is what is important -- getting and retaining good jobs, longevity and that piggy bank should be your first goal. The very best to you both.
