London, KY - Info Please (Lexington, Corbin: fit in, home, employment)

[HPY1]

I have the opportunity to apply to move to a few different locations with my employer. One of them is in London, KY. I am seriously considering it. My wife and I don't like big towns/cities so we think this would be a great fit for us. We both 'grew up' in rural Ohio (about an hour from Columbus). I like to hunt and fish and she likes the outdoors as well. So I am looking for every bit of information I can gather about London. Anything anyone can think of that will help me will be greatly appreciated.

I am a little concerned about the quality of public schools given what I have heard about KY's public school system. Any isight on the schools and options?

How about areas that would say be about 15 - 20 miles north of London? How are those small towns? Will my family and I be accepted or will it be hard to be accepted by the small town communities?

Where do folks shop at in/around London for groceries, clothes, etc?

How hilly/mountainous is that part of the state? (I've never been to Eastern KY.)

Thanks in advance for anything information y'all are willing to provide.

[xxmagex]

London the town that I-75 & US 80 built

Seriously, hello. Glad you're looking at London.

Information for you-
School system, I can't really speak about since it's been 30 years since I was part of it. I've not really heard anything bad about it (Well not besides the normal complaining when the basketball team has a losing season). I believe it is fairly good for the region, I remember reading somewhere in the last year about good test scores at one of the local high schools.

15-20 miles from London? That gets you Corbin. A good town, easily accessible to London via I-75

Shopping- Well as always in rural America you start with a Walmart Super Center. After that there is a decent selection of stores in London to choose from and just down the road is Corbin which also has a decent selection of stores. Major items not available locally can be found in Lexington or Knoxville, both about a hour away by Interstate.

Hilly/mountainous? Not too bad. London is right on the cusp of major mountains to the east. Laurel County (The county where London is) has some mountain terrain (Camp Wildcat to the North), but there are flatlands also.

What additional information can I tell you?

[HPY1]

Originally Posted by xxmagex

London the town that I-75 & US 80 built

Seriously, hello. Glad you're looking at London.

Information for you-
School system, I can't really speak about since it's been 30 years since I was part of it. I've not really heard anything bad about it (Well not besides the normal complaining when the basketball team has a losing season). I believe it is fairly good for the region, I remember reading somewhere in the last year about good test scores at one of the local high schools.

15-20 miles from London? That gets you Corbin. A good town, easily accessible to London via I-75

Shopping- Well as always in rural America you start with a Walmart Super Center. After that there is a decent selection of stores in London to choose from and just down the road is Corbin which also has a decent selection of stores. Major items not available locally can be found in Lexington or Knoxville, both about a hour away by Interstate.

Hilly/mountainous? Not too bad. London is right on the cusp of major mountains to the east. Laurel County (The county where London is) has some mountain terrain (Camp Wildcat to the North), but there are flatlands also.

What additional information can I tell you?

Public hunting/fishing in the area? What about Laurel Lake? How big is it? Employment in the area (for my spouse)? What drives the economy? How about crime?

[CraigCreek]

Laurel Lake will easily provide good boating and fishing.

Levi Jackson State Park is also on the edge of London, and has hiking trails (heavily used, not exactly wilderness anymore, though the historic Wilderness Road goes through Levi Jackson), a restored gristmill which operates in the summer, riding stables (I think - they did at one time, check to be sure), a large pool, picnic and playgrounds, and a grouping of restored pioneer cabins and other structures. There's also a group "clubhouse", popular for group activities of various kinds. The park is hilly and largely wooded, but not mountainous.

London sits on a high plateau, with higher mountains to the east and south, and deep valleys to the north and west. There are hills in and near London, but the town itself is not mountainous, though mountains are easily accessible.

London is the home of the Chicken Festival each September - downhome fun, with "Mr. Chicken-Leg" contests and the World's Largest Skillet providing fried chicken to the multitudes. There's a parade with Little Miss Pretty beauty queens, marching bands, local celebs, etc., and craft and food booths all along Main Street, bluegrass and country music, etc.

Lexington is about two hours north of London, and Knoxville is about an hour and a half south, both via I-75, for advanced healthcare or other city necessities.

[EclecticEars]

London: small town shopping, comparatively/relative clean town for southeast Kentucky, crappy school system. One of the "richer" towns in southeast Kentucky, although that is indeed relative. All in all, still a town that tries to have some civic pride. Closer to massive Lake Cumberland and beautiful Red River Gorge. Slightly closer to Lexington than to Knoxville.

Corbin: small town shopping, town is kind of a dump, but stronger city school system (Corbin Independent). However, the surrounding school systems, Knox County, Whitley County, and Laurel County (of which London is part), which some people from Corbin attend, are terrible. Not as much civic pride traditionally, although at least now they're trying to improve some things. Closer to Cumberland Gap and Big South Fork, which are cool. Pretty bad history of racism. About equidistant between Lexington and Knoxville.

Basically, people from that part of the state or who otherwise cherish rural living are the people who will fit in in London and Corbin. You have to decide for yourself.

[Serious Conversation]

I have the displeasure of driving through Corbin when I go back to TN. It is an absolute eyesore.

[EclecticEars]

xxmagex brought up Corbin and we've had a lot of London/Corbin comparison threads on this forum over the years, so I decided to just go ahead and make another comparison.

I agree with Emigrations: Corbin is an eyesore. Between London and Corbin, I'd pick London, but strictly by default (and I wouldn't live in eastern Kentucky, sooooooo...)

[HPY1]

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

xxmagex brought up Corbin and we've had a lot of London/Corbin comparison threads on this forum over the years, so I decided to just go ahead and make another comparison.

I agree with Emigrations: Corbin is an eyesore. Between London and Corbin, I'd pick London, but strictly by default (and I wouldn't live in eastern Kentucky, sooooooo...)

Why is it an eye sore?

What is wrong with Eastern Kentucky?

[HPY1]

Originally Posted by Emigrations

I have the displeasure of driving through Corbin when I go back to TN. It is an absolute eyesore.

Why such bad words about a town that I am guessing is only a few exits along the highway if you only drive through it?

[InLondon]

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

crappy school system
.

As if you would know. I know since I grew up here and attended public schools here. Why are you so negative about everything in life? I avoid people like you at all cost. Thank you and have a good day.