Would like info on Owensboro/Madisonville/Central City region (Bowling Green: for sale, rentals)

[VAF84]

Hello Kentuckians! Our family of four (kids 2 & 4) are moving for a few months to the area. We bounce around every few months due to my line of work, which until now has been between Texas and Louisiana; so this is our first foray into Kentucky.

I'd like to see if anyone here can help out with some tips on where to rent a house, and resources that are available.

- Location - I'll be working near Bremen. A coworker recommends staying in Owensboro; and that quite a few people working in the area do that. However, that would be 45 min each way in good driving conditions, 6 days a week. Ideally I'd like to be within 20 minutes. I've looked at Livermore, Central City, and Madisonville. My wife and kids are happy if there's a good sized grocery store, playground, and library within about 20min.

- Rentals - The triangle area I've been searching in using google searches isn't pulling much; especially since I'm trying to find a newer or at least a well maintained home with a garage. Any local tips/resources? I'm starting to consider trying to find a home for sale and offering to rent it from the owner.

- Any areas to avoid? - My wife and kids will be spending a lot of time on their own while I'm at work. Are there any areas that should be avoided?

- Less important, but are there any slightly mountainous areas in that region? Seems like more hills than anything from what I can tell. But coming from the flatlands of Texas and LA, it would be great to be in or near an area with some elevation changes.

We're pretty excited to spend some time there, and looking forward to some trips to Boling Green too.

I appreciate ya'lls time and advice!

[Oldhag1]

All of these places are part of the mostly former Western Coal Fields. Madisonville, the county seat of Hopkins County, will by far have the most amenities - it even has a community college. Central City, part of Muhlenberg County, is smaller but is that county’s largest city. Also in Muhlenberg County is Greensville, which is not that much smaller and probably will have more available cheap housing because it used to have the larger population. Livermore is tiny. McClean County itself is teeny, tiny and the entire county doesn’t even have 10,000 people.

In case this matters to you, McClean County is a bone dry county. Hopkins County is a dry county with three moist cities, including Madisonville. Muhlenberg is a dry county with only one moist city - Central City.

All three cities have libraries, grocery stores, and parks - it’s a matter of how large. All three counties, by the way, have additional tiny cities that will be easily with 20 minutes of their county “big” city. What are actually considered the big cities nearby will be Owensboro and Bowling Green, both within an easy commute - but big is a relative term. Most of Kentucky is considered very safe with little stranger crime, and this area is no exception.

[kygman]

My son lives in Madisonville with his wife and 4 kids aged from 6 to 14. His work is in another nearby town but they chose to stay in Madisonville to have something to do. It's unusual to find them at home on weekends. They're either at their church, the YMCA, playing soccer or softball, riding bikes, two of them are in the middle and high school bands, archery teams and also into Boy Scouts, which keeps them busy in the summer. Madisonville is within an hour or so of Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, and the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.

[VAF84]

Great info @Oldhag1. I hadn't even thought of the possibility of dry counties. Not a major issue for us, as we only drink occasionally; but good to know.

@kygman, your post along with Oldhag1 is starting to push Madisonville towards the front of the pack. Thanks!

[kygman]

Originally Posted by VAF84

Great info @Oldhag1. I hadn't even thought of the possibility of dry counties. Not a major issue for us, as we only drink occasionally; but good to know.

@kygman, your post along with Oldhag1 is starting to push Madisonville towards the front of the pack. Thanks!

No charge!

[Toxic Toast]

Maybe your experience will be different, but I thought Madisonville was pretty run down when I lived in Kentucky. Owensboro is the nicest town in that part of Kentucky along with Henderson, and it is not close.

[Oldhag1]

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

Maybe your experience will be different, but I thought Madisonville was pretty run down when I lived in Kentucky. Owensboro is the nicest town in that part of Kentucky along with Henderson, and it is not close.

The OP said in the first post that Owensboro was too long a commute, and based on the places he’s looking at, Henderson probably will be also. Commute times are a true quality of life issue that for most people is the very first consideration in choosing where to live.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by Oldhag1

The OP said in the first post that Owensboro was too long a commute, and based on the places he’s looking at, Henderson probably will be also. Commute times are a true quality of life issue that for most people is the very first consideration in choosing where to live.

OP cited a 45 minute drive from Owensboro as too far. However, the fringes of Owensboro where Target is would be closer to 30 minutes, not 45. That depends where exactly "near Bremen" is, but to me, that extra 10 minutes to be in Owensboro over Madisonville is well worth it. OP is going to make their own life choice, but 45 minutes may be off as a guess depending on where in Owensboro and where near Bremen.

[VAF84]

Oldhag1 pretty much nailed it there. Thing is, if I can be 15 minutes away, I can see my kids when they wake up before heading to work, go home to eat lunch with the family, and not be too far if I work late. If we're based in Owensboro, I'll be out before the kids wake up, will miss lunch with the wife and kids, and then if I work late (which is fairly frequent), I'll miss dinner with them. Not to mention, we typically work 6 days, but most the time a half day on the sixth. It'd be a 1.5 hr drive for 4-5 hrs of work. My daily driver is 3/4 ton truck, not the most efficient for commuting either.

Don't get me wrong, Owensboro would be much nicer; but I'm hoping to find something that works, closer to the job site.

[Oldhag1]

Originally Posted by VAF84

Oldhag1 pretty much nailed it there. Thing is, if I can be 15 minutes away, I can see my kids when they wake up before heading to work, go home to eat lunch with the family, and not be too far if I work late. If we're based in Owensboro, I'll be out before the kids wake up, will miss lunch with the wife and kids, and then if I work late (which is fairly frequent), I'll miss dinner with them. Not to mention, we typically work 6 days, but most the time a half day on the sixth. It'd be a 1.5 hr drive for 4-5 hrs of work. My daily driver is 3/4 ton truck, not the most efficient for commuting either.

Don't get me wrong, Owensboro would be much nicer; but I'm hoping to find something that works, closer to the job site.

I don’t blame you. Being able to see and interact with your little people is priceless.