Tell ne what it's like to live in Jackson TN now... (Memphis: crime, homes)

[JoeCartpath]

I've lived in the Memphis area my entire life....74 years and counting! Due to the crime situation here I'm considering leaving the area. I've been doing a LOT of searching on Zillow to get an idea of home prices in several different areas, and it appears that Jackson prices are more comparable to where I live now (Cordova) than other places in TN that I've considered (Cookeville and Murfreesboro, for example.

Is there a reason why Jackson homes seem to be well priced? Is it just because of a lack of high paying jobs in the area? Being retired, that really isn't a factor for me - but being in a safe area is a priority. I'm not getting any younger and, if I die before my wife of 52 years I want to be sure she is in a safe and secure place.

I love where I live now - except for the fear of increasing crime. I have all the restaurants, shopping, medical care, etc. within 10-15 minutes of home. My small neighborhood is safe so far...but I don't want to risk staying here until it's too late.

On he same subject, what are the areas in Jackson that are best to avoid. I'll probably be looking in the $300-$350K range.

Thanks in advance.....

[Crazybreakfast]

Not that it's exactly what you asked but Arlington and Lakeland are fairly safe (safer than Cordova, as far as I know). Not sure if they are cheaper. Piperton and Rossville would be similarly priced but have way less shopping/ are further away from facilities and you'd need to go to Collierville for most things. Horn Lake also might fit, but less developed as well.

Jackson is fine, and near Union is safer. Jackson has its crime issues, I think the city proper would be comparable to Cordova, maybe slightly worse.

I could be wrong on these though!

[AppalachianAngler]

I agree with the above post. I don't have the statistics, but my opinion is that Jackson is similar to Cordova, if not worse for crime.

Safety + close to chain amenities with a 300-350k budget somewhat near Memphis seems like DeSoto County would be what you are looking for--maybe Olive Branch or Hernando.

Other than that, you are going to probably need to find a different geographic area to retire to.

[JoeCartpath]

Well, I actually retired 9 years ago so that ship already sailed

I've looked at other areas and Cookeville seems to be the best fit. I've also looked at Fairhope AL, Crestview FL and a few other areas - but I prefer to remain in Tennessee. Mississippi has never had any appeal for me.

[jabogitlu]

Ever looked at Johnson City, Kingsport or Bristol? If you like Cookeville you might also like these towns. Johnson City has the most diverse base (due to ETSU) and typically gets the newer retail opportunities first, although Bristol has a new mega development on the freeway that brings in new brands. The big downside (for you potentially) is the quality and access of medical care is inferior compared to Cookeville (with its proximity to Nashville).

[MTFan]

If you are going to uproot and move I would not consider Jackson. It has more crime problems then it should for a city its size and I could see it getting worse. I would look at Murfreesboro first and Cookeville second.

[JoeCartpath]

Originally Posted by jabogitlu

Ever looked at Johnson City, Kingsport or Bristol? If you like Cookeville you might also like these towns. Johnson City has the most diverse base (due to ETSU) and typically gets the newer retail opportunities first, although Bristol has a new mega development on the freeway that brings in new brands. The big downside (for you potentially) is the quality and access of medical care is inferior compared to Cookeville (with its proximity to Nashville).

The medical care situation is a primary consideration for both me and my wife. That has somewhat limited the places in which we would be interested.

Another issue for us is the distance from here to the JC/Bristol area. We have two sons - each with one of our grandchildren. Until late 2021 both were within a few minutes of where we now live. One just a few blocks away here in Cordova, the other in Arlington. The latter son move to Niceville FL in late 2021. At least we still have one close by. Moving to the far northeast corner of TN would put us hours from him...and even further from the one in FL.

At this point I'd say we're likely to stay put. As for the distance, a big consideration for me is this: what if we relocated to JC...and then I died within a couple of years? That would leave my wife a 7-9 hour drive from any family.

[jabogitlu]

Sure, that makes sense. I hope you find the situation that works out for you both!