Which suburb would you choose? (Memphis, Germantown: houses, neighborhoods, best schools)

[MissMee]

Since I really haven't seen much info on surrounding suburbs in my searches and in reading of posts from way back, I'll just ask a direct question. Based on the following criteria, which area/suburb of Memphis would you pick? Or possibly if money was not an issue, which one would you choose for your family? I have 4 children - 3 would be in schools come Fall. Hubby would probably be working in the city and wouldn't want to commute more than 45 minutes each way.

• up to $500k to spend (could be slightly more, but let's just say that's the top
• best place to find a 5 bedroom home with a pool
• best public schools available
• nice neighborhoods - don't have a preference if they're cookie cutter or not
• any with planned communities, like a golf course community or something of the sort?

[Bowyer]

Collierville or Germantown. Lots of great homes in your price range with pools, big yards, kid friendly neighborhoods. Both are an easy drive downtown and are close to just about anything you would ever need.

Lakeland would be next choice (no city tax $$$) but you are farther away from lots of amenities like good shopping.

Good luck.

[Pearlbob]

I would pick Midtown. Hey, it used to be a "suburb."

In seriousness, sounds like you would enjoy Collierville or Germantown. Those are the 2 most affluent suburbs.

[Bowyer]

Originally Posted by Pearlbob

I would pick Midtown. Hey, it used to be a "suburb."

In seriousness, sounds like you would enjoy Collierville or Germantown. Those are the 2 most affluent suburbs.

Safest, too

Germantown and Collierville are great places to raise a family!

[pillow]

I would pick Cordova. I have lived here for 13 years and my parents live close by. I have sent my children to both the public and private schools in Cordova. I am 5 minutes from my children's school, my church, Ballet Memphis, our piano teacher, Kroger, the Farmer's Market at the Agricenter, shopping, restaurants, and the orthodontist and pediatrician. In a time of rising gas costs and a lack of time I value the time and money I save by living close to so many places that I consider important to my life.

[tigergal]

Originally Posted by pillow

I would pick Cordova. I have lived here for 13 years and my parents live close by. I have sent my children to both the public and private schools in Cordova. I am 5 minutes from my children's school, my church, Ballet Memphis, our piano teacher, Kroger, the Farmer's Market at the Agricenter, shopping, restaurants, and the orthodontist and pediatrician. In a time of rising gas costs and a lack of time I value the time and money I save by living close to so many places that I consider important to my life.

Cordova's not really a suburb anymore; it's in the city of Memphis. The city schools are not exactly considered "the best schools" as the OP is seeking. One could certainly find all the amenities you list in Collierville or Germantown within similar proximity.

[pillow]

What do you mean the city schools are not as good as Germantown and Collierville? How do you characterize "good" schools? Cordova Middle School is an excellent school and Cordova High has many AP classes to choose from and an outstanding faculty. Also, the private schools are excellent compared to the public schools in Germantown and Collierville. St. Francis's seventh grade class had 49 students who qualified to take the ACT.

[tigergal]

Originally Posted by pillow

What do you mean the city schools are not as good as Germantown and Collierville? How do you characterize "good" schools? Cordova Middle School is an excellent school and Cordova High has many AP classes to choose from and an outstanding faculty. Also, the private schools are excellent compared to the public schools in Germantown and Collierville. St. Francis's seventh grade class had 49 students who qualified to take the ACT.

Objectively, the Memphis City Schools are not of the quality of Germantown and Collierville High School. One can discern this from any number of objective sources of information readily available. The Center for Research in Educational Policy at the University of Memphis is one such excellent source of information. By the schools being under the control of the MCS system, curriculum is set by MCS and is not considered to be of the quality of Shelby County Schools. The policies of governance at the schools are those of Memphis City Schools which are notoriously less effective than those of their county counterpart. One also can not lump in "the private schools of Cordova" into one group when they are varied and controlled by various entitites. St. Benedict does not equal Lamplighter which does not equal FACS or ECS. They all must be judged independently. Private schools surely aren't accurately judged by their geographic location. The best private schools in the area are in the city proper.

The availability of AP classes does not an excellent school make. There is also more to the making of an excellent school than performance on a standardized test.

I think it is terrific you love Cordova. However, the original poster was asking about the best schools in the suburbs. Cordova is not a suburb and the best suburban schools can not be found in the Memphis City School system.

[MissMee]

Excellent info. Thanks! I did read a lot on those 2 particular towns, but the threads always got interlaced with arguments and got totally OT, so it went round and round.

Any idea on where I can find TN school reports. Not schooldigger or bestschools. I mean the actual state reports and/or rankings according to the state, I already checked out the 2 sites I mentioned.

Oh, and I just looked online at houses in the 2 recommended suburbs. Very nice!!!!

[tigergal]

Originally Posted by MissMee

Excellent info. Thanks! I did read a lot on those 2 particular towns, but the threads always got interlaced with arguments and got totally OT, so it went round and round.

Any idea on where I can find TN school reports. Not schooldigger or bestschools. I mean the actual state reports and/or rankings according to the state, I already checked out the 2 sites I mentioned.

Oh, and I just looked online at houses in the 2 recommended suburbs. Very nice!!!!

Here you go. TN Department of Education: (http://www.k-12.state.tn.us/rptcrd05/ - broken link)

Shelby is the school district. If you scroll to the bottom of the page, there's a drop box where you can choos choose individual schools.