What is the city of Jackson Like? (Memphis: houses, neighborhood)

[Andrea323]

I am thinking of moving from Tampa, Fl. to Jackson, TN. We've got three small kids and we have our own home repair business. How are the schools and the local business there? And I saw some pics about this place, are there many tornandos? We just want to find a good neighborhood to raise our kids in and be able to work in peace. Any suggestions on any other places where the houses aren't sky high, and where my type of business would do well ? Thanks for everyone's time and patience.

[jerseygirlInTN]

Hi, we have three kids as well and moved here almost 2 years ago. I think it's OK. The public schools are mediocre for maybe Kindergarten and then after that forget it. They are 4 or 5 private schools which will cost you a minimium of $7K per child per year and will rise to about $15K by the time they reach high school. There are a lot of local businesses and some major chains like Lowe's, Walmart, Chili's, etc. You get a lot of people from the surrounding counties on the weekends because out there it's REALLY rural. So forget going to a restaurant. There is a lot of building going on and the town overall has modest growth. The housing is very inexpensive, you could get a 4 bed/2 ba house starting in the low 200's. However, being a northern girl myself; it's too small. The mall is very small and the best shopping is in Memphis, over 1 hr. away. Same thing for the airport; 1 1/2 hours away. For kids, they do have some rec. programs available. The north part of Jackson is relatively safe but forget downtown and the east side. If you like the amenities you're probably used to in the Tampa area it might not be for you. Personally I miss my family and NJ. I've also lived in Ft Lauderdale, Michigan, and Massachusetts. This is my least favorite place to live. There isn't a whole lot of culture and I miss having a big city and the conveniences close by. Sometimes the grass isn't always greener. We're moving back to NJ ASAP. Hope this helps.