Murfreesboro Neighborhoods and Preschools (Rutherford: apartment complexes, rental, daycare)

[questionnaire]

Hello! My husband, our two boys ages 2 and 4 and I will be moving to Murfreesboro this summer. I am looking for neighborhood recommendations around MTSU (biking distance) as he will be teaching there (and would prefer not to mess with parking.) Hopefully we'll be able to rent a house with a little yard space for the boys to run around, but we are also considering moving into a family friendly apartment complex. Northfield Commons looks nice - how is the general neighborhood? Any other recommendations?

Also, I am looking for a preschool for my 4 year old and have taken a closer look at St. Marks United Methodist Preschool. Is anyone familiar with their program and can share their experience? Again, I would be thankful for other preschool recommendations as well.

Thank you!

[Kim918]

Hi questionnaire,

Welcome to the boro! I can't answer your school questions, because I do not have children in school I can tell you that Northfield Commons is a nice complex. I have been there many times. I have friends that live there and seem to be happy. They are on their second lease there. The apartments are small though. Not sure if they would work with small kids. That would be up to you. As far as safety it's fine. There seems to be a nice mix of families and college students there. It is a well kept complex. There is grocery shopping not far away and a Walmart shopping center a bit further down Rutherford Blvd. All in all a pretty convenent place and close to the college for your husband.

Good Luck with your move. I'm sure some residents with children will be along to answer school questions for you.

[derricktfox]

There is a neighborhood that you should look at that is right down the road from Northfield Commons. I believe it is called East Woods (there is no sign), but is informally known as Gold Valley. The main roads are Gold Valley Drive and Woods Edge Drive if you wanted to map the area. There are usually several rental houses for lease that are listed online at any given time in this subdivision, as it is popular with both students and young families. You may also find a few other suitable properties for families around campus, but selection is limited if your husband is planning on biking to MTSU. The selection should go up tremendously during the summer, but the properties will go quickly due to the amount of students seeking housing. Parking on campus isn't too difficult before 10 in the morning, especially for faculty and staff (depending on the department he will be teaching in), so you may want to expand your search area slightly.

Northfield Commons is a nice complex. I agree with everything that Kim918 pointed out. Many of the apartment complexes around MTSU are student oriented, but you should find several that meet your criteria. Northfield Commons, Dana Downs, and Colony House Apartments are all within biking distance and would be suited for a family and less student oriented.

I dont know anything about preschools, but I know that the John Pittard Elementary is a very good school, as is the Discovery School at Reeves Rogers. Both are within a few miles of the area you are looking in and you should be able to find several quality daycare facilities as well. I know that there are a few on Rutherford Blvd. near Northfield Commons.

Murfreesboro is a great city, especially for young families. I hope you will love the area as much as I do!