OT: Moving to Tupelo/Amory

[11thEagleFan]

A friend of mine from the Pacific Northwest has a business opportunity in the Amory area. He has a wife and 2 kids (aged 11 and 13). They are thinking about relocating. What say the Pack about living in the Tupelo and commuting to Amory? How are the schools? Anything he should know about?

 

[T-TownDawgg]

 

[Dawgbite]

I’m from Amory. It’s usually the other way around. People live in Amory and work in Tupelo. Amory schools are still pretty good. Hatley and Smithville are the nearby county schools bordering Amory and they are both good areas if they want acreage , good small schools. Amory just never had the race relation problems that plagued so many small Ms towns post integration. There is also a small Christian academy in Amory. Amory recently went ” Wet” after years of being dry. The county is still dry. The food scene has always been pretty good and is really improving since voting wet. I always said that I could eat lunch at a different place every day for a month and not eat at the same place twice, I think I could.

 

[theoriginalSALTYdog]

Amory is still a decent place to raise kids and start a family. They have "A" rated schools and their athletic facilities are impressive for a town that size. The football field/stadium is second to none and they are in the process of getting all new turf baseball and softball fields. There's not much to do entertainment wise but you're only 30 mins to Tupelo. As DB said there are some good local eateries and they have most of your major fast food places (except a chik fil-a). The tornado from 2023 hit the center and north parts of town pretty hard so there's still some work left to be done in spots in those areas. Amory has lost a lot of its manufacturing base over the last decade so it's basically becoming a commuter town to Tupelo or Columbus for jobs.

Edited to add: If you're an outdoorsman the Tenn-Tom Waterway cuts right through Amory so there's plenty of water sports and fishing available. Plus, there's some great hunting in that Tombigbee River bottom. I've sacked a couple of nice deer in the Tombigbee and Town Creek bottoms. Funny, this thread was started. My Mother in law lives in the Amory area and her next door neighbors moved here from California. They have kin in Tupelo but wanted a rural home. They are retired almond growers. Must've been one hell'uva lucrative business judging from the size of the mansion they have.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

Pacific Northwest to Mississippi. Now that’s quite the transition.

 

[msstatelp1]

They’ll be used to the humidity. Not sure about the heat.

 

[Dawgbite]

The city of Amory was originally the half way point for trains traveling from Memphis to Birmingham. They had a stop over to add water and coal to the steam engines. It’s nothing like it was 25-50 years ago but it’s still a railroad town. The RR tracks cut the town into 1/4-3/4. There is two ways to go under the tracks and a bunch of ways to get caught by a train swapping cars. Interesting footnote. The streets bend about 30 degrees in the middle of town. The two largest landowner/ developers of the original town had two different visions of how the town should be platted. One thought that the streets should run north south, east, and west. The other thought the streets should run parallel and perpendicular to the RR tracks. Thus the whole town bends about 30*.

 

[Drebin]

I’m from Amory. It’s usually the other way around. People live in Amory and work in Tupelo. Amory schools are still pretty good. Hatley and Smithville are the nearby county schools bordering Amory and they are both good areas if they want acreage , good small schools. Amory just never had the race relation problems that plagued so many small Ms towns post integration. There is also a small Christian academy in Amory. Amory recently went ” Wet” after years of being dry. The county is still dry. The food scene has always been pretty good and is really improving since voting wet. I always said that I could eat lunch at a different place every day for a month and not eat at the same place twice, I think I could.

Smithville area is a tornado magnet

 

[Indndawg]

A friend of mine from the Pacific Northwest has a business opportunity in the Amory area. He has a wife and 2 kids (aged 11 and 13). They are thinking about relocating. What say the Pack about living in the Tupelo and commuting to Amory? How are the schools? Anything he should know about?

Amory is a pretty good place to live. Low crime and good schools. Tupelo has good schools but a rising crime rate. Probably a better choice in homes in Tupelo, but i'd live in A-town 10/10 times. https://www.realtor.com/realestatea...3,-88.545723,33.940629,-88.417148,12&qdm=true

 

[615dawg]

The Pickle Barrel closed and reopened. That is awesome.

I'd live in Amory.

 

[Dawgbite]

Smithville area is a tornado magnet

It’s really weird but storms generally travel from the SW to the NE but when they drop off the ridge west of the river bottom that Amory and Smithville lie in, they just funnel up that river bottom until they peel off into north Alabama I’ve lived in this area for most of my 60 years, I’ve witnessed three tornadoes in that time. Two in 2011 and one in 2023. All three followed the exact same path almost.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

A friend of mine from the Pacific Northwest has a business opportunity in the Amory area. He has a wife and 2 kids (aged 11 and 13). They are thinking about relocating. What say the Pack about living in the Tupelo and commuting to Amory? How are the schools? Anything he should know about?

@PooPopsBaldHead is heading back?

 

[Maroon Eagle]

@PooPopsBaldHead is heading back?

He says he’s masochistic but you know he can’t prove it until he lives here… **

 

[11thEagleFan]

He

Pacific Northwest to Mississippi. Now that’s quite the transition.

He’ll fit in just fine, despite being an outsider. He grew up just like we did. Avid outsoorsman, churchgoer, loves a rural lifestyle. Unfortunately, the lifestyle that he grew up with is no longer available to his children due to massive cultural changes in his home state of Oregon. He’s “one of the good ones.”

 

[thatsbaseball]

He

He’ll fit in just fine, despite being an outsider. He grew up just like we did. Avid outsoorsman, churchgoer, loves a rural lifestyle. Unfortunately, the lifestyle that he grew up with is no longer available to his children due to massive cultural changes in his home state of Oregon. He’s “one of the good ones.”

Good for him. I wish him and his family the best.

 

[TimberBeast]

He

He’ll fit in just fine, despite being an outsider. He grew up just like we did. Avid outsoorsman, churchgoer, loves a rural lifestyle. Unfortunately, the lifestyle that he grew up with is no longer available to his children due to massive cultural changes in his home state of Oregon. He’s “one of the good ones.”

Have a co-worker here in MS that just did the same thing from Oregon. He said he couldn't take it anymore and is loving it here so far.

 

[Walkthedawg]

A friend of mine from the Pacific Northwest

I couldn’t imagine being from there and then walking off the plane in Tupelo for the first time in July or August. He may waltz right back on the plane and turn down that opportunity.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

He

He’ll fit in just fine, despite being an outsider. He grew up just like we did. Avid outsoorsman, churchgoer, loves a rural lifestyle. Unfortunately, the lifestyle that he grew up with is no longer available to his children due to massive cultural changes in his home state of Oregon. He’s “one of the good ones.”

What part of Oregon? I'd have several concerns about someone who's spent there life West of the Cascades and moving to the South. First and foremost... They will melt and die.

I have spent 90% of my life all over the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Texas. I went back to Texas in June of 23' and I will never, ever move back to the South. The humidity was unbearable. I will visit from October to March. But I can't handle the summer ever again. My vaginismus likes dry heat now I reckon.

 

[Mobile Bay]

What part of Oregon? I'd have several concerns about someone who's spent there life West of the Cascades and moving to the South. First and foremost... They will melt and die.

I have spent 90% of my life all over the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Texas. I went back to Texas in June of 23' and I will never, ever move back to the South. The humidity was unbearable. I will visit from October to March. But I can't handle the summer ever again. My vaginismus likes dry heat now I reckon.

Dry heat really is easier. Getting off the plane in Abu Simbel it was 114F. Much more bearable than Pensacola this last week.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Is he a small town guy? That’s quite an adjustment if coming from a city or suburbia.

 

[LBTdawg]

I'll chime in --

I (Delta native) have been in Tupelo for 13 years and love it.

We have been extremely satisfied with the Tupelo Public School system (Kids are 10 and 12). Its a huge school district with all kinds of opportunities. If your friend wants to go the private school route, TCPS is also an option.

For housing, I think West Tupelo is the best place to be, although there are a lot of great neighborhoods across the city (and to be fair, some rough ones).

The city has done a great job developing the downtown and there are tons of options for dining and shopping.

I coincidentally lived in Amory for two years prior to moving to Tupelo (before we had kids) and its a great small town. Glad to answer any other questions.

*Edit: My recommendation would be living in Tupelo.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

Good area. Very stormy. Good schools in Monroe County. I'm not sure if I could live there or not. I spent almost 40 years in the area, but now that I've been here for 20 years in central Texas, I'm not sure if I could move.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

It’s really weird but storms generally travel from the SW to the NE but when they drop off the ridge west of the river bottom that Amory and Smithville lie in, they just funnel up that river bottom until they peel off into north Alabama I’ve lived in this area for most of my 60 years, I’ve witnessed three tornadoes in that time. Two in 2011 and one in 2023. All three followed the exact same path almost.

The storms always came through that area; they just hit the ground in 2011 and 2023.

 

[The Peeper]

They’ll be used to the humidity. Not sure about the heat.

They'll be used to the liberals. Not sure about the conservatives.

 

[turkish]

@PooPopsBaldHead is heading back?

The way @Dawgbite described it, I’d be worried about his head fitting under the RR bridges.

 

[ZombieKissinger]

They'll be used to the liberals. Not sure about the conservatives.

For both of these, it depends. My part of the PNW was no humidity and mixed in politics but leaning conservative. Get into north Idaho and you’re going real conservative.

 

[MStateU]

Bills hamburgers.
Freaking cool.

 

[AttalaDawg72]

He

He’ll fit in just fine, despite being an outsider. He grew up just like we did. Avid outsoorsman, churchgoer, loves a rural lifestyle. Unfortunately, the lifestyle that he grew up with is no longer available to his children due to massive cultural changes in his home state of Oregon. He’s “one of the good ones.”

These are the people we need moving here

 

[AttalaDawg72]

I love Tupelo’s downtown. They’ve done a fantastic job developing it. Tupelo is good to me. It’s gotta be one the best cities in the state.

 

[Dawgbite]

Bills hamburgers.
Freaking cool.

Want to start a fight in Amory, declare your allegiance to either Bills or Country Boys and diss the other and it’s on like Donkey Kong.

 

[grinningmule]

What part of Oregon? I'd have several concerns about someone who's spent there life West of the Cascades and moving to the South. First and foremost... They will melt and die.

I have spent 90% of my life all over the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Texas. I went back to Texas in June of 23' and I will never, ever move back to the South. The humidity was unbearable. I will visit from October to March. But I can't handle the summer ever again. My vaginismus likes dry heat now I reckon

 

[L4Dawg]

Either place is fine. The public schools in Amory and Tupelo are good. The county schools in Monroe County, Smithville and Hatley in the north part of the county, are good as well. The county schools in Lee County are a bit more of a mixed bag. It’s a 30-40 minute drive either way depending on where you live, so it’s really more personal preference. From the Pacific Northwest to Mississippi is going to a bit of an adjustment though, especially if he lives in the coastal areas.

 

[Dawgbite]

If he’s working in Amory, I’d live in or around Amory. If he was working in Tupelo it would really depend on what type of lifestyle he’s looking for. School age kids it wouldn’t be a question, Amory.

 

[11thEagleFan]

Is he a small town guy? That’s quite an adjustment if coming from a city or suburbia.

He is a small town guy. However, his wife and kids are used to the trappings of suburban Portland life. But that’s what they’re ready to get away from. Will be an adjustment.

 

[11thEagleFan]

Good info in the thread. We talked for a long while today about their planned move. He will be flying into Jackson next week, taking care of some business there and in Hattiesburg, before driving up to Tupelo and Amory, and then driving to Birmingham. He’s going to get a pretty good tour of our home state.

To be clear, his work will be in Amory, and he was asking me about the towns. I’m a south Mississippi guy, so I decided to come to a good source for info. He is excited about the move, planned for January 2026.

Lastly, this is my buddy who told me one of my favorite things I’ve ever heard. “What’s the difference between a creek and a crick? It’s a creek until your grandpa baptizes you in it.”

 

[OopsICroomedmypants]

The city of Amory was originally the half way point for trains traveling from Memphis to Birmingham. They had a stop over to add water and coal to the steam engines. It’s nothing like it was 25-50 years ago but it’s still a railroad town. The RR tracks cut the town into 1/4-3/4. There is two ways to go under the tracks and a bunch of ways to get caught by a train swapping cars. Interesting footnote. The streets bend about 30 degrees in the middle of town. The two largest landowner/ developers of the original town had two different visions of how the town should be platted. One thought that the streets should run north south, east, and west. The other thought the streets should run parallel and perpendicular to the RR tracks. Thus the whole town bends about 30*.

That must be why I can't find my way around town when I'm there. It seems like the Bermuda Triangle.

 

[OopsICroomedmypants]

A friend of mine from the Pacific Northwest has a business opportunity in the Amory area. He has a wife and 2 kids (aged 11 and 13). They are thinking about relocating. What say the Pack about living in the Tupelo and commuting to Amory? How are the schools? Anything he should know about?

The difference between living in Tupelo and Amory isn't great enough for me to commute to Amory from Tupelo. I'd live in Amory for sure.

 

[BirdPuppy]

I know a couple people making the Tupelo to Amory daily commute. West Tupelo is good as mentioned earlier, but if he could find something a little closer to 45 (Lakeshire, Mt Vernon, Highland Circle), he could be saving 15-20 minutes roundtrip depending on where he’s going in Amory.

Tupelo is a great town that continues to improve—certainly worth the commute.

 

[Ranchdawg]

Either place is great. If they want easy access to big name stores then Tupelo is the place they need to live. There are several Oregon families living in Aberdeen but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[22yardpunt]

Amory is still a decent place to raise kids and start a family. They have "A" rated schools and their athletic facilities are impressive for a town that size. The football field/stadium is second to none and they are in the process of getting all new turf baseball and softball fields. There's not much to do entertainment wise but you're only 30 mins to Tupelo. As DB said there are some good local eateries and they have most of your major fast food places (except a chik fil-a). The tornado from 2023 hit the center and north parts of town pretty hard so there's still some work left to be done in spots in those areas. Amory has lost a lot of its manufacturing base over the last decade so it's basically becoming a commuter town to Tupelo or Columbus for jobs.

Edited to add: If you're an outdoorsman the Tenn-Tom Waterway cuts right through Amory so there's plenty of water sports and fishing available. Plus, there's some great hunting in that Tombigbee River bottom. I've sacked a couple of nice deer in the Tombigbee and Town Creek bottoms. Funny, this thread was started. My Mother in law lives in the Amory area and her next door neighbors moved here from California. They have kin in Tupelo but wanted a rural home. They are retired almond growers. Must've been one hell'uva lucrative business judging from the size of the mansion they have.

“Almond growers” from California, now living in rural Mississippi. Riiiigggghhht.