OT: Which city is better to live, Jackson, Memphis or Birmingham.....
- Thread starter Jimbob Cooter
- Start date
From what I've read, Birmingham is improving and has a lot of upside.
I don't have first hand experience with it for anything other than a weekend trip, so I don't know if that's true or just great PR on their part.
Jackson vs. Memphis? Both have crime issues and crap leadership. Jackson has the Rez and is closer to the gulf coast. Memphis has more jobs and entertainment for your daily life though. I give Memphis the edge due to more jobs and stuff to do on the average day.
I don't have first hand experience with it for anything other than a weekend trip, so I don't know if that's true or just great PR on their part.
Jackson vs. Memphis? Both have crime issues and crap leadership. Jackson has the Rez and is closer to the gulf coast. Memphis has more jobs and entertainment for your daily life though. I give Memphis the edge due to more jobs and stuff to do on the average day.
I lived in Birmingham (Hoover) in the past and in Brandon now. That said, the Birmingham area was much much better. Much more progressive, more things to do, more places to eat, easy drive to Atlanta, Nashville and Starkville. I'm not a Jackson hater like Catvet but I stay out of it as much as possible and spend my $$$ in Rankin County when possible.
I've lived in all 3 cities and it's close between Bham and Memphis, but honestly would give the edge to Memphis. Depending on what part of the metro area you live in all 3 cities have nice things to offer or all 3 have shootings to offer as well.
wait until afyer May 7th Mayoral Election in JXN to decide.
if anyone besides Jonathan Lee wins forget Jackson even exists. If you are going to to East on I20 just go a couple of more hours and go to Atlanta.
if anyone besides Jonathan Lee wins forget Jackson even exists. If you are going to to East on I20 just go a couple of more hours and go to Atlanta.
I live in Birmingham currently..the city of Birmingham is a cluster17 aside from the new stadium which will eventually fail due to the high crime rate near it...if you do decide on Birmingham, live anywhere but Jefferson County due to its crap govt...currently the largest municipal bankruptcy in US history due to bad sewer deal and there is talk if implementing a non-user fee for those on septic
These posts are so annoying and way too common here
You're adding nothing. I'm sure he has been offered a position in one of the three cities. Rarely do we get to reside in our dream city and I'm sure this is no exception.
My vote would definitely be for Birmingham at this point. The music scene is picking up and the city located with driving distance of more recreational activities than your other choices. I think all three are pretty good options, though.
You're adding nothing. I'm sure he has been offered a position in one of the three cities. Rarely do we get to reside in our dream city and I'm sure this is no exception.
My vote would definitely be for Birmingham at this point. The music scene is picking up and the city located with driving distance of more recreational activities than your other choices. I think all three are pretty good options, though.
Not a fan of the Coast. Plus I want to be close to Starkville. Figured those are my only options.
If you're looking at the city life, it's hard to really compare the three since Jackson is so much smaller than B'ham or Memphis. But of the three, I think I would take the Birmingham area over the other two choices from a quality of life standpoint. Not Birmingham per se, but the 'burbs. Memphis is probably the same. There's more to do in Memphis I would imagine, with Beale, etc., plus it's considerably larger than Birmingham, but Birmingham is fairly well equipped.
Yes
I think it's the largest alumni base outside Mississippi ... that's what I've heard at any rate. Huntsville/Decatur has about 2,500 and if B'ham has more, then it's pretty large.
I think it's the largest alumni base outside Mississippi ... that's what I've heard at any rate. Huntsville/Decatur has about 2,500 and if B'ham has more, then it's pretty large.
They all have much nicer areas to commute from then living in the city itself. I wouldn't live in any of them listed. Olive Branch and Southhaven would be where to live if you worked in Memphis, Flowood or Madison if you work in Jackson and Hoover or Trussville if you work in Birmingham.
Like I said, that's just based on articles.
I can't speak with direct knowledge. To be fair though, all three cities have awful governments. I think you are SOL in each city in that regard...
I can't speak with direct knowledge. To be fair though, all three cities have awful governments. I think you are SOL in each city in that regard...
There you go. It's all about the 'burb of choice. Trussville is the small town that has outgrown its capacity, Hoover is the high-tax, high-amenity expansionist region, while places like Chelsea, Helena, and Moody offer a variety of pluses and minuses. You can even go closer to downtown for places like Mountain Brook (pricey), or something like Homewood, which has areas that still look like 1960's downtown(I'm currently in love with Saw's BBQ). Barring a few inner city areas, almost all the Birmingham area schools are spectacular, so it has that going for it.
I live in Jackson currently
In the Jackson area, there aren't any other areas in the metro that I would like to live at more than where I'm at in Belhaven. But I'm a guy who enjoys the character, vibrancy, and convenience of a city. Others don't. I've lived in Little Rock proper, Greenville SC proper, and New Orleans metro(Slidell). Greenville is number one and it not close, but Jackson is easily number two. My quality of life is great, but I also work downtown and my wife walks to work, so geographically it works for us. I will say this- In terms of a city of its size, Jackson whoops the stank out of every other similar size city when it comes to restaurants, save Charleston, SC.
In the Jackson area, there aren't any other areas in the metro that I would like to live at more than where I'm at in Belhaven. But I'm a guy who enjoys the character, vibrancy, and convenience of a city. Others don't. I've lived in Little Rock proper, Greenville SC proper, and New Orleans metro(Slidell). Greenville is number one and it not close, but Jackson is easily number two. My quality of life is great, but I also work downtown and my wife walks to work, so geographically it works for us. I will say this- In terms of a city of its size, Jackson whoops the stank out of every other similar size city when it comes to restaurants, save Charleston, SC.
Jackson is unlike the other two in it's level of awfulness. Jackson has absolutely zero tourism, high crime, unsafe downtown, dwindling population, poor tax base, no movie theater, few decent roads, terrible public school system, West Jackson, no entertainment district, no concerts, no entertainment/sports arena, a convention center with a wide open schedule, a zoo that people are afraid to visit, declining airline service, relocating businesses, vacant buildings, and government officials straight out of The Planet of the Apes.
There was a time when there was potential in Jackson, unfortunately no one had any foresight. Now it's too late, sorry.
There was a time when there was potential in Jackson, unfortunately no one had any foresight. Now it's too late, sorry.
I'm looking for comparisons between the 3 metro areas. If it's like any other Southern city, developers will come in sooner or later and revitalize the downtown areas. I'm not asking for how terrible the ghetto is, obviously I'm not going to be living there.
How about Indian Springs Village or around Oak Mountain? Shelby County seems to be the place to be.
That's like asking what's worse: a prostate exam, hemmorhoids or a barium
enema.......All three suck.........
enema.......All three suck.........
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You and Catvet need to throw a party in Gluckstadt.
And btw- Jackson has statistically one of the safest downtowns in the country. And don't act like there isn't redevelopment going on downtown. In ten years, downtown Jackson will be as vibrant as downtown Little Rock currently is. Within 20 years, it'll be thriving. If you don't like central cities, no biggie, but don't promote Jackson as the southern Somalia.
And btw- Jackson has statistically one of the safest downtowns in the country. And don't act like there isn't redevelopment going on downtown. In ten years, downtown Jackson will be as vibrant as downtown Little Rock currently is. Within 20 years, it'll be thriving. If you don't like central cities, no biggie, but don't promote Jackson as the southern Somalia.
I've seen some badly needed renovations to buildings and heard some talk about a Farrish St. project over the last 8 to 10 years. Truth is, we could have made changes when Little Rock did 15years ago. Or we could have allowed casino gambling in the city and built a couple of nice casinos and had some revenue. Shreveport did this, and it's no Vegas or even Biloxi, but it's provides a regional attraction and tax revenue. Jackson needs a demographic makeover to be a viable place to attract commerce and entertainment.
Chokwe? Is that you? If its not then you must be on crack if you think jackson is going anywhere but the *******. Jackson is top 10 most dangerous city per capita. I've had 2 different friends robbed in the belhaven, one at gunpoint. It may not be Somalia but its close.
Jackson may not be there yet, but it has great things ahead...
1) Jonathan Lee has a better shot at winning the Mayoral race than some realize - get out there and vote for him. He's a Mississippi State Grad.
2) Regardless of who is elected, there are several very large construction projects coming soon... That said, refer to (1) for the quickest, non corrupt path to these projects being completed.
1) Jonathan Lee has a better shot at winning the Mayoral race than some realize - get out there and vote for him. He's a Mississippi State Grad.
2) Regardless of who is elected, there are several very large construction projects coming soon... That said, refer to (1) for the quickest, non corrupt path to these projects being completed.
Let's dissect this, shall we?
If I'm on crack, then you must be blind. Jackson ended decades of decline with the King Edward renovation and has been on an uptick ever since. And that's been in spite of its government. If Lee gets elected, which right now looks probable, the city will have progressive pro-development, pro-business government for the first time since the tipping point. And you're also ignoring the trajectory of every other southern city, i.e. not towns, is in a state of revival and development trends as a whole nationally, as we're seeing a massive shift towards the central city.
[/QUOTE]Jackson is top 10 most dangerous city per capita.[/QUOTE]
Used to be. Hasn't cracked the top 10 for at least two years now. And that's misleading in and of itself, as the VAST majority of the crime is concentrated in West and South Jackson, where I doubt anyone on this board is going to move right now anyway.
[/QUOTE]I've had 2 different friends robbed in the belhaven, one at gunpoint. It may not be Somalia but its close.[/QUOTE]
You either obviously don't understand the situation Somalia, or you are resulting in a stupid hyperbole when a poster is trying to get a real answer on a place he may move. And using "hey I know a guy who..." as an argument against a larger issue is stupid too. I've been held at gunpoint twice in my life- never in Jackson. I've had my car broken into 3 times, including catching one in the act- never in Jackson. Could it happen here? Absolutely. Could it happen anywhere else? Absolutely. The "safe" areas of Jackson have far less crime than most people think. My neighborhood is a very pleasant place to live. Fear of the occasional crime isn't deterring us from enjoying it.
So quit with the Jackson hate. You made it obviously clear that you have no idea what you're talking about.
If I'm on crack, then you must be blind. Jackson ended decades of decline with the King Edward renovation and has been on an uptick ever since. And that's been in spite of its government. If Lee gets elected, which right now looks probable, the city will have progressive pro-development, pro-business government for the first time since the tipping point. And you're also ignoring the trajectory of every other southern city, i.e. not towns, is in a state of revival and development trends as a whole nationally, as we're seeing a massive shift towards the central city.
[/QUOTE]Jackson is top 10 most dangerous city per capita.[/QUOTE]
Used to be. Hasn't cracked the top 10 for at least two years now. And that's misleading in and of itself, as the VAST majority of the crime is concentrated in West and South Jackson, where I doubt anyone on this board is going to move right now anyway.
[/QUOTE]I've had 2 different friends robbed in the belhaven, one at gunpoint. It may not be Somalia but its close.[/QUOTE]
You either obviously don't understand the situation Somalia, or you are resulting in a stupid hyperbole when a poster is trying to get a real answer on a place he may move. And using "hey I know a guy who..." as an argument against a larger issue is stupid too. I've been held at gunpoint twice in my life- never in Jackson. I've had my car broken into 3 times, including catching one in the act- never in Jackson. Could it happen here? Absolutely. Could it happen anywhere else? Absolutely. The "safe" areas of Jackson have far less crime than most people think. My neighborhood is a very pleasant place to live. Fear of the occasional crime isn't deterring us from enjoying it.
So quit with the Jackson hate. You made it obviously clear that you have no idea what you're talking about.
Let's do this aGAIN.
There is some truth in what you are saying, but you have completely missed the point. There are many missed opportunities that Jackson could have capitalized on in the past. No one is arguing that, and it is painfully obvious. What we were discussing was the present and the future of Jackson. You said it was "too late," but it is on the upswing, so you are in a pretty tough position to make that argument.
As for development, Mississippi struggles with municipalities that aren't development friendly for urban projects, and the talent pool for developers is pretty shallow in Mississippi. That's a big reason why a lot of the complex projects go flop here, although there's several young guys in town that have strong talent if they choose to stay here, so there's hope for the future of homegrown developers. Until then, Jackson is getting attention from good firms outside of the state.
The main problem with Farish Street is that JRA hasn't selected good developers for the projects. Watkins hasn't had a success that HRI didn't take the lead on, and he was lost when he was handed the project. I know a couple of people looking at it now, and should they decide that they want it, they are fully capable of bringing it to fruition. The announcement of the Capital Lofts project has made Farish Street more viable as well.
There is some truth in what you are saying, but you have completely missed the point. There are many missed opportunities that Jackson could have capitalized on in the past. No one is arguing that, and it is painfully obvious. What we were discussing was the present and the future of Jackson. You said it was "too late," but it is on the upswing, so you are in a pretty tough position to make that argument.
As for development, Mississippi struggles with municipalities that aren't development friendly for urban projects, and the talent pool for developers is pretty shallow in Mississippi. That's a big reason why a lot of the complex projects go flop here, although there's several young guys in town that have strong talent if they choose to stay here, so there's hope for the future of homegrown developers. Until then, Jackson is getting attention from good firms outside of the state.
The main problem with Farish Street is that JRA hasn't selected good developers for the projects. Watkins hasn't had a success that HRI didn't take the lead on, and he was lost when he was handed the project. I know a couple of people looking at it now, and should they decide that they want it, they are fully capable of bringing it to fruition. The announcement of the Capital Lofts project has made Farish Street more viable as well.
Having worked in downtown Jackon for going on 20 years I can report that downtown is not dangerous, if you keep your wits you will be fine. Jackson is doomed due to demographic makeup and poor leadership, Kenny Stokes and his wife getting elected is proof of that.
Firms are leaving downtown at a faster rate than moving in, I know of at least two office buildings in desirable locations that are padlocked shut. Even if the Farrish St. Project develops as envisioned, it will not mean much, people with $ are not going to leave Madison and Rankin Counties in great numbers to spend $ in downtown.
If you decide on Jackson, I would live in Gluckstadt, the New Germantown School is impressive. I love Rankin County but School District leadership has put us seriously behind the eight ball.
20 plus years ago I lived in Sheveport and I would take it over Jackson. From your three choices I would go Birmingham, Memphis then Jackson. If you buy, pick the burb with the best schools, don't just read reports, but talk to people with kids in school. Schools drive property values which drive everything else.
A bigger concern is the state of Mississippi. It is a matter of simple mathematics, if demographic trends continue, the same population who elect Kennuf and LaRita Stokes will influence statewide offices. How much longer until this happens, 20 - 30 years? Considering that issue, it puts Jackson even further behind the others.
Firms are leaving downtown at a faster rate than moving in, I know of at least two office buildings in desirable locations that are padlocked shut. Even if the Farrish St. Project develops as envisioned, it will not mean much, people with $ are not going to leave Madison and Rankin Counties in great numbers to spend $ in downtown.
If you decide on Jackson, I would live in Gluckstadt, the New Germantown School is impressive. I love Rankin County but School District leadership has put us seriously behind the eight ball.
20 plus years ago I lived in Sheveport and I would take it over Jackson. From your three choices I would go Birmingham, Memphis then Jackson. If you buy, pick the burb with the best schools, don't just read reports, but talk to people with kids in school. Schools drive property values which drive everything else.
A bigger concern is the state of Mississippi. It is a matter of simple mathematics, if demographic trends continue, the same population who elect Kennuf and LaRita Stokes will influence statewide offices. How much longer until this happens, 20 - 30 years? Considering that issue, it puts Jackson even further behind the others.
If you don't mind the commute to downtown...go for it...I would however stay away from hwy 280..I lived on hwy 280 for about a year and it would regularly take me 35-45 min to go 7 miles to my office downtown...I live just north of Gardendale and have a 22 mile commute and it rarely takes me more than 25 min to get to my office...
Yeah, while Shelby County is definitely a good locale at the moment, your place of work should play a big part in those two selections. If your job is downtown, those will be a hike, and not a pleasant one if you're trying to get to the office anytime after about 7:30.
I live a few minutes' drive north of Oak Mountain High School, but my office is just south of I-459 on Hwy 280. I can easily get there in 15 minutes, but it's the trek north on 280 from there that's the killer.
If you're in Indian Springs trying to get downtown, you have to go up I-65, which is hardly ever pleasant.
I live a few minutes' drive north of Oak Mountain High School, but my office is just south of I-459 on Hwy 280. I can easily get there in 15 minutes, but it's the trek north on 280 from there that's the killer.
If you're in Indian Springs trying to get downtown, you have to go up I-65, which is hardly ever pleasant.
I've lived in Belhaven and Broadmor (Right across from Boyd elementary). Belhaven is car break in central and anybody who currently lives in Belhaven and is denying it, isn't being honest with themselves. I'm not a Belhaven hater either. It's just unfortunate b/c it's a cool area. The reality is that the young Virden Adition youth terrorize Fondren and Belhaven.
Many would consider Broamor much more dangerous just from demographics. I lived there for 3 years and liked it much more than Belhaven. I'll put it this way. I was probably the youngest white person to move in over there in years. I felt 10x safer in Broadmor and I never saw or heard of a single car getting broken into in 3 years. I don't even want to put a number on how many in Belhaven.
Many would consider Broamor much more dangerous just from demographics. I lived there for 3 years and liked it much more than Belhaven. I'll put it this way. I was probably the youngest white person to move in over there in years. I felt 10x safer in Broadmor and I never saw or heard of a single car getting broken into in 3 years. I don't even want to put a number on how many in Belhaven.
Same story here. Worked in downtown Jackson for over 20 years. Most of those walking 4 blocks between my parking lot and office. Never had a problem, other than panhandlers asking for money maybe a half dozen times a year. The Downtown Jackson Partnership patrols have virtually eliminated that in the least 3-4 years.
As for where to live, Madison is still a much better choice than Gluckstadt. It's much more convenient to everything. The roads are built to handle the traffic (commutes in Gluckstadt are hell). Germantown is a good school, but it's got some of the same issues Ridgeland schools have, to a lesser extent. A good friend of mine lives in the Germantown zone and teaches in the Madison County school system and can send her kids to any school in the district she wants to. Her kids still go to Madison schools. Just to be clear, we're talking about degrees of good here. All 3 are very good schools.
As for where to live, Madison is still a much better choice than Gluckstadt. It's much more convenient to everything. The roads are built to handle the traffic (commutes in Gluckstadt are hell). Germantown is a good school, but it's got some of the same issues Ridgeland schools have, to a lesser extent. A good friend of mine lives in the Germantown zone and teaches in the Madison County school system and can send her kids to any school in the district she wants to. Her kids still go to Madison schools. Just to be clear, we're talking about degrees of good here. All 3 are very good schools.
I would go with Birmingham due to the awesome bass fishing located within a 2 hr radius. Then Jackson would be second due to the Rez being so close. Memphis would be last, no really good lakes close. This helps if you like to fish.
I've only lived in Jackson, but have spent a good bit of time in Birmingham for work. I'm less familiar with Memphis, although like most people from State, I have friends I go see there fairly regulalrly. None of them are going to win any awards for city leadership, but taking suburbs into account, Birmingham seems to be the best. The only reason I wouldn't say it's the hands down winner is you do have things like the sewer debacle where the problems from Birmingham screw over the surrounding areas b/c they've consolidated with the county for some things. Not sure how big of a problem that is, but I'd consider it.
That said, I'd go where your best career options are. Jackson would be my last choice of the three, but unless you are used to living in a nice city, it's still fine. If you live in one of the suburbs, at worst it's as good as living in most any medium size town in Mississippi, but you have the added plus ob being able to drive into Jackson in 15 minutes to expand your choices of restaurants and other stuff to do.
That said, I'd go where your best career options are. Jackson would be my last choice of the three, but unless you are used to living in a nice city, it's still fine. If you live in one of the suburbs, at worst it's as good as living in most any medium size town in Mississippi, but you have the added plus ob being able to drive into Jackson in 15 minutes to expand your choices of restaurants and other stuff to do.