Born and raised in Mississippi, but my best friend lives outside Nashville and I've visited many many times. The city itself is congested, home to Vanderbilt, and growing more liberal, but still one of the cleaner big cities I've seen. Get out to the rural areas around Nashville there in middle Tennessee and there's some gorgeous country and a lot of good people. I'd also have to say, though, that I've gotten the impression that middle TN has more than its fair share of the older, totally illogical people who believe in every conservative issue right down the line, yet vote Democrat. Those people are everywhere, of course, but I seem to have bumped into more of 'em up there. Note that this could simply be my experience and not representative of the whole, though. My bud is very conservative and seems quite happy up there.
Knoxville is also beautiful beautiful country and I've heard it's more conservative than Nashville. Memphis is the armpit of the South as far as I'm concerned.
Mississippi is of course solidly conservative, but each summer I threaten a little more seriously to leave the South and escape the weather. The older I get, the harder it is for me to cope with the humidity. Got my eye on Montana, Wyoming, North Idaho, etc. I want a cooler, dryer climate, not many people, and BREATHTAKINGLY SPECTACULAR MOUNTAIN SCENERY. In a RED state, of course.
MM
Thank you to everyone who is helping with suggestions on our relocation. I've been spending my day checking out these suggestions. I love Texas, but my wife has ruled it out because she does not want to be in proximity of the mexican border given our governments lack of security.
We have looked at Kentucky and we like the area, but it would be our second choice. We are leaning towards Franklin, TN in Williamson county. It is just south of Nashville and went nearly 2-1 Red.
So if anyone has any experience with Franklin or Williamson County, please let me know. Good or expecially the bad. Thanks again to everyone and any additional comments are welcome. Thanks
Dan
Me too. The wife isn't yet ready for it, and it depends on their homeschool laws. But me, too. Sandpoint, Idaho, looked really good 2 years ago...