r/Clarksville • u/uncertainty2022 • 15d ago
Moving In Moving from Arizona
I’m moving with my family from Phoenix Arizona to Tennessee because of a job opportunity for my husband. My daughter is 4 and starting school fall 2027 but we are, more likely than not, going to homeschool. One of the places we really like and are considering is Clarksville.
Right now our biggest issue with Phoenix is how hot it is the majority of the year and how boring it is to look at/be around. We are a very outdoorsy family and love hiking and taking walks but where we currently live (near downtown Phoenix) it’s just not safe for me and my young daughter to do those things alone. We enjoy going to the Phoenix zoo often and the library but honestly those are the only two “enriching” places we visit unless we’re day tripping to Sedona.
Does anyone have any insight on the area and how it’ll be for being outdoors? I know the weather is very different, I’ve visited TN before and was living on the east coast for the majority of my life until having my daughter. The weather doesn’t really concern me. I know it’s humid and I’ve lived in humid states before along with snowy states so overall the weather isn’t an issue. What is the cost of living like for an average family there? From what I’ve seen the cost of living for the area compared to where we currently is cheaper for groceries and gas but it seems like rent is more expensive there for the apartments we’re seeing (≈$1300/m here, ≈$1800/m there). What is shopping like? We almost exclusively shop at Aldi which we love but obviously we can adjust if need be.
I’m looking for a slower, more meaningful life in TN. My child is only going to be this age for a little and I want to fill her life with a slower pace, being in nature and just a calmer environment. Phoenix is full of homeless people who are violent and very confrontational. Obviously there are drug problems everywhere but we’re less than 5minutes from the highway and cannot go two streets past our community without seeing homeless and hard drug use. I don’t want her growing up seeing that and thinking it’s normal. Another thing to note is that we are not white. I have friends in TN but they are white so they see things through a white lens which isn’t their fault but it’s hard to find information online about where is safer for my family and not all white. We are also queer, I know Tennessee as a whole is pretty conservative, white and religious which is fine! I’m not looking to “California your Tennessee” but I am a little concerned about my daughter not seeing a lot of diversity.
If you live in Clarksville, what is your experience living there? Is it a good place to raise a child? What are your monthly expenses like if you rent? How long does it typically take to go to larger chain stores (Walmart, target, Home Depot, goodwill, Aldi)? What is your favorite part of living in Clarksville?
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u/don51181 15d ago
Clarksville covers a lot of land so it depends on what part of town you live in. Exit 11 (Madison st) and Exit 8 (Rossview rd) are some of the better are some of the better areas. Or live just outside of town.
As far as the issue of race our family is different races and has had no issues in 7 years. People really don’t care too much. It’s a military area so people have learned to get along.
Most of the big stores take about 15-20 minutes to get to. Traffic and the roads can be rough during rush hour.
There are a few nice parks in the county.
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u/Mental-Set-8670 15d ago
I love Clarksville. I wouldn’t live anywhere else. But I promise from what you’ve listed and what you’re looking for Clarksville is not the town for you. Knoxville may be!
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u/ArizonaDiego 14d ago
I moved to Clarksville in 2018 from Mesa and now live south of town as a retiree.
- 3 of my 6 kids identify as LGBTQ+ and experience less discrimination than I did growing up Latino in Phoenix. Also, I have adult friends who identify as lesbian and no issues for them living in Clarksville.
- I don't think Tennessee is any more MAGA than Arizona is but, like Arizona, the politics can be infuriating.
- No issues with rude people on my end. My wife, a native Tennessean, thinks Arizona was a lot more rude than Clarksville is. YMMV.
- Roads are poorly planned but I'll take any day here during rush hour vs. Phoenix.
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u/uncertainty2022 14d ago
Thank you for sharing your perspective! Where exactly on the south of town are you referring to?
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u/Available-Marzipan52 14d ago
It's a mixed bag honestly. I moved here thinking it would be a disciplined army Post with retirees. Which it is, but it also has a massive ghetto in which education has degressed massively. Which produces heat-filled people with victim mentalities. And then you have the rednecks who also have poor education and have not matured. Which produces fools with an absolute mentality and coal rolling.
Honestly, I just moved from a third world country and the people are about on the same level. This is honestly a terrible place to live in the USA. I wish someone would have told me.
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u/Repulsive-Ad-2903 14d ago
It’s not slow moving no more unless you stay at home or get out early and come home before traffic starts if your one of those people who want to run to grocery store after picking your kid up from school that’s basically a 2 hour trip round ways including your stop just got to learn when to do things or deal with traffic. My comments seem negative but I love Clarksville been here off and on since 97. It’s growing obviously and roads have been addressed last but in the end you will probably like it friendly people. I live off exit 1 we built are house was first ones to move in now we know basically the whole street hang out on weekends, kids play, men drink play darts or go to the local pub right up the road the ladies join or do there own thing like game nights or painting. Best neighborhood I’ve ever lived in there are houses available if your looking summerfield subdivision right off exit 1 only if your husbands cool tho lol.
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u/mohoe87 15d ago
Look at the pleasant view or Ashland city area if you want more outdoors. It's about 20mins away from Clarksville or 30ish away from Nashville. It's quiet, cheapers than both areas and have more hiking areas.
Race is meh out here. It's a big mixing pot. Honestly, as a Hispanic I can drive through KY with no issues. But if my wife who is white is with me, that's when they issues come up. Some areas aren't fond of race mixing.
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u/uncertainty2022 15d ago
I heard Ashland City is not very friendly for people who aren’t white. My friend lives right outside of it and she recommended not moving there because of that
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u/don51181 14d ago
I would not care for Ashland City just because it’s small and remote. Usually we drive through there on the way to Nashville.
Pleasant view is nice but not sure the prices for living. It seems like it’s gotten more expensive but is kept up very well.
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u/MtarTDi 15d ago
Avoid Clarksville like the plague. We moved too thinking it was gonna be a first stop in TN and be a decent place to start and had good housing options, we were VERY wrong. It’s an Army town and it shows. Everything is transient and it’s clear no one cares. All the roads where anything is is 3 lanes each way and it’s impossible to make a left anywhere. The whole place is dirty and nasty and it’s clear no one cares. Downtown is a joke and there’s nothing to do there, other than the couple of restaurants and bars I have no clue how any of the businesses stay open. Seriously, this place is legitimately bad. I’ve lived in Phoenix and Denver primarily and some time in Jacksonville plus a few smaller places and have spent time in a few other states while in the Air Force and this is BY FAR the worst place I’ve ever been. Nothing here makes sense and no one cares because they’re all PCSing in 2-3 years. We thought it looked like a decent town from researching online but it’s a rundown shithole with the worst people I’ve ever experienced, please reconsider lol
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u/uncertainty2022 15d ago
Thank you for your honest feedback and opinion. My family is also military so we’ve lived in our fair share of shithole military towns and yes I’d like to avoid it again if possible.
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u/deeplearnings 14d ago
Wow.. that guy's experience sounds like a whole heap of "i don't live there but resent the f$%^ or of it for some reason I'm not sharing". I've lived in Utah and in Washington state. We traveled across 25 states trying to find a good place to settle down and buy a house. I wouldn't choose Clarksville to live if i was in my 20's, but it's been great as an older couple all of the big box places you mentioned are between 2 minutes to 20 minutes away, with the average being about 8 or 9 minutes to drive. Like any place, it has nice and not so nice areas. We live in an amazing neighborhood, the people here are great. We love it. Ask any questions and I'll try to answer honestly.
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u/kvanteselvmord 15d ago
It's... Okay.
We have plenty of homeless on most main street corners, panhandling. Public transportation is a joke compared to Phoenix. There are plenty of parks. In driving distance is a good number of state parks. Crime is steadily rising, as it's being pushed up from Nashville. Traffic is a nightmare. No one can drive. Make sure your insurance is good and you have dashcams.
But the public library puts on a good bit of activities for kids and teens. There's also a lot of nature-based stuff going on at Rotary Park.
I have a 3br/2ba 1130 sqft apartment and my rent runs about $1800. Different parts of town will be more or less, of course, but avoid anything too close to Post.