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?