Starkville Residents
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Where are you moving from ?
I like Starkville because of the college and everything that goes with it. Obviously the sports, but there are speakers and events happening more than other small towns.
The downtown scene and cotton district will eventually merge, and create a cool strip headed all the way to campus. Lots of development right now.
Lots of kids live down South Montgomery and there are several nice neighborhoods (Sherwood, Timbercove, Greenbriar, Country Club Estates etc). They are also building some larger new developments like Adelade and Arcadiana.
I don't have kids so not exactly sure about youth organizations.
I like Starkville because of the college and everything that goes with it. Obviously the sports, but there are speakers and events happening more than other small towns.
The downtown scene and cotton district will eventually merge, and create a cool strip headed all the way to campus. Lots of development right now.
Lots of kids live down South Montgomery and there are several nice neighborhoods (Sherwood, Timbercove, Greenbriar, Country Club Estates etc). They are also building some larger new developments like Adelade and Arcadiana.
I don't have kids so not exactly sure about youth organizations.
I'll probably get roasted for some, if not all, of my dislikes but it is what it is. I moved to Starkville 9 years after graduating from MSU and have now been here 10 years. My main dislike is, to me, the town is starting to lose its small town feel. I know a lot of people call that progress, but it seems everywhere you turn around someone is building condos and townhouses. I also think the city leadership didn't do a very good job of anticipating growth in the city and our road infrastructure is now not adequately capable of allowing for a decent traffic flow. No, it's not big city gridlock, but there has been more than one occasion when traffic on 12 is stopped at a redlight and the backlog of traffic extends back past the traffic light intersection behind it so traffic is backed up between a 1/4 and half mile just due to traffic lights. And that BS they did on 12 that was supposed to help that did nothing but 17 up things even more. Now, when you finally get to where you want to go you can't turn in because of that damn concrete divider so you have to drive down well past things and if you have a vehicle small enough, make a Uturn. If you have a four door dodge ram 2500 with the turning radius of an aircraft carrier, that means you turn down the side road and then cut tthrough the parking lot of whatever business is at the intersection and come back out on 12 facing the direction you want to travel to get back to the store you drove right past 5 minutes ago.
What I do like are the people. While Starkville may be losing the feel of a small town, the citizenry still have that small town MS charm and manners. People still hold the door for you at the convenience store if they see you coming. I think we still look out for each other. There is still that sense of community.
Like someone else said, a housing budget of 300-450 will get you in 99.999% of Starkville subdivisions so you should be able to find the pick of what you want. My kids are 8 and 10 and haven't really forayed into city sports yet, but I know the sports plex runs mutltiple sports leagues for kids including soccer, basketball, baseball, and flag football.
What I do like are the people. While Starkville may be losing the feel of a small town, the citizenry still have that small town MS charm and manners. People still hold the door for you at the convenience store if they see you coming. I think we still look out for each other. There is still that sense of community.
Like someone else said, a housing budget of 300-450 will get you in 99.999% of Starkville subdivisions so you should be able to find the pick of what you want. My kids are 8 and 10 and haven't really forayed into city sports yet, but I know the sports plex runs mutltiple sports leagues for kids including soccer, basketball, baseball, and flag football.
https://p.flexmls.com/my_portal12/p... Eq 'A','B','C','D' And MlsStatus Eq 'Active'
This is the site i used a lot before moving back to Starkville
This is the site i used a lot before moving back to Starkville
Thanks for all the input. We are early 30s and have 2 young boys. We have been season ticket holders for 10 years, so MSU sports will be a big draw for us. I was more interested in the areas and everyone seems to agree on South Montgomery and that's where ive been looking. Like hugh mentioned, i love the small town feel and know it would be leaps and bounds better than where we would be coming from. Im really curious about the schools and activities and recreation for kids. The restaurant scene is always good and i love going out for good dinner and a drink. Once again I appreciate the feedback. Unfortunately, my name is not Tim and i do not coach college baseball haha
I love living in Starkville. The biggest thing for me is the people. Very hospitable environment and it’s easy to find friends for everyone. I’ve actually made more friends since I graduated and got married than I did in my four years plus grad school of being a student.
The convenience of living 10-15 minutes from campus is fantastic, whether that be for a sporting event or just for going on a walk around campus with your wife, kids, dog, etc. We aren’t big drinkers so we don’t venture over to the Cotton District often, but the local restaurant scene is very good in my opinion.
Wasn’t sure how I would feel about it once I graduated, but I like living here even more now that I’m an alum.
The convenience of living 10-15 minutes from campus is fantastic, whether that be for a sporting event or just for going on a walk around campus with your wife, kids, dog, etc. We aren’t big drinkers so we don’t venture over to the Cotton District often, but the local restaurant scene is very good in my opinion.
Wasn’t sure how I would feel about it once I graduated, but I like living here even more now that I’m an alum.
Been here two years moved from Mobile where I was for 15 years. No kids so I'll just give you my impressions to be taken with a grain of salt.
South Montgomery for neighborhoods. I bought on the south end of South Montgomery last year and my property value has already increased quite a bit. The new road through South Farm connecting campus to Poor House Rd has been a revelation. Country Club Estates seems to fit right in your budget and the lots of kids requirement. And there are two new neighborhoods being built right now.
The parks dept in Starkville seems to be really good. I have been to a tournament to see family play there. Seems like all the coaches kids are in leagues judging by twitter.
I love being able to attend sports year round with out the road trips I used to have to take. Have season tickets to football, both m & w basketball, baseball. That keeps me very busy for 9 months of the year and I kind of welcome the summer break.
Food scene is good and getting better but some of it can be difficult to get to (cotton district). Also, if you do want a "night out" that includes a later night than just dinner your options for adult atmosphere are limited. (this probably applies more to singles than married with kids)
There is no shopping. (I know, can't recruit without a mall.) Honestly I hate malls so that's not it either. All shops are pretty much centered around college students (totally understandable) but if u have lived somewhere where you could just pop down to the stores a couple miles away if you are bored or decide you want a new something for your house or wardrobe and then you can't it is a very large adjustment. There is no such thing as immediate gratification of those urges. Columbus doesn't cut it either. Not really any help there. Have to go Tupelo or Tuscaloosa. Free shipping is my friend.
The people are great and I love being around Maroon faithful year round. Especially having come from Bama/Auburn area.
South Montgomery for neighborhoods. I bought on the south end of South Montgomery last year and my property value has already increased quite a bit. The new road through South Farm connecting campus to Poor House Rd has been a revelation. Country Club Estates seems to fit right in your budget and the lots of kids requirement. And there are two new neighborhoods being built right now.
The parks dept in Starkville seems to be really good. I have been to a tournament to see family play there. Seems like all the coaches kids are in leagues judging by twitter.
I love being able to attend sports year round with out the road trips I used to have to take. Have season tickets to football, both m & w basketball, baseball. That keeps me very busy for 9 months of the year and I kind of welcome the summer break.
Food scene is good and getting better but some of it can be difficult to get to (cotton district). Also, if you do want a "night out" that includes a later night than just dinner your options for adult atmosphere are limited. (this probably applies more to singles than married with kids)
There is no shopping. (I know, can't recruit without a mall.) Honestly I hate malls so that's not it either. All shops are pretty much centered around college students (totally understandable) but if u have lived somewhere where you could just pop down to the stores a couple miles away if you are bored or decide you want a new something for your house or wardrobe and then you can't it is a very large adjustment. There is no such thing as immediate gratification of those urges. Columbus doesn't cut it either. Not really any help there. Have to go Tupelo or Tuscaloosa. Free shipping is my friend.
The people are great and I love being around Maroon faithful year round. Especially having come from Bama/Auburn area.
PRO TIP: If you have daycare aged kids, you need to start putting down deposits for daycares. The churches down town are just about your only bet. Spots are hard to come by. If you are not a member, you may be on the list for 6 months to a year. If your wife stays at home...null and void.
You must be from the Delta.
You must be from the Delta.
Honestly, the school situation sucks. The public schools have a huge demographic problem with nearly 80% on assistance programs and mediocre ratings overall. The Academy should be strictly a college prep curriculum, they've made great strides but are not there yet.
Get ready when you move, because there are all kinds of people in Starkville who think they know best for your kids and will not hesitate to let you know. I've never seen anything like it.
Edit to add: overall we love living in Starkville. Moved back around 2012.
Get ready when you move, because there are all kinds of people in Starkville who think they know best for your kids and will not hesitate to let you know. I've never seen anything like it.
Edit to add: overall we love living in Starkville. Moved back around 2012.
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I disagree, but I don't want to turn this into a public/private pissing match
There are great people at both schools, and kids at Starkville High are on track to earn at least a semesters worth of college credit at graduation.
Starkville is turning into what some people see as a "real college town". That will bring more traffic etc, and more options for entertainment, the bad with the good. University Drive/Main St, with 25-30k students (in a few years) is going to be busy, no matter what. Also a lot of fun.
i live within walking distance of downtown and I like that. It will be good for my property value. In general, I'd say the real estate market is steady where I live and moving in the right direction.
I like going to Columbus as well, and hope to god the AF base never closes. Someone mentioned shopping, and I guess there's more of that over there too. Definitely great restaurants.
The Golden Triangle manufacturing component is going to have an impact on growth, some would say for the better. It's definitely going to bring more of the 80% on assistance closer to the middle class.
There are great people at both schools, and kids at Starkville High are on track to earn at least a semesters worth of college credit at graduation.
Starkville is turning into what some people see as a "real college town". That will bring more traffic etc, and more options for entertainment, the bad with the good. University Drive/Main St, with 25-30k students (in a few years) is going to be busy, no matter what. Also a lot of fun.
i live within walking distance of downtown and I like that. It will be good for my property value. In general, I'd say the real estate market is steady where I live and moving in the right direction.
I like going to Columbus as well, and hope to god the AF base never closes. Someone mentioned shopping, and I guess there's more of that over there too. Definitely great restaurants.
The Golden Triangle manufacturing component is going to have an impact on growth, some would say for the better. It's definitely going to bring more of the 80% on assistance closer to the middle class.
Actually the public schools are some of the best in the state graduating some of the state's top talent. All of my children graduated from Starkville High School within the last 7 years, and I have one there now. The opportunities for advanced coursework, the arts, sports, etc. are far superior to the local private segregation academies. Look deeply into "the ratings" that the other poster mentioned, and you will see that they are pretty irrelevant to the education that your children will receive. They are a reflection of the poverty that permeates this entire state. All 4 of my children attended Starkville public schools without incident and loved it.
Other likes: you will not be in the backward thinking ignorant redneck hell that makes up 95% of the state. Pretty much anything you can access anywhere in Mississippi is available in Starkville, real food, cultural events, nightlife, sports, smart friends who challenge your thinking.
Dislikes: I second the traffic/infrastructure comment above.
The backward thinking ignorant redneck crowd in Starkville mostly got degrees and dressed up their fear in polos and khakis and are much harder to spot, but they are here and have a big influence.
Other likes: you will not be in the backward thinking ignorant redneck hell that makes up 95% of the state. Pretty much anything you can access anywhere in Mississippi is available in Starkville, real food, cultural events, nightlife, sports, smart friends who challenge your thinking.
Dislikes: I second the traffic/infrastructure comment above.
The backward thinking ignorant redneck crowd in Starkville mostly got degrees and dressed up their fear in polos and khakis and are much harder to spot, but they are here and have a big influence.
My wife and I have been back for about two years now and we have two small kids. We like living here but as others have mentioned, there are some drawbacks. Shopping is basically Wal-Mart and you have to go to Tupelo at a minimum for anything else decent. I would kill for a Target and somewhere decent to buy men’s clothes that isn’t geared towards either douchey college kids or camo-wearing folks (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
The other thing that has been disappointing is that there actually doesn’t seem to be much to do for kids other than organized sports. Which is great if your kids like sports but if they don’t or if they’re too young for sports (like my kids) it’s tough to find ways to keep them occupied.
On the plus side, the food options are terrific. Tyler, Two Brothers, Veranda are all top notch. There’s even pretty good Indian food, which I’m a big fan of.
Oh, and whoever said about getting your kids on daycare lists (if you need that kind of thing) was spot on. The waiting lists are ridiculous.
The other thing that has been disappointing is that there actually doesn’t seem to be much to do for kids other than organized sports. Which is great if your kids like sports but if they don’t or if they’re too young for sports (like my kids) it’s tough to find ways to keep them occupied.
On the plus side, the food options are terrific. Tyler, Two Brothers, Veranda are all top notch. There’s even pretty good Indian food, which I’m a big fan of.
Oh, and whoever said about getting your kids on daycare lists (if you need that kind of thing) was spot on. The waiting lists are ridiculous.
Most of the pros and cons have been covered here, but I’ll add my $.02.
The best part is that there is always something going on. A lot of it is sports at State, and not just the Big 3/4. Volleyball, Soccer, Softball and to some extent tennis are all fun to go to- particularly with kids. If you’re into theatre at all the SCT has 4 shows a year plus some other events, and of course on campus they have stuff every semester too.
I grew up in a Delta town of comparable size, and there was just never anything going on. Night and day difference.
While I’m on the subject of fun things to do, it feels like a fine time to mention that my wife needs to sell some tickets to the JA Kentucky Derby party at the country club May 5. Plenty of booze, music, a charity silent auction-it’s a good time. Plus it’s the organization’s main fundraiser and they really do a lot for the children of Oktibbeha County. PM me if you need some.
As for cons, it sounds petty but it gets crowded. Particularly big ballgame weekends (obviously) and the month of August.
The best part is that there is always something going on. A lot of it is sports at State, and not just the Big 3/4. Volleyball, Soccer, Softball and to some extent tennis are all fun to go to- particularly with kids. If you’re into theatre at all the SCT has 4 shows a year plus some other events, and of course on campus they have stuff every semester too.
I grew up in a Delta town of comparable size, and there was just never anything going on. Night and day difference.
While I’m on the subject of fun things to do, it feels like a fine time to mention that my wife needs to sell some tickets to the JA Kentucky Derby party at the country club May 5. Plenty of booze, music, a charity silent auction-it’s a good time. Plus it’s the organization’s main fundraiser and they really do a lot for the children of Oktibbeha County. PM me if you need some.
As for cons, it sounds petty but it gets crowded. Particularly big ballgame weekends (obviously) and the month of August.
Bring it on down to Ackerman (30 mins away). Great community, school, youth and children’s activities. I grew up here. My wife is from Nashville (culture-shock) and she loves the close-knit, personable feel. She and I both work in Starkville but it’s only a 30 min commute; Which in Nash, everything was at least 30 mins away. Our boys really really love it here. Great sports with quality coaches. Oh yea....if u enjoy Fine-Dining, Pap’s Place is open Thurs, Fri, and Sat nights.
i still remember the great Pap's Place commercials. so funny. old guy in the background with BBQ sauce all over his face, a dancing catfish, and all the fixin's anyone can handle. i loved that place until about 2 hours after. WOAH! WHAT A BOMB IT DELIVERS!!
Sorry, patdog. This is bad advice. Columbus on it's own has serious issues that would make you question living there, not even going through the trouble to compare to Starkville. The mayor in Columbus is nearly like a dictator, trying to control EVERY aspect of city business. Not to mention Columbus is not exactly the safest place to live. It's weekly that reports of a shooting happens in the city and I don't want to speculate on a false murder rate, but I will say it's alarming how much shooting deaths in Columbus come up in the headlines.
Lastly, people complain about how bad Hwy 12 is here in Starkville - well go hang out on Hwy 45 in Columbus one afternoon and see if you think 12 can hold a candle to that cluster.
Shameless Derby party plug!
A good example of "always something to do" is that the Budweiser Clydesdales are making beer deliveries tonight in the Cotton District, and they are having a little tasting downtown. Should be a fun event. The wife and I are meeting some friends down there to check it out.
Thanks for proving my point for me...... We have experienced both, and I assure you that just because your kids are great doesn't mean you can ignore the rankings of Starkville Public Schools. The very same people who cry segregation when the Academy is mentioned will be the first ones to tell you that SPS is great because their kids are segregated from the general population in the AP track at SPS.
The Academy is not perfect, but is a MUCH better environment for my kids and provides a MUCH better education especially in the lower grades before AP track starts. My kids were significantly behind when we moved them to SA.
Where you send your kids to school is none of my business and where I send mine is none of yours. That is the main point that the public school crowd misses. There is no need to be militant in your approach when people move to town or choose private. Different families have different views on what is best for their children, which is why I encourage the OP to visit all schools and make their own decision.
The Academy is not perfect, but is a MUCH better environment for my kids and provides a MUCH better education especially in the lower grades before AP track starts. My kids were significantly behind when we moved them to SA.
Where you send your kids to school is none of my business and where I send mine is none of yours. That is the main point that the public school crowd misses. There is no need to be militant in your approach when people move to town or choose private. Different families have different views on what is best for their children, which is why I encourage the OP to visit all schools and make their own decision.
I'm sure plenty of kids do great coming out of Starkville High, but it's not even in the top 50 high schools in the state according to MDE. And Starkville's demographics aren't bad for the state. Seems like the high school is way underperforming for the community it's in.
I don't really have a dog in this fight other than my tax contributions but to your point, Starkville demographics aren't the only ones to consider. Starkville High is the only public high school for the entire county now. I would say that it will take a few years to find out how all this will pan out. But as it was at the small rural elementary and high school I went to in AL, (I graduated with <65 students) which at the time had no AP courses and no special tract for advanced students, it seems most often to be a case of you get out what you put in. Effort to achieve in education is rewarded. I took the best classes I could take and made the best grades I could and joined extra-carricular clubs and sports and I got scholarships.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starkville_Oktibbeha_Consolidated_School_District
My wife and I just moved back within the last month. We looked pretty heavily down Montgomery, but a big turnoff is that you're bottled up from the highways. As others have mentioned, you will need to commute to other towns if you want to go shopping. We ended up finding a house on the outskirts of town with easy access to the highways (we can get around town or outside of town in no time at all).
I like that there is quite a bit to do between events and sports. My biggest dislike is the Hwy 12 corridor. Too much is packed along that strip. Starkville could really benefit by developing areas such as Hwy 182. I'll be glad to share more conversation through a PM.
Also, housing might be more expensive, but I'd keep your sights on Starkville over the surrounding areas. That's my opinion
Hit up Nugdawg for help with a loan. He was a big help for me in buying a home here
I like that there is quite a bit to do between events and sports. My biggest dislike is the Hwy 12 corridor. Too much is packed along that strip. Starkville could really benefit by developing areas such as Hwy 182. I'll be glad to share more conversation through a PM.
Also, housing might be more expensive, but I'd keep your sights on Starkville over the surrounding areas. That's my opinion
Hit up Nugdawg for help with a loan. He was a big help for me in buying a home here