Cleveland, TN
 

Anybody know anything about this area? Thinking of applying for a job, but know NOTHING about the town. Did do a quick Realtor.com check and found that housing is very reasonable compared to where I currently live (PA). Looking for general info about the area, plus info on schools.
Thanks

I can only tell you that I have driven through the town a number of times on various trips. I was always impressed with the town's neat appearance, its pleasing downtown area, the appearance of its schools (clean and modern), and the kindness of its citizens. I have stopped several times to eat lunch there and have never been disappointed with the way people treated me as I wandered through a few of the shops.

I've been there on week-long business trips. Small town, friendly people, slow drivers, very conservative.

It has a lot of restaurants (from 1 high class expensive place to many others that are moderate to inexpensive in price). There are shopping centers in town, and you can easily drive to Chattanoga for real shopping malls.

It is THE 'Bible-Buckle', so there are a lot of churches and everyone is expected to belong to one of them. It seems a great place to raise a family, but probably not that great for single free-thinkers.

One of my best friends from my 30 something years was a Chicago cop who married and moved to Cleveland after about 10 years on the City of Chicago police force.

He LOVES it, but did detail many times to me in letters his frustration in being the Yankee in the early years. He had a pretty hard time finding a job, his niche. But now, it may be different- this is more than 15 years ago that they moved there, and he was rather a novelty.

He did NOT like that so much of the social life revolved around church groups. This is true. But they (wife/himself) did adopt a boy from China, who now has a Southern drawl. They are so funny- two huge Scandinavians with a very small Chinese son. They LOVE Cleveland and remain there. His stories comparing Chicago mores to Clevelands are hysterical. He greatly favors Cleveland's civic and neighborhoodly mores.

Our daughter and grandgirls live in Cleveland and love it. The girls attend George R Stuart Elementary school.

Yes, lots of churches...you are in the Bible Belt. Mostly super duper nice people.

You will be near enough to Chattanooga for some good shopping and dining. For great shopping and dining, Atlanta is only a couple of hours south and Nashville is a couple of hours to the west.

If you are an outdoorsman, you will love the area. The Ocoee River is nearby for some fine whitewater rafting.

You will also be near Knoxville and can make your way to some great Tennessee football games.

I would live in Cleveland. It's small enough to be personable, but large enough that everyone in town doesn't have to know your business.

Happy job hunting!