The city of West Point has a real link to the blues, with its favorite son, Chester "Howlin' Wolf" Burnett living and performing in the city as he honed his skills. Wolf was one of the most famous Chicago blues artists, and was voted by Rolling Stone magazine in 2004 as the 51st on their list of the Greatest Artists of All Time.
As you might expect, therefore, West Point is found in Clay County, Mississippi, where the blues originated
The city of West Point has a real link to the blues, with its favorite son, Chester "Howlin' Wolf" Burnett living and performing in the city as he honed his skills. Wolf was one of the most famous Chicago blues artists, and was voted by Rolling Stone magazine in 2004 as the 51st on their list of the Greatest Artists of All Time.
As you might expect, therefore, West Point is found in Clay County, Mississippi, where the blues originated. As of the census from 2010, there are 11,307 people living in the city, which is part of the Columbus-West Point Combined Statistical Area. In the northeast of the state, just across the state line with Alabama, West Point is designated as humid subtropical, meaning that summers are usually hot and humid and winters are mild to cool. Anyone who has ever spent any time in the Deep South will be familiar with this sort of weather. Route 25 runs straight through the city from north to south, linking with Interstate 82 less than 10 miles south. Within reachable distance are the towns of Starkville to the southwest, Columbus to the southeast, and Aberdeen to the northeast. Each are commutable for work.
Moving to West Point
OK, so you're thinking of moving to West Point? Great, but first let's make sure you know what to expect. It's important to know what sort of housing is available, how much real estate costs, and just what you need to do to secure a new place to live in the city without working too hard.
Housing Options
Let's consider what type of property is available in the city. Well, first of all you're moving somewhere with a decent proportion of renter occupied property, whether you're looking for one-bedroom apartments or condos for rent, which is music to the ears of rental seekers. To widen that smile of yours, you'll be happy to know that the vacancy rate is a good deal higher than average, so property shouldn't be hard to find. It's best, however, if you're looking for a house rather than an apartment, because these are a lot more common. Apartment rentals are rarer, which is almost invariably the case in smaller, more remote cities far from larger urban areas. So, if you're looking for rental homes with three or more bedrooms, you'll find loads of these in the area.
Touch Ups?
Over 50% of the properties in West Point were built between 1970 and 1999, so you're likely to find that most are in good condition. Older properties always run the risk of a few extra problems, but the chances are high you'll be in for a newer build, particularly if you're looking for an apartment.
Securing Your New Place
You'll need a security deposit to put down when you find a place to rent in West Point. This is crucial, and its size will depend upon how much your rent is. Prices are pretty average for the state, slightly lower than the national average, so don't expect to have to chalk up too much green to secure your new home. You will be subjected to rigorous reference checks, however, and realtors might also dive into your credit history to make sure you're a safe bet. You should be fine, just so long as you don't have any financial skeletons on your closet. And, even if you do, most realtors and landlords will be just fine with a guarantor backing you up.
Neighborhoods in West Point
Before you settle on somewhere to live, it's a good idea to have a look around town to check out the different neighborhoods. This will help you decide where to live. For example, somewhere close to work might be great, or maybe you want to be near to the best schools in the city for your kids. There are four neighborhoods in the city, and overall it's got a walk score of 78, making it pretty darn walkable. So, if you don't have a car, you might not need one, depending on where you're working.
City Center: As you'd expect, most amenities are here in the city center. Restaurants like Anthony's and Huddle House are worth checking out, while you'll also find shops, banks, and so on all within easy reach.
E Main Street / S Eshman Avenue: You'll find a higher concentration of apartments here so it's also pretty good for those looking to rent before they decide to put down substantial roots.
Siloam / Abbott: Huge neighborhood off to the west of the main urban area of West Point. Scattered housing here, mostly larger single-family detached homes, with a few parks, ponds, and rivers littered throughout.
Waverly / Vinton: Another biggie. This neighborhood stretches to the east, and has a few more mobile homes. It's quiet and rural here, but housing is the most expensive on average for the city, largely because you've got larger homes that push up the averages. Columbus Lake down in the southeast.
Living in West Point
West Point is littered with lovely parks, highly walkable streets, and several beautiful historic buildings. Outside of the main city stretch wide prairies and lush landscapes, with the wide lands making the city a great haven for hikers, hunters, fishermen, and generally anyone who has a passion for the outdoors. Through the region you'll find walking trails, fishing lakes, hunting grounds, sport complexes and arenas, and plenty else besides. Head to the city center and you'll find the quintessential downtown, with delicious restaurants like Dot's BBQ and the Twisted Burger Company, as well as great shopping.
Just east of the city you'll find Waverly Plantation Mansion, a National Historic Landmark where you can catch up on your history, and you can't possibly miss out on seeing the Howlin' Wolf Blues Museum. The Prairie Arts Festival is also a great load of fun for the entire community each Labor Day Weekend.
Travel around town can be done on foot, but anyone with aspirations of getting out of the city, for work or pleasure, will need a car. Thankfully, Route 25 cuts straight through the center of town, with Interstate 82 nicely positioned to the south to take you quickly across to the east or west.
