What do Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Jay Z, Elton John, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bruce Springsteen have in common? Besides being musical royalty, they have all performed at the world famous Bonnaroo Music Festival, held annually in Manchester, Tennessee. Who knew a small Southern town could be so in tune with just about every music genre? In 2011, Rolling Stones magazine dubbed Bonnaroo as "the best music festival in the United States." Watch out, world!
The music festival is held on over 500 acres of natural green space
What do Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Jay Z, Elton John, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bruce Springsteen have in common? Besides being musical royalty, they have all performed at the world famous Bonnaroo Music Festival, held annually in Manchester, Tennessee. Who knew a small Southern town could be so in tune with just about every music genre? In 2011, Rolling Stones magazine dubbed Bonnaroo as "the best music festival in the United States." Watch out, world!
The music festival is held on over 500 acres of natural green space. That should give you an idea of the abundance of natural beauty that awaits you in Manchester. The city is located about halfway between Nashville and Chattanooga, off Interstate 24. Manchester is a small town. The namesake is England's industrial city of Manchester. If you don't see a connection to the namesake, you're not alone. Manchester is not an industrial city, although it has an industrial park. With the growth that has occurred over the past few years, the city is progressive. But don't expect big city life there. You'll have to go somewhere else for that.
Manchester offers a reasonable cost of living. The U.S. census data reports the cost of living is lower than the national average. As a result, apartment rental prices are lower than average, even with the growth and development happening there.
As with any market, the sooner you start your apartment search the better. New or old, each neighborhood provides something different. Allow time to check out the ones that interest you.
Unless you're a bad seed, landlords will hand you a standard rental application that requires a credit check, employment and rental history, income information, application fees and a security deposit. The deposit is typically one month's rent.
Manchester is changing with the times in terms of housing. According to the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, new neighborhoods are popping up to meet the needs of those who want rural living with modern conveniences. For example, the Willow Brook Community and Golf course offers country estates and upscale homes. The Heritage Place community is within Manchester city limits, yet it manages to maintain a country feel. Indian Springs is a new development that offers starter homes. There are also well established communities that have single family homes and small apartment buildings. All the bases are covered. You should be able to find apartments or housing for rent in Manchester that ticks all the boxes.
Business and industry are present in Manchester. Businesses in the Manchester Industrial Park employ a significant number of residents. Another big employer is the Arnold Engineering Development Center. This center is the largest and most advanced U.S. aerospace testing facility. This place has over 40 propulsion wind tunnels. If you don't know why wind tunnels are important to developments in the aerospace industry, they you might as well skip the public tours that the center offers.
When you see pictures of Manchester, available on the Chamber of Commerce website, you'll most likely fall for the beautiful scenery and forget about the rural isolation. When you're ready for action, you can check out the following attractions:
The Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park: Here you can learn about historical artifacts. You can also hike or camp in the park.
Beans Creek Winery: This is a local winery that has won local, regional and international competitions.
Jack Daniels Distillery: Yes, whisky is made there. The distillery is located in Lynchburg, TN, about 25 miles from Manchester. Before you ask, whisky tasting tours are not available.
Short Springs Natural Area: Home to beautiful waterfalls and hiking trails.
Don't even go there unless you have a vehicle, or access to one. Vehicles provide the passageway to rural living. Manchester is no exception.
Speaking of rural living, it's not for everyone. But if you want to make a go of it, Manchester is a good place to start. Remember, one week out of the year it's host to one of the biggest music festivals around. That in itself is reason enough to live there. For the other 51 weeks a year, enjoy your apartment rental.
