Why Hopkinsville is the Best Town in Kentucky

Growing up, I wanted to leave Hopkinsville. DREAMED of it might be more accurate. Boy, I sure am glad I didn't!!! There seemed to be nothing to do, nothing to care about, just....nothing. I was more wrong than I realized.

Hopkinsville has grown a lot over the past few years, and yet it still remains a "small town". There are approximately 37,000 people in the city limits, but there are a few thousand more in the surrounding county. It is small enough that everyone knows half the town, but large enough that you won't likely know all of it. It has a "small town" mentality but is still fairly close to larger cities.

In Hopkinsville, the cost of living is lower than many parts of the country. $160,000 can get you a large 4 bedroom 2 bath home, and in some smaller but still nice parts of town, you can get it for around $109,000. Gas is usually cheaper than surrounding areas. Milk is $2. Dinner out can be as low as $30 in a decent restaurant for 5.

Hopkinsville also has summer baseball. Most kids in town have played baseball at some point, especially boys. There is soccer, football, and basketball available for kids throughout the year. Adults can play softball. The ball parks are growing yearly.

We also have the YMCA with a HUGE outdoor pool, gym, and basketball court. Soon there will also be a water park, opening this summer. The fair comes once a year and has not only rides, but some of the best food you have ever had! A smaller mini-fair comes and sets up in the mall parking lot several times a year, and there is a craft fair downtown each year. Kids can trick or treat at the downtown businesses in the fall, or in the neighborhoods. There is also the reading of the Bell Witch story by the town historian. In the winter, we have the Christmas parade and the tree lighting.

We have a museum, a theater where plays and musicals are performed, as well as the high school choir programs. A theater for movies, with 5 screens and another larger one is being built. We have several restaurants, chains and locally owned, including a pizza parlor that has several games, tv's and a partial pirate ship inside for kids to play on. We have several parks for children to play in, as well as the Trail of Tears park, which gives homage to the Native Americans who came through here.

Although we have shopping here, several places where most anything can be found, if you desire MORE, you can travel 20 minutes to nearby Clarksville, Tennessee where there is even MORE shopping and restaurants. You can travel another direction 30 to 45 minutes and be at the lake where you can go boating or swimming, or visit Land Between the Lakes where you can drive through and see bison or visit a 1800's homestead. Between Hopkinsville and the lake is a smaller town called Cadiz where there are antique stores to visit, as well as the yearly "ham" festival. About an hour away, is famous Nashville, Tennessee where you can find anything in the world to do. Once all your shopping and eating are done you can come back home to a peaceful place where your kids can play in the back yard and you can sleep in peace.

While Hopkinsville is constantly growing and changing, the small town feel remains the same. It is a pleasant place to live, and it is close to anything you want to do. That's why I will never leave.