Exploring Issues With Personal Safety in Tennessee
Your safety is one of many essential considerations before moving to Tennessee. So, let’s explore this question: why is Tennessee so dangerous? First, I will address the question head-on.
Why Is Tennessee So Dangerous?
Tennessee is dangerous because of its high violent crime rate, natural disasters, and poor healthcare outcomes. Several underlying reasons for the dangers in Tennessee include financial inequality, seasonal weather patterns, unhealthy habits, and scarcity of healthcare services in rural parts of the state.
Next, I will dig deeper into this answer so you can decide whether or not Tennessee is a safe state for you and your family before you buy a house in Tennessee and move.
Disclosure: At no cost to you, I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Tennessee’s Violent Crime Rate Is One Of The Highest Of All States In The Country
Living in Tennessee is dangerous because the state’s violent crime is one of the highest of all states in the country, well above the national average.
Violent crimes include:
- Aggravated assault
- Robbery
- Homicide
- Rape
Source: Southwest Journal
The underlying causes of violent crime typically include:
- Gang activity
- Drug usage
- Financial inequality
- Religious beliefs
- Racial differences
- Liberal gun laws
- Limited law enforcement
Source: iPleaders.in
All of the above are causes of violent crime in Tennessee to varying degrees. They represent several of the top reasons people regret moving to Tennessee in the first place.
Tornado Activity Makes Tennessee A Dangerous State To Live In
The second reason living in Tennessee is so dangerous is tornadoes. For example, a tornado hit the Nashville area on the night of March 2, 2020. Nearly 30 people lost their lives, and hundreds more were injured.
Source: Wikipedia
Tennessee is part of “Dixie Alley.” This phrase describes areas of the southern United States particularly vulnerable to violent tornadoes.
Tornadoes are rotating air columns that touch the ground. They are associated with powerful thunderstorms. These natural disasters hit with little advance notice and produce winds up to 200 miles per hour, drenching rains, and damaging hail.
Over the past five years, Tennessee has averaged over 30 recorded tornadoes annually. Recently, middle Tennessee has been the most vulnerable to these storms, followed by Western Tennessee.
However, eastern Tennessee is not immune. For example, the east region alone had 82 tornadoes over the three years ending in 2012.
Source: National Weather Service
Winter Ice Storms Make Driving In Tennessee Very Dangerous
Tennessee’s lower safety evaluation is partly due to ice storms. Ice storms are a type of winter storm caused by freezing rain.
As snow falls, it hits a warm layer of air in the sky, causing the snow to melt. Before hitting the ground, the rain encounters a layer of cooler air, causing the rain to freeze on cold outdoor surfaces.
Source: WeatherSTEM
In many cases, freezing rain causes hazardous road conditions, dangerous walkways, broken tree limbs, and downed power lines.
Furthermore, Tennessee does not have the equipment and resources in place to deal with these storms. Residents must be patient, waiting for temperatures to warm enough for mother nature to melt the icy surfaces.
I got caught out of town in an ice storm traveling near Memphis a few years ago. I had to get a hotel room and hunker down for almost a week because the roads were unsafe for travel.
Related reading: Comparing Tennessee vs. North Carolina living
Unhealthy Habits Of Tennessee Residents Make Then Prone To Poor Health
The fourth reason Tennessee is so dangerous is because of unhealthy lifestyles and substance abuse.
Forbes Advisor studied metrics across 21 categories, including disease prevalence, mortality rate, substance abuse, lifestyle habits, and health outlook. Tennessee ranked in the top 10 states with the least healthy populations.
The leading causes of poor health are lifestyle habits, including the following:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Drug usage
- Inactivity
Unhealthy habits lead to a high incidence of chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease.
Limited Access To Quality Health Care Services Reduces Health Outcomes
The final reason Tennessee is so dangerous is because of poor health services.
According to MoneyGeek, Tennessee ranks in the bottom ten states in the country for health care. Furthermore, the state has one of the highest rates of preventable deaths per capita.
The main factors leading to the poor results are the high cost of health insurance and limited access to quality healthcare providers, especially in the state’s rural areas.
For anyone interested in retiring in Tennessee, relocate to one of the larger metropolitan areas to ensure access to quality health care in your senior years.
Additionally, find room in your Tennessee living expenses for adequate health insurance.
Okay. That’s all I have for today regarding the dangers of Tennessee living.
Please allow me to wrap up with some parting thoughts. Plus, I have a few tips for making Tennessee a safer place to live.
5 Reasons Why Tennessee Is So Dangerous And What To Do About It
The five reasons Tennessee is so dangerous include the following:
- Violent crime
- Tornadoes
- Ice storms
- Unhealthy habits
- Limited access to healthcare
On the other hand, many Tennessee residents lead happy, healthy lives here.
Is Tennessee a safe state? Yes. My experiences suggest it is so. Furthermore, there are many reasons why Tennessee has become a popular place to move.
So, here are a few tips for making Tennessee safe for you and your family after you move.
Tips For Minimizing The Dangers Of Living In Tennessee
Here are several common sense tips to increase your safety in Tennessee.
Do your research and move to a safe neighborhood. For example, many of Tennessee’s safest cities and small towns have little to no crime.
However, always be aware of your surroundings. Avoid certain parts of Tennessee’s most dangerous cities. Install a security system to protect your real estate from property crime.
Put emergency preparedness plans in place in case of tornadoes and winter storms.
Eat a healthy diet, don’t smoke, and exercise regularly.
Budget for health care insurance and move in or around one of the state’s urban areas. For example, the Nashville metropolitan area has many excellent hospitals and healthcare service providers.
How safe is Tennessee? The state is safe when you take basic precautions and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Take control of your life. Be part of the solution, and you can make Tennessee a safe place to live.
Author Bio: Tom Scott founded the consulting and coaching firm Dividends Diversify, LLC. He leverages his expertise and decades of experience in goal setting, relocation assistance, and investing for long-term wealth to help clients reach their full potential.