My Personal Observations - 10/10/2014

There is certainly a small town atmosphere here. It seems as if there is a high percentage of the population that wants to get Somerset "on the map", but they want to do so without using any outside help (whether the outside ideas work or not). The christian influence is extremely heavy here. There is not a huge selection of activities outside of camping/boating type activities that have to do with Lake Cumberland or farming. Although Somerset is growing it seems to be more depressed economically than a lot of places. There just isn't a huge job market. The closest major city is over an hour away. There is no public transportation to speak of. Not great shopping options unless you like bargain shopping. The schools, while having some top-notch teachers, are still not great in comparison with most of the country, though they are trying to improve. There is a fair amount of drug activity, but you don't see it very often. The only vandals I have noticed are christian (I know this because of the messages they chalked and spray painted on things). I moved here because of family, but am not happy and am planning to move as soon as I can. I have lived in quite a few areas of the country and base my opinion only on comparison with places I have lived.

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honestly.... - 3/15/2010

I have lived here since 1989. My family moved me here from Chicago Ill when I was 5 years old. Growing up in this place, I can tell you first hand what you children will experience. There is no drug that they will not be able to get ahold of...even more easily than I would say in the streets of a city like Chicago. The amount of people who abuse drugs and medication here in pulaski county and the city of somerset is astounding! Why arent they locked up? Someone has to keep the local law enforcement functioning. There is absolutely nothing to do! Growing up, You can...go to skating rink, go to a dancing joint where the 40 year old men will hit on your 12 year old daughter. Or...get into trouble. Hey come on....its honestly the truth, when kids run out of ideas...they get stupid. Over all, the bible toting hipocrits will get you every time. Your pastor is impregnating the widow in the back and she is sleeping with her cousin. Its seriously not a christian place in my opinion. But Im not a baptist either so Im not accepted. Thats another thing! High school NEVER ends here! You will have a very hard time finding work, clubs, teams, anything...for the sake of you not being in the IN crowd when you were in high school. Almost every company here is ran by family or friends. Get used to being pigeon holed. Over time you will see things turn from bad to worse. The police cant protect their own streets, much less this town. The politics are a joke. Ive watched roads be expanded in the same section 3 times in 2 years...the same job done over and over because its not done right the first time. There are, LETS NOT FORGET, what...33 traffic lights now?!!! Some are only parted by literally a hunfred or so feet. Get used to wasting your time. I cannot imagine a more frustrating place to live...ever. For you childrens sake...find a nice suburb where they can atleast find real values and decent people. There are too few here.

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Part 2: Greg's opinion - 9/4/2008

I wanted to post facts on somerset on my previous post because sometimes on bestplaces.net it is just opinions and those can be misleading or one-sided. So I posted those facts so people can get a clear picture of the amenities or lack thereof(depending on what you are looking for and what you are used to) without any bias. Speaking of one-sidedness, I read all the comments on Somerset and I have to agree with most of what Michael(I too am from Somerset)said, even though he seemed really irate. From my experience growing up here is that it should be friendlier than it is for this size of town and given the amount of churches in the area. It is for the most part a safe town(but not as much in some parts of town) and in my opinion is pretty in spring-fall. The winter I don't like except for when it snows. It is mainly a conservative town. The singles scene is almost non-existant here(with the exception of the bars I mentioned in my facts comment), which wouldn't bother young couples and families. Since I agree with most of what Michael posted(even though it is negative(but true)), I won't rewrite it. It just depends on what you are looking for in a place. I don't like it here, but you might. There are good and bad people every where you go, there will always be pros and cons to a place anywhere there is people, for we all have problems(some just have more problems than others).

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Facts on Somerset, Ky - 9/4/2008

These are facts on Somerset, Ky Shopping: We have a mall that has roughly 25 stores that includes Belk Simpson and J.C. Penny's, and also 3 other shopping plazas which include Big K-mart and Roses's(similiar to K-mart), a Lowe's, a Tractor Supply, and Paul's Discount(fishing, hunting, hardware boating, auto parts, etc), we also have another outdoor store but I can't think of it off the top of my head). Cinemas. We have 2 cinemas, one is located in the mall and the other is across the highway which is newer and has stadium seating. Coffee: We have 4 coffee cafe's one of those is Starbuck's. Resturaunts(all types): Ruby Tuesday's, a Cracker Barrell, a Golden Corral, a Krystal's, a Frisch's Big Boy, 2 McDonald's, a Long John Silver's, a Capitan D's, a Fazolli's, a Schlotzki's Deli, a Penn Station, a KFC, a Lee's Famous Recipe, 2 Burger Kings, a Taco Bell, 2 Arby's, a Papa John's, a Domino's, a Donato's, the River House(which is one of the more upscale eateries in Somerset and located near the lake)and what is called the Harbor Restuarant(which is situated by the lake also, also more upscale), 4 chinese resturaunts, 2 mexican resturaunts, 2 Wendy's, a Back Yard Burger, a Texas Roadhouse...that's all I can think of for now). Recreation: Somerset has a water park(with 2 slides, a a lazy river, kiddie pool and teen/adult pool), 3 sports parks, 3 parks with boat ramps, 3 marinas. Nightlife/Dance clubs: 2 country music bars, 1 mix of music bar. Alcohol: Somerset is moist; meaning only certain parts of town serve alcohol in resturaunts only, the rest is dry. Churches: almost 100% protestant(that I know of) with the majority of churches is Baptist, one Catholic church; if you go to church, churches are plentiful here. Employment: factories, hotels, gas stations, resturants, car lots, supermarkets, retail, health care. Education: 3 high schools, 2-3 private schools, an ample amount of kindergarten and middle schools, and a community college. I will make another post on my opinion, like it or not this is what somerset has to offer

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From a Somerset Native - 4/7/2007

I could write a book on this town and the county it is placed in, but for those of you thinking of moving here, this is my two cents(coming from a somerset native who has seen and lived his share of the rest of the country). I don't like this place; here's why: people who live here are mainly "religious", don't like diversity, conservative, want thier children to be sheltered from the rest of the world(and not prepare them for the real world), bigoted, and has the "ethnic" taste buds of Cracker-Barrel(R)and fast-food chains that are neither healthy or open-minded. Yes we have Lake Cumberland, but don't swim in it because of the water snakes, snapping turtles, and sporadic sink-holes causing mini whirl-pools. Don't go fishing unless everything about your sport is legal(unless you get lucky). Don't go hunting unless you want to contend with the possibility of getting snake bit or mosquito bit or have ticks on you after your done. How about the climate...well you can look at tops out at 100+ degree/high humidity summers(usually averages in the 90's with high humidity), but wait there's the winter wich can drop to 0 degrees. And the best part is no snow sports. Spring and fall are nice, but only go at a distance while driving around the county(snakes and other favorites can be out then too). If your not straight(sexual orientation), expect to be an outsider or maybe get cussed out. For Lake Cumberland, our dam(Wolf Creek dam is undergoing significant repairs at this time) which the levels of Lake Cumberland are at an all time low and with the hopes of it getting fixed, "hoping" to keep the lake and the local economy intact. For a small town, I heard a preacher say "this is a wicked place", and I'm not even a christian or go to church(he moved to california by the way). And you don't want to miss the night life, we have 3 or 4 redneck bars, and also a hip-hop club which oddly enough is segregated!?, and has cages for teenage girls to dance in. And the scariest part about all of this is, I'm not kidding. Do you really want to move here now?!

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Think twice before retiring in Somerset - 4/4/2007

My husband and I retired to Somerset just over two years ago. There is nothing here except the lake and for the next 7 years it will be low because of the repair on the dam. There are no nice sit down restaurants here, just fast foods and the shopping in limited to Wal-mart. I would not recommen moving to Somerset to anyone. Look someplace else.

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My family and I visit every year, Love Love it! - 3/8/2007

We visit every year for the lakes, water sport and the beauty most of all. My husband and I plan to retire in Somerset KY. Everything needed to live is there Walmart superstore, home depot and Lexington is not far away. We live in Florida and are getting smothered by insurance and taxes. The storms every year are not a plus either.

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