Berea
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Great for
- Neighborly Spirit
- Peace & Quiet
- Schools
- Childcare
- Clean & Green
Not great for
- Lack of Traffic
- Nightlife
- Public Transport
Who lives here?
- Tourists
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees
Got a burning question? Why not ask the locals! Simply ask your question below
Reviews
Berea
rating details
2yrs+
- Neighborly Spirit
- Safe & Sound
- Clean & Green
- Pest Free
- Peace & Quiet
- Eating Out
- Nightlife
- Parks & Recreation
- Shopping Options
- Gym & Fitness
- Internet Access
- Lack of Traffic
- Parking
- Cost of Living
- Resale or Rental Value
- Public Transport
- Medical Facilities
- Schools
- Childcare
"Historic schools, artistic community & plenty of restaurants!"
Berea is a wonderful and fairly famous town. You might not expect this considering its size (a little under 15,000 residents) but there's actually quite a bit going on here that's been noticed on a national stage.
The number one thing Berea is known for is Berea College. Much like the town it's not a big school, but it has more than one interesting and distinct features. First, it was the first Southern college to be racially integrated. This is a fact that many people in the area are quite proud. This school continues to be quite interesting on a national stage because it ranks very high, and charges no tuition! Students are required to work for their education. Not a high number of hours, but they still have to earn their keep. This helps make the school not only more successful academically, but also helps it churn out harder working people. The school is still ranked in the top spot of best comprehensive and liberal arts colleges in the South. You can be sure this translates quite well to getting applicants.
Just because I talk about the college a lot doesn't mean Berea is a college town. The student population is roughly 10% of the overall population, so this isn't the youngest, most fun place in the world, but it's still quite the happening place. Outside of the college, the thing Berea is best known for is their art. This may not be the art capitol of the world, but there are a wide variety of very nice local boutiques and art galleries to showcase the craftsmanship of residents. The Berea Center for the Arts is an especially interesting place to visit if you're ever in Berea. The Top Drawer Gallery is also a favorite of mine. These are smaller galleries, but they have a flavor you don't get in big cities. I was in an art gallery in Cincinnati a few months back and it felt so cold and, simply put, unartistic.
Between the historic school and art galleries Berea brings in quite a few tourists. I don't consider the tourist industry in Berea booming, but it does greatly help the town's economy. Fortunately, those who visit have plenty of places to stay and eat. The Boone Travel Hotel actually satisfies both lodging and food, as it's a lovely hotel with a fantastic restaurant included. It's not terribly affordable, but it's fun for the occasional visit.
If you're looking for something a bit more laid back and casual, try Papa Leno's for some pizza. It's hard to go wrong with a slice of pizza, and you won't be disappointed.
I could go on and on about the quality of Berea. It's an amazing little town. Not too far from Lexington, isolated enough to be unique, and definitely not afraid to blaze a trail (whether that trail be racially integrated schools or in the arts).
The number one thing Berea is known for is Berea College. Much like the town it's not a big school, but it has more than one interesting and distinct features. First, it was the first Southern college to be racially integrated. This is a fact that many people in the area are quite proud. This school continues to be quite interesting on a national stage because it ranks very high, and charges no tuition! Students are required to work for their education. Not a high number of hours, but they still have to earn their keep. This helps make the school not only more successful academically, but also helps it churn out harder working people. The school is still ranked in the top spot of best comprehensive and liberal arts colleges in the South. You can be sure this translates quite well to getting applicants.
Just because I talk about the college a lot doesn't mean Berea is a college town. The student population is roughly 10% of the overall population, so this isn't the youngest, most fun place in the world, but it's still quite the happening place. Outside of the college, the thing Berea is best known for is their art. This may not be the art capitol of the world, but there are a wide variety of very nice local boutiques and art galleries to showcase the craftsmanship of residents. The Berea Center for the Arts is an especially interesting place to visit if you're ever in Berea. The Top Drawer Gallery is also a favorite of mine. These are smaller galleries, but they have a flavor you don't get in big cities. I was in an art gallery in Cincinnati a few months back and it felt so cold and, simply put, unartistic.
Between the historic school and art galleries Berea brings in quite a few tourists. I don't consider the tourist industry in Berea booming, but it does greatly help the town's economy. Fortunately, those who visit have plenty of places to stay and eat. The Boone Travel Hotel actually satisfies both lodging and food, as it's a lovely hotel with a fantastic restaurant included. It's not terribly affordable, but it's fun for the occasional visit.
If you're looking for something a bit more laid back and casual, try Papa Leno's for some pizza. It's hard to go wrong with a slice of pizza, and you won't be disappointed.
I could go on and on about the quality of Berea. It's an amazing little town. Not too far from Lexington, isolated enough to be unique, and definitely not afraid to blaze a trail (whether that trail be racially integrated schools or in the arts).
Pros
- Famous college
- Artistic community
- Great restaurants
- Safe
Cons
- Not a ton of bars
Recommended for
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Tourists
- Hipsters
- Students
- Trendy & Stylish
Berea
rating details
2yrs+
- Neighborly Spirit
- Safe & Sound
- Clean & Green
- Pest Free
- Peace & Quiet
- Eating Out
- Nightlife
- Parks & Recreation
- Shopping Options
- Gym & Fitness
- Internet Access
- Lack of Traffic
- Parking
- Cost of Living
- Resale or Rental Value
- Public Transport
- Medical Facilities
- Schools
- Childcare
"Safe and clean for an older crowd!"
Berea is another older Kentucky town, though you'll find a more artistic group here than in many other areas of the state. To be sure, it's a different form of artistry than you might find in big cities, with less of the woe is me boring stuff and more of a hardworking, old-fashioned and steeped in tradition type of arts and crafts.
This artistic feel definitely gives the town a peaceful feeling, with a lot of residents who seem more interested in taking things slow and calm than fast paced.
Though I call Berea artistic, I would not call it young. It has an old feeling. Like I said, there's a lot of tradition here, but there's also just a feeling of less going on. You can certainly get outside for some fun, such as at Berea Country Club for a bit of golf, but I don't see this is a place for younger golfers to have some fun. Again, it's an older place for golfers. It's a pretty course, and a nice, relaxing place to play nine holes, but with only nine holes it gets old pretty fast and I don't think many people would want to be here if they're younger.
With this older feeling comes safety though, and the cost of living in Berea is very reasonable. You won't find a ton of jobs, but there are some options available, which helps a lot, and there are some decent medical facilities in the area. Saint Joseph Hospital is supposedly very good, though I've never had the pleasure (or displeasure) of visiting it.
I give Berea an average score, but it's way above average if you're a little older and still very active.
This artistic feel definitely gives the town a peaceful feeling, with a lot of residents who seem more interested in taking things slow and calm than fast paced.
Though I call Berea artistic, I would not call it young. It has an old feeling. Like I said, there's a lot of tradition here, but there's also just a feeling of less going on. You can certainly get outside for some fun, such as at Berea Country Club for a bit of golf, but I don't see this is a place for younger golfers to have some fun. Again, it's an older place for golfers. It's a pretty course, and a nice, relaxing place to play nine holes, but with only nine holes it gets old pretty fast and I don't think many people would want to be here if they're younger.
With this older feeling comes safety though, and the cost of living in Berea is very reasonable. You won't find a ton of jobs, but there are some options available, which helps a lot, and there are some decent medical facilities in the area. Saint Joseph Hospital is supposedly very good, though I've never had the pleasure (or displeasure) of visiting it.
I give Berea an average score, but it's way above average if you're a little older and still very active.
Pros
- Peaceful
- Nice golf course
- Safe
Cons
- Old and somewhat boring
Recommended for
- Retirees
- Tourists
- Country Lovers
