Comparing areas of east TN (Knoxville, Nashville, Tricities) (Chattanooga, Murfreesboro: to rent, top schools)

[keeprolling]

Hi,

I made a thread on Reddit but realized this would likely be the best place for it. Moved from Louisville,KY to FL, and now looking to go back north some, somewhere with nice scenery and four seasons. I don't particularly wish to return to KY. So I'd thought to look to Knoxville, Chattanooga, and the tricities areas. There are a lot of threads, but things change so fast it's hard to take what someone said 10 years ago as still true today. Any help, advice, or general wisdom is much appreciated!

Youngish couple, 1 kid. I don't need top schools per se, just ones that are abundantly safe. Public school where I came from were a warzone, and I never want our daughter to live through that.

We love the outdoors, but not necessarily hardcore hiking/rockclimbing. Walks through forests, swimming in a river/lake, fishing, etc. Bonus point for creeks/waterfalls.

We want to live in or on the outskirts of a real city. We currently live in a small town, and it really has nothing to do, ever. I don't mind to live in the outskirts/suburbs, as long as getting to things is driveable.

I don't mind driving far, but don't particularly like it. So I'd prefer not looking at it with the lens of 'this and that are just an hour away', but more of what's nearby.

Work is secured already.

We'd like to live with some space. Not a farm necessarily, something maybe ~ half acreish. So not in a densely populated downtown area. At the same time, somewhere reputable that isn't full of people firing guns at all hours and having hundreds of dogs (ahem, rural KY).

Having things to do is important to us. Concerts, local festivals, outdoor activities, etc.

Have max 300k to spend on a house, but would be renting for a while anyhow. But it doesn't make sense to me to rent in a place that has no options for us.

Given the above, any thoughts on what you'd recommend? Thanks much in advance!

[mattec]

Knoxville & Chattanooga and their surrounding suburbs have what your looking for, each with their own distinct character. The Tri-Cities are a bit smaller and generally have fewer amenities. In Knoxville, maybe look at South Knoxville out to Woodfield Park or East Knoxville near the Holston Hills Country Club. In Chattanooga look out in Hixson or the Middle Valley area.

[Serious Conversation]

Knoxville outskirts and maybe Chattanooga.

I really like Johnson City, but it is small for a lot of people. Great outdoors, low traffic, good dining/nightlife for a college city, etc. The rest of the area's cities are too small (Bristol) or too rural/screwed up to be what you are looking for.

[AppalachianAngler]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

Knoxville outskirts and maybe Chattanooga.

I really like Johnson City, but it is small for a lot of people. Great outdoors, low traffic, good dining/nightlife for a college city, etc. The rest of the area's cities are too small (Bristol) or too rural/screwed up to be what you are looking for.

I agree with this.

First thing I thought after your post was Knoxville suburbs, potentially West Knoxville.

I'm from around the Tri-Cities and really prefer it over most anywhere else in the State, but it would be too small and more outdoor-oriented than the other things you are looking for.

[Thelinnen]

Originally Posted by keeprolling

Hi,

I made a thread on Reddit but realized this would likely be the best place for it. Moved from Louisville,KY to FL, and now looking to go back north some, somewhere with nice scenery and four seasons. I don't particularly wish to return to KY. So I'd thought to look to Knoxville, Chattanooga, and the tricities areas. There are a lot of threads, but things change so fast it's hard to take what someone said 10 years ago as still true today. Any help, advice, or general wisdom is much appreciated!

Youngish couple, 1 kid. I don't need top schools per se, just ones that are abundantly safe. Public school where I came from were a warzone, and I never want our daughter to live through that.

We love the outdoors, but not necessarily hardcore hiking/rockclimbing. Walks through forests, swimming in a river/lake, fishing, etc. Bonus point for creeks/waterfalls.

We want to live in or on the outskirts of a real city. We currently live in a small town, and it really has nothing to do, ever. I don't mind to live in the outskirts/suburbs, as long as getting to things is driveable.

I don't mind driving far, but don't particularly like it. So I'd prefer not looking at it with the lens of 'this and that are just an hour away', but more of what's nearby.

Work is secured already.

We'd like to live with some space. Not a farm necessarily, something maybe ~ half acreish. So not in a densely populated downtown area. At the same time, somewhere reputable that isn't full of people firing guns at all hours and having hundreds of dogs (ahem, rural KY).

Having things to do is important to us. Concerts, local festivals, outdoor activities, etc.

Have max 300k to spend on a house, but would be renting for a while anyhow. But it doesn't make sense to me to rent in a place that has no options for us.

Given the above, any thoughts on what you'd recommend? Thanks much in advance!

I live in seymour and its a 15 minute drive to knoxville, sevierville, and maryville. We love it here and $300k would get you a very decent house. Property values seem to be rising quickly as well. We live on the blount county side. Only thing i dont like is being close to south knoxville, it has a few nice areas but the area around chapman is riddled with homeless and numerous cash advance stores, its far sketchier than i remember it being (i grew up near ijams)

[jjbradleynyc]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

Knoxville outskirts and maybe Chattanooga.

I really like Johnson City, but it is small for a lot of people. Great outdoors, low traffic, good dining/nightlife for a college city, etc. The rest of the area's cities are too small (Bristol) or too rural/screwed up to be what you are looking for.

Totally agree.

JC has an incredible quality of life, low cost, outdoor activity proximity and easy going. But, at roughly 67k population, it is definitely way too small for many people, if they want a "bigger city atmosphere" on occasion. And JC's downtown is nowhere near the scale of Knoxville and Chattanooga.

Chattanooga has a pretty vibrant and bustling downtown for its size. There are great restaurant, bar and entertainment options for singles, and lots of activities for a family as well. The outdoor activities within close distance of Chattanooga are pretty abundant too. Tons to do, really.

Knoxville is also a solid choice for them. Tons of outdoors within a half hour to an hour's drive, and then the Great Smokies National Park is there too, of course, practically in Knoxville's backyard.

[Bamaman1]

I agree what's been said about both Chattanooga and Knoxville.

I also like the rural life outside of Murfreesboro. I'm talking east toward Woodbury or in the hills southeast of M'Boro going toward Manchester off the Interstate. The rolling hills are especially beautiful, and the lifestyle good.

Murfreesboro's no slouch with the state's largest undergraduate university and the culture and life that comes with it.

[newdixiegirl]

Originally Posted by Bamaman1

I agree what's been said about both Chattanooga and Knoxville.

I also like the rural life outside of Murfreesboro. I'm talking east toward Woodbury or in the hills southeast of M'Boro going toward Manchester off the Interstate. The rolling hills are especially beautiful, and the lifestyle good.

Murfreesboro's no slouch with the state's largest undergraduate university and the culture and life that comes with it.

I agree.

Until recently, when I started looking for another home, I'd been to Murfreesboro maybe 3 or 4 times in the 9 years I've lived in Nashville, and each of those visits was brief.

But house-hunting gave me an opportunity to see a lot more of it, and I have to say that it's got much more going for it than I thought, and more than lots of other comparable cities.