I live here. I agree. I was very healthy before I moved here and now I'm sick all the time. Air quality is horrible and the people are fake nice.
Kira | Knoxville, TN | Report Abuse

Wow. We are considering a move from Gainesville FL to Knoxville TN due to a job offer. I love Gainesville, and we visited Knoxville for a few days last month to see if we think that we could make the move and be happy. I loved it. In fact, Knoxville reminded me of a bigger Gainesville. The restaurants were amazing, I loved how clean the downtown area was, and the people all seemed genuinely welcoming. I'm surprised to read about the crime that people are talking about here, especially on the west side of town. I thought that area was very upscale? Do you still feel that way? Would you discourage people from moving?
GainesvilleFL | Gainesville, FL | Report Abuse

This is a good insight for those of us who are seeking a better, place to live and the decisions, we have to make
Bob | Averill Park, NY | Report Abuse

I moved there from a nice area of ca 4 years ago. You must not live in the Knoxville Tn in America because it is nothing like you have described. Try living somewhere else and then you might appreciate how nice it actually is. There has been a lot of overly nice genuine people. And as to what you were saying about crime, there is not anymore than you would expect from a growing modern city, probably even less. I'm saddened you would say that about such a nice place with so many great opportunities.
Jane | Knoxville, TN | Report Abuse

I have been in Knoxville for 26 years. I love it here. I'm from New York and I haven't experienced anything of what you are talking about. Knoxville is one of the fastest growing communities in the United States. We have tons of parks and lakes and the variety of outdoor/indoor activities that you can do are enormous. I play pickle ball outdoors and indoors. We have a variety of free community services available to anyone (no matter where you are from). There are Y community buildings with public pools. My sister playsat one of these facilities all the time and she's from New York. Nothing here is dirty or noisy and I've never been robbed. Completely the opposite. I left my purse in my basket at the grocery store and went to my car horrified that I lost everything. I went back in the store and there it still was. In New York it would surely be gone. I've done this several times and never did anyone take anything of mine. In the winter you can ski, ice skate, bowl go the hockey games, there are concerts here and professional theatre. In summer you can tube, hike, go the Smoky Mountain Park and Camp, Fish, Canoe, there are caves to explore, Cades Cove to view and the location is so near North Caroline, KY and other states to enjoy. We have a baseball team and the games are fun and they give free stuff away. We have tons of bikes trails and there are bikers everywhere. We have greenways and housing is inexpensive compared to Florida, New York and California. Our downtown area is small but very active with Festivals, Farmers Markets and night life. We have a college Football team here as well and joining in on the college fun is awesome. The Stadium is packed every game. There are churches, temples , lakes even a train ride you can take. We are close to DollyWood and the Lady Vols Basketball games are at the college as well. There's a Worlds Fair Park, Knoxvlle Zoo, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and Appalachian Ballet Company. Knoxville Opera and Rissini Festival, Lakes, Mountains, and Museums. We have a strong boating community with many docks and many private and public golf courses . We have an extensive Inter-connected Greenway System and lots of shopping. There's an active Youth sports Community Programs , Active Road /Mountain Biking Community iwth mapped routing systems, rowing teams , snow-tubing , Outlet malls and a Full array of Cultural Events . Close to the McGhee Tyson Airport as well. I'll never move from here. Our winter weather is mild and the schools are great! One person's bad experience can not mean that much to the millions of Americans that live here. Try it , YOU WON'T REGRET IT.
Janet | Knoxville, TN | Report Abuse

I agree with you completely, it's a filthy, radioactive waste land filled with ignorant slobs and meth labs and an over inflated housing market. I would give anything to return to the other side of the state where the air is clean, the sun shines, the water is wonderful, and the housing market is great.
jeanne | Deland, FL | Report Abuse

wow Thanks for this info. We are from north as well but looking to move to Northern Va. I didn't realize Knoxville was that bad.
jacquie | Johnson City, TN | Report Abuse

I moved to Knoxville from the far North/Midwest 6 years ago. I have had a mixed experience. It does seem true that the folks down here do not like northerners. They are very closed-minded and prejudiced. I am a professional that happened to get a decent job here, but even my co-workers (who are southern) don't like us northern folks. Hint: After about 6 months of living in Knoxville, someone told me the truth about what it means when a southern woman says, "Oh, bless your heart," when you tell them you're from up north -- It means, "F**k you, b**ch." The housing costs are actually reasonable (IMHO), especially when you consider the property tax is so low here compared to the state I moved from (about 3x lower here). But there is a lot of crime, much of which does not go reported -- or if you do (attempt to) report it, the police will discourage you from doing so. The law enforcement here are a joke. I live in a nice neighborhood on the west side, and in attempting to report one incident of vandalism, my family was treated as if we were the criminals (it seemed the police did not want to have to do any paperwork). My husband and I also witnesses a gang-type shooting near downtown this year (2013), and by the time the "authorities" filtered the 'select' information to the news media, it was reported as a car accident with minor injuries (the ghetto gang members were actually shooting at each other back and forth from cars, until one of them crashed into a tree in some project-type apartments and a female was shot in the leg/ankle). I suppose they encourage under-reporting to make our city look safer than it is, so new people and new businesses will move here. But, Knoxville is not unique in this respect --there is corruption everywhere, in every city and especially in every government unit and with law enforcement. As another commented, yes, the drivers are HORRIBLE here! It is terribly easy to get a driver's license here, and the lazy government DMV workers don't really give a driver's test (you have to drive around the block is all, and it doesn't matter how well or bad you do at it). People often sit through green lights, blow through red lights, and will yell at you out there window if you tap if on the horn suggesting they "go" at green after waiting patiently for a minute so. Example (and I have many more similar): a person dead stopped on Kingston Pike at a green light... I tapped the horn after awhile, and she screamed out the window that she was trying to program her GPS! (WTF?.. and I'm the inconsiderate one!??) Examples like this abound. Yes, the water is bad, but I don't drink it. There are a lot of drugs, but isn't that pretty much everywhere now? The public schools here are a joke, with disgruntled teachers and administrators clearly only the field for the money and prestige of their position. It's just the Walmart, Obama-owes-me-everything mentality; and it's not just Knoxville. On the positive side: Market Square is a cool place to hang out and people watch (but be vigilant and aware at all times). There are lots of restaurants (but they'll seldom get your order correct the first time). The weather is better than the far-north (except for the relentless rain).
L | Ogden, UT | Report Abuse

You're a hundred percent right. Did you know that Knoxville and surrounding cities is the heart attack and stroke capital of the United States. There are more prescriptions filled here per capita than any other city in the US.
Tillman | Knoxville, TN | Report Abuse

We moved to Knoxville two years ago. I'm originally from the Northeast, but I've lived in the South for the last 30 years. We love it here. I've found the people to be really nice wherever we go. The city has a lot of great parks, plenty of health food venues, and a decent art scene. The traffic is no different than any urban area and there are plenty of ways to get from point A to point B if you explore. We are very happy here.
Shari | Knoxville, TN | Report Abuse

I can testify to this fact. Been living in the knoxville area for over 10 years and I can tell you it's not only locals who don't like you it's most everyone! I've seen it all! Locals don't like you the minute you open your mouth and sound different. But also those who make their move to the area from other places hate you as well because you're doing the same as them. I've seen outsiders pretending to be locals, behaving in the same manner and trying their best to sound southern just to mix in and so they also tend to give you looks and treat you like trash! mostly everyone you encounter when you're out shopping or dining out gives you looks. everyone looks at each other in mean ways. this is a nasty place to live. The reason most crime goes un-reported is because the city has made it its goal to advertise so people can come live in this so called nice clean place full of activities for families (yeah right). It's a competition against Chattanooga! They give businesses tax breaks and at times free land so they can create jobs and bring people to live in the area. I can't wait to find somewhere else to go live.
johny | Maryville, TN | Report Abuse