10 Pros And Cons Of Living In Knoxville, TN

Positioned near Tennesse’s eastern border with North Carolina, Knoxville ranks third largest city for its huge, diverse population.

Being a component of many local wars, Knoxville is a wonderful town laden with prestige and history. 

But is Knoxville, TN, place to live? 

Although this city has a vibrant culture and spreads the love for art, there are some downsides to life in Knoxville, too. To enable you to get an in depth picture of how life looks in Knoxville, we’ve put together the professionals and cons of living in Knoxville, TN.

So, let’s get to it!

MORE: 6 Pros and Cons of Living in Tennessee

Pros of Living in Knoxville

Low Living Costs

While the national living cost lingers around 100, the living costs in Knoxville are considerably lower. In line with Best Places, Knoxville’s cost of living index is 89.6. The low price of living lets you enjoy Tennessee activities and entertainment without exceeding the budget. 

Living in Knoxville, you may also be paying a lowered price on necessities, including utilities, healthcare, groceries, and transportation. You may utilize the cash you save from low living costs to enhance your lifestyle and live more lavishly. 

One other beauty of Knoxville is the low housing costs. The median housing costs in Knoxville are roughly $315K. Although there’s little difference between average living costs, Knoxville still has a handful of properties so that you can call home at a budgeted price. 

Tax-Friendly

Taxes are a crucial thing to contemplate when deciding to relocate. Often, people forget to envision concerning the taxes and are later blind-sided by them. 

Nevertheless, moving to Knoxville brings no such surprises. Since there aren’t any income state taxes, Knoxville residents enjoy very favorable tax rates. In line with US News, Knoxville residents currently incur a 6.3% tax, including all types of taxes. 

When paired against the national average of 8.87%, you’ll save roughly $2000 on taxes annually. Knoxville also has a few of the lowest property rates, allowing homeowners a sigh of relief. 

Beautiful Outdoors

Knoxville’s location puts it near different natural sights. Moving to Knoxville lets you explore the natural parks surrounded by 850 miles of trails, including the famous Appalachian Trail. 

Other than trailing, these natural parks are also great destinations for vacations and camping. To further ensure a whole vacation experience, you may also go fishing for the native trout and have a delicious seafood meal. 

The several state parks near Knoxville also assist you to partake in interesting activities, corresponding to Birdwatching, fishing, paddling, and climbing! Given its proximity to natural sights, Knoxville also gets the name “The Gateway to the Smoky Mountains.” 

In line with Family Destinations Guide, some recreational activities in Knoxville include: 

• Visiting Zoo Knoxville 
• Ijams Nature Center
• UT Gardens

Arts and Culture

The Knoxville residents take great pride of their arts and culture scene. Places like Knoxville, and the Museum of Arts, assist you to experience masterpieces and appreciate the artists’ fantastic work. The artistry in the town culture further extends as shows play on the Clarence Brown Theatre. 

Knoxville residents know how one can have a good time and don’t draw back from festivals! All year long, the town is imbued with colours from different festivals. Whether it’s the Dogwood Arts or the International Biscuit Festival, it’s unattainable to experience a dull moment in the town. 

The town’s commitment to art allows the residents to experience diverse cultural experiences and luxuriate in a vibrant arts culture. 

Education

Another excuse to contemplate relocating to Knoxville is the academic opportunities present in the town Area of interest.com gives a B+ rating to the academic institutes. 

With around 80 public schools in the town, parents gain a chance to introduce their children to a high-quality education. Knoxville schools’ quality education will allow your kids to learn technical skills related to their skilled field. 

The faculties in Knoxville implement an education system that permits their students to change into responsible residents in the fashionable world. Other than ethics, the education from these schools gives you the immense potential to fast-track your profession. 

One of the best educational institutes from Knoxville include: 

• University of Tennessee 
• Johnson University 
• Maryville College

Cons of Living in Knoxville

Crime!

Safety is a serious concern when planning to relocate somewhere. Knoxville residents are 50% more vulnerable to property crimes in comparison with the national average. 

Although the local PD is working hard to bring down the crime numbers, there continues to be a protracted approach to go before the crime rates in Knoxville stumble. Meanwhile, you’ll be able to ensure your safety by staying vigilant and avoiding navigating through the shady areas of the town. 

Moreover, as you select to relocate to Knoxville, ensure to decide on a protected neighborhood. Selecting a protected neighborhood will assist you to benefit from the city amenities without compromising your safety. 

In line with UpNest.com, the safest neighborhoods in Knoxville include: 

• Farragut
• Oak Ridge
• Maryville

Hot Summers

With a record high of 105 degrees, the summers in Knoxville could be very cruel. Especially when you move from a Northern city, the Knoxville summer will likely be unbearable for you. 

The cruel summers make it difficult for the residents to pass the time and significantly raise the danger of heatstroke. In case you move to Knoxville, you have to take measures against the town’s scorching heat. 

You may’t do without the air conditioners working throughout the summer season. The summertime also refrains you from partaking in any recreational or entertainment activities in the town.

Because you will likely be sitting at home nearly all of the time, summers can get dry. Besides, the air conditioners running for a very long time will cause a drastic increase in your utility bills, making summers undesirable weather.

Limited Public Transportation

The general public transportation options available are somewhat limited, which might pose a challenge for residents without personal vehicles or for many who prefer to depend on public transit.

The Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) provides bus services, however the routes mainly cover the central city area. Suburbs and outlying regions could be less accessible via bus, making it tougher for those living or working in these areas with out a automotive.

The frequency of bus services can be limited, especially outside of peak commuting times, adding inconvenience to those that depend on this mode of transportation.

While the town has made efforts to advertise cycling as a substitute mode of transportation, infrastructure support like bike lanes and trails are still in development stages.

As such, for residents who’re depending on public transit or alternative modes of transportation, living in Knoxville might present some challenges.

Job Market

The job market in Knoxville could be difficult for some people depending on their profession field.

While the town does offer job opportunities in a spread of sectors, it has a powerful emphasis on the healthcare, retail, and education sectors because of the presence of the University of Tennessee and a number of other major hospitals.

For people in search of employment in areas like technology, finance, or certain creative industries, the opportunities could also be less plentiful in Knoxville in comparison with larger cities or those with more diverse economies.

Graduates or expert professionals in these sectors may find it tougher to land suitable positions, and might need to contemplate options in nearby cities and even relocation.

Lack of Reasonably priced Housing Options

A big challenge in Knoxville is the shortage of reasonably priced housing options, particularly in the case of rental properties. There’s been a trend in the town where a lot of the recent apartment constructions cater to the high-end market with rental prices closer to $2,000 a month, relatively than the cheaper range of around $700.

This trend puts a strain on individuals and families with lower incomes, because it becomes increasingly difficult to seek out suitable and reasonably priced housing. Despite Knoxville’s overall cost of living being lower than the national average, the housing market is posing a major hurdle.

The limited supply of reasonably priced rentals and the rising prices are reportedly resulting in a rise in homelessness in the realm, mirroring issues seen in larger cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Recent York.

Final Words

Given the amenities and the low living costs, there aren’t any two opinions about Knoxville being an incredible place to live. Whether it’s the high-quality education or finding a well-paying job, Knoxville has something in store for everybody. 

Nevertheless, there are some downsides to life in Knoxville, too corresponding to limited public transportation and crime rate.