Relocating to Knoxville hoping to get some answers! (Kingston, Charlotte: apartment complexes, how much)

[aud90]

Hi,

I am planning to move to Knoxville within the next few months. Currently I live in Mobile, AL. I had a few questions that hopefully you could help me with!

My budget for a place to live would be no more than 650 monthly. I am looking for a room share or roommates, is this a do-able budget?

What do utility costs usually run in apartments or small homes?

What are some areas that are safe for a young professional to live in (I am 25, work FT)?
I will be moving alone until he finishes University in his home so is any safety concern I should have? Any good areas for young females?

How is the public transportation? Is it necessary to own a car? (I take public transportation in Mobile and it is pretty terrible BUT it is manageable, the research I have done on the KAT system seems fine but I was hoping for personal experiences...)

What is diversity like in Knoxville, in all of TN? I have a multi-cultured family and diversity is very important to me...Mobile is pretty diverse for AL, I am hoping to find that Knoxville is diverse.

It is pretty important to my guy, which in return makes it very important to me, that we can go to major league sports games (possibly one day own season tickets!) how hard is it to get tickets to major league games in TN?

If you have been to Mobile, AL or somewhere similar, how different is cost of living? Is the weather similar (humid is mainly what I am asking...)

If you have any advice or tips, anything you wish you had known before moving I would love the input.

Thank you so much,

I hope to hear responses soon.

[creeksitter]

650 is do-able for a 1 BR apartment and should get you a nice shared 2 BR.

Where will you be working? You'll need to focus on locations near a bus line. Knox area transit (KAT) is the bus service.

[llsmith42]

Nashville is about 3 hours away, and has NFL football and NHL hockey. Tickets are easy to come by.

Knoxville is quite a linear town. Most businesses and facilities are located along Kingston Pike which runs parallel to I-40/I-75. Because of this, KAT service is pretty good in my opinion. I've used it a couple of times in and around the university, but I see buses quite regularly while driving around.

While it isn't the most diverse place in the world, minorities/POC are not uncommon.

[designlucas]

Originally Posted by llsmith42

Nashville is about 3 hours away, and has NFL football and NHL hockey. Tickets are easy to come by.

Knoxville is quite a linear town. Most businesses and facilities are located along Kingston Pike which runs parallel to I-40/I-75. Because of this, KAT service is pretty good in my opinion. I've used it a couple of times in and around the university, but I see buses quite regularly while driving around.

While it isn't the most diverse place in the world, minorities/POC are not uncommon.

Atlanta is also only 3 hours away. Cincinnati 4 and Charlotte 4 - all with pro teams.

[designlucas]

650 could be tough. Probably couldn't live downtown or west for that, but north and south Knox have some beautiful neighborhoods in safe areas. North Knox is more diverse and more Hipster. South is more Hillbilly but gets you closer to the mountains. It's a lovely and very rapidly growing area. Welcome!

[pugsrock4ever]

I moved to Knoxville 21 years ago. I grew up in a very flat part of the country. We didn't have hilly, winding roads like we have around Knoxville. When we get bad weather....ice, sleet....the roads can be extremely dangerous here. I've never been to Alabama so I don't know what the roads are like there.

I didn't realize how much orange I would see when I moved here The UT Vols are a huge deal around here.

Compared to where I grew up (Northern Minnesota), Knoxville is quite diverse...probably because of the large university we have.

Market Square is a fun place to check out in Knoxville. Welcome!!!

[calvinbama]

Katbus runs the heavier routes every 15 minutes at rush hours. It is a quick option if you can make the trip along 1 busline, but if you have to transfer downtown it adds a good half hour at least to a trip. But KAT does a good job. If you live and work west of Bearden though you will most likely need a car.

You could find apartments for that price in Fort Sanders (student area), North Knoxville, Parkridge, South Knoxville, and older apartment complexes in West Knoxville.

Knoxville is quite diverse and welcoming of all.

[geranium]

Knoxville is less humid than Mobile; the locals may complain about the humidity, but for you it will be nothing. (I speak as a New Orleans native - which makes us 'cousins' of a sort.) Winters, on the other hand, are another matter.

We live in a west Knox neighborhood where there are people of different races and sexual preferences and I've never heard an unpleasant word about anyone. But to be honest, I see only a few non-Caucasians on a daily basis. Only they can tell you how welcome they feel.

Safety is, imo, an issue in the Ft. Sanders area (I'm basing this on a family member's personal experience), so if you're looking there, choose with care.

As one who lived in northern Alabama far too long, I'd say that Knoxville is far more sophisticated than much of central and northern Alabama, yet it's far from the cosmopolitan attitude of Mobile.