Oak Ridge Transfer (Maryville: schools, living in, shop)

[junggirl]

If you care anything about schools, IMO Oak Ridge is the best, followed by Farragut, then Blue Grass and AL Lotts for elementary, possibly Hardin Valley. Those school districts are also the nicest areas around in Knoxville. I do not recommend Karns for schools - very rural. I also do not recommend Bearden/Cedar Bluff - the crime rate is going up very quickly in that area. The Montessori schools in town for 2.5 yo through middle school are excellent. Two of the best are Giving Tree near West Towne Mall and Nature's Way - waay out on Washington Pike. It really depends on whether you rather enjoy a comfy suburban feel (Farragut/Turkey Creek/Hardin Valley) or an artsy, progressive feel (always mixed with good ol' country people in these parts (Halls/Fountain City/Chapman Highway/Vestal/Downtown/North Historic District). Coming from a big city, you might enjoy Forest Heights (older, now trendy West Knox neighborhood). Finally, Maryville is a good choice for many with great schools. A great way to save money is to avoid the apartment "complexes" and drive around and find for rent signs in nicer areas, particularly some of the privately owned apartments/duplexes mixed in the residential communities Good luck to your family with the move! Stay away from the apartments in the Cedar Bluff area - they are getting very dangerous (murders, fires, drugs, etc). If the rent is incredibly cheap for the square footage, please know it isn't a safe area and it's cheap for a reason.

[anothertntony]

Originally Posted by junggirl

Stay away from the apartments in the Cedar Bluff area - they are getting very dangerous (murders, fires, drugs, etc).

Is Cedar Bluff really getting that bad? I've been away for a while, but I always though that was a relatively safe area in the past. I saw a map of Knoxville crime a while back at:

Knoxville Crime Map - Showing Crime in Knoxville, TN - Crime Statistics

I was surprised to see that many serious crimes in West Knoxville. If you plot about the last year, you can see where crime is concentrated. It still seems mostly concentrated E/NE of the University, but there is a corridor along Kingston Pike as well. I assumed that looking at it mapped out was a bit deceptive, but given your warnings, perhaps not.

[102507]

Originally Posted by junggirl

if you care anything about schools, imo oak ridge is the best, followed by farragut, then blue grass and al lotts for elementary, possibly hardin valley. Those school districts are also the nicest areas around in knoxville. I do not recommend karns for schools - very rural. I also do not recommend bearden/cedar bluff - the crime rate is going up very quickly in that area. The montessori schools in town for 2.5 yo through middle school are excellent. Two of the best are giving tree near west towne mall and nature's way - waay out on washington pike. It really depends on whether you rather enjoy a comfy suburban feel (farragut/turkey creek/hardin valley) or an artsy, progressive feel (always mixed with good ol' country people in these parts (halls/fountain city/chapman highway/vestal/downtown/north historic district). Coming from a big city, you might enjoy forest heights (older, now trendy west knox neighborhood). Finally, maryville is a good choice for many with great schools. A great way to save money is to avoid the apartment "complexes" and drive around and find for rent signs in nicer areas, particularly some of the privately owned apartments/duplexes mixed in the residential communities good luck to your family with the move! Stay away from the apartments in the cedar bluff area - they are getting very dangerous (murders, fires, drugs, etc). If the rent is incredibly cheap for the square footage, please know it isn't a safe area and it's cheap for a reason.

ty, ty, ty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[aquarijen]

Originally Posted by anothertntony

Is Cedar Bluff really getting that bad? I've been away for a while, but I always though that was a relatively safe area in the past. I saw a map of Knoxville crime a while back at:

Knoxville Crime Map - Showing Crime in Knoxville, TN - Crime Statistics

The crime map is kinda deceptive - it only plots things that made the news.
I've been living in Cedar Bluff for 3.5 years now and it's been completely safe and quiet as far as I can tell... I have felt at ease.

[bebette]

012507, if you and your husband are planning to purchase a home, I would suggest that you look anywhere EXCEPT Oak Ridge. The property tax is MUCH, MUCH higher here than any of the surrounding towns and when shopping, the sales tax is higher in Oak Ridge than in any surrounding town!!

Also, there is quite a bit of petty theft here, and I personally don't feel safe going to Walmart or the grocery store or even the doctor's office! If you move here, just make sure that you are always aware of your surroundings and always keep your car doors locked, even when you are IN the car!!

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by bebette

012507, if you and your husband are planning to purchase a home, I would suggest that you look anywhere EXCEPT Oak Ridge. The property tax is MUCH, MUCH higher here than any of the surrounding towns and when shopping, the sales tax is higher in Oak Ridge than in any surrounding town!!

Also, there is quite a bit of petty theft here, and I personally don't feel safe going to Walmart or the grocery store or even the doctor's office! If you move here, just make sure that you are always aware of your surroundings and always keep your car doors locked, even when you are IN the car!!

It's not all petty, either. Some of it is big time theft. It's only going to get worse, too. The town is very large area-wise and in my opinion, not easy to police. But, also in my opinion, the biggest problem in the county is the court system. The police catch 'em and they're back out on the streets. I keep saying drug DEALERS aren't responsible for crimes that impact ordinary law abiding citizens. Drug USERS are. Drug dealers aren't snatching puses and breaking into people's homes, drug users are. Drug dealers aren't shoplifting and robbing banks, drug users are. Drug dealers hurt/kill other people within the drug culture. Users hurt ordinary people.

Obama wanted states to weigh in on shovel-ready projects? Tennessee should have jumped in with building a drug user prison and then changed the law so they'd do serious time. The bleeding hearts want to rehab them? Rehab them in prison.

[bebette]

Originally Posted by LauraC

It's not all petty, either. Some of it is big time theft. It's only going to get worse, too. The town is very large area-wise and in my opinion, not easy to police. But, also in my opinion, the biggest problem in the county is the court system. The police catch 'em and they're back out on the streets. I keep saying drug DEALERS aren't responsible for crimes that impact ordinary law abiding citizens. Drug USERS are. Drug dealers aren't snatching puses and breaking into people's homes, drug users are. Drug dealers aren't shoplifting and robbing banks, drug users are. Drug dealers hurt/kill other people within the drug culture. Users hurt ordinary people.

Obama wanted states to weigh in on shovel-ready projects? Tennessee should have jumped in with building a drug user prison and then changed the law so they'd do serious time. The bleeding hearts want to rehab them? Rehab them in prison.

AMEN!!!!!

[leonard]

Originally Posted by LauraC

It's not all petty, either. Some of it is big time theft. It's only going to get worse, too. The town is very large area-wise and in my opinion, not easy to police. But, also in my opinion, the biggest problem in the county is the court system. The police catch 'em and they're back out on the streets. I keep saying drug DEALERS aren't responsible for crimes that impact ordinary law abiding citizens. Drug USERS are. Drug dealers aren't snatching puses and breaking into people's homes, drug users are. Drug dealers aren't shoplifting and robbing banks, drug users are. Drug dealers hurt/kill other people within the drug culture. Users hurt ordinary people.

Obama wanted states to weigh in on shovel-ready projects? Tennessee should have jumped in with building a drug user prison and then changed the law so they'd do serious time. The bleeding hearts want to rehab them? Rehab them in prison.

I heard someone talking about a "12 step" program for drug users.

Humm, how many steps up a scaffold?

[camp_steveo]

Oak Ridge is great.

[Thoroughbred1]

We are relocating to East TN (working in Fountain City), and was leaning towards buying a home in Oak Ridge because of the schools (both academics and sports programs). However, I am concerned about the commute into Fountain City each day. For those that are familiar with the the area, how would that commute be daily? Also, is the commute from Maryville to Fountain City any better?