So Cal to TN relocation -- Crime concerns?

Originally Posted by WestEndGirl26

Hi -- I have lived in So Calif all my life and am looking for a change of scene with more greenery, four seasons and more affordable housing/lifestyle. I'm single (divorced) in my 50's, and want to be near city amenities but living in an area with open spaces and nature. I love mountains, hiking, rivers, waterfalls, and am a landscape photography buff.

I had narrowed it down to the Knoxville or Chattanooga, TN area, or Greenville, SC, possibly Fort Mill. Was getting excited, but something called my attention to crime statistics, and all these locations seem to have a lot of crime compared to areas I have lived. It may be a reason they are not on as many "best places to live" lists as I would think they would be based on other attractive factors.

I'm writing here to get opinions from residents. Does crime impact you personally? Are there communities near Knoxville that feel safe? Maryville? Was planning to visit soon but got a little spooked by some pretty surprising statistics I read, and you really can't tell a lot about crime from a 2 week visit.

Also, any So Cal transplants that have opinions on 'culture shock' warnings? I'm not extremely conservative or liberal, but not a church attender. It seems to me we are an increasingly mobile country, so culture may be 'melding' and not as much of an issue. More so in cities though and not suburbs?

Thank you!!