The people of east Tennessee? (Knoxville, Maryville: appointed, coupon, neighborhood)

[MagellanTX]

Hello all,

First off, I like the posts here. There are some honest opinions and a lot of people are going out of their way to offer advice and provide information. I wish some of the other forums were as diligent. The good news is that my question doesn’t require a ton of information but rather people’s observation and experience.

I’m very seriously considering moving to the Knoxville/Maryville area. I’ve been reading many of these forum posts and they do a good job at helping me identify the cities I think I’d be most interested in but I haven’t found anything that really describes the people. In particular values and morals.

What are the people of east Tennessee like? I am looking for good down-to-earth people who’d rather sit outside and communicate instead of burying their faces in cell phones and game consoles. I’m not looking for redneck (I have plenty of that where I live now) but just honest people who know there’s more to life than the daily routine of work, eat, sleep.

[Serious Conversation]

Most people are friendly and there is a good outdoor culture.

Faces buried in phones is common everywhere - probably no more or less common in east TN.

[Barking Spider]

I have found the people of East Tennessee are really no different than any other city I have visited, or lived in, in the US. You will find very friendly people, and you will find jerks. You can find rednecks, political and religious fanatics, and gun fanatics. Just like any other city. Also, down to earth, give the shirt off their back to a total stranger types as well.
It really depends on what places you frequent, and who you associate with, or have the bad luck to be in line with at whatever place you happen to be. There are no "NO JERK Zones" around.
With almost a half million people in the greater Knoxville area (including Maryville), you will find just about any and every personality type imaginable.
Like Serious Conversation said, you can't really go anywhere without seeing people face deep in their phones.

East Tennessee is a great place to live, but if you are looking for Mayberry, you won't find it here.

[MagellanTX]

Thank you for your responses! I figured it would be a mix of all types but I let me ask the question a different way, are there areas where groups of people tend to cluster?

For instance, in the city I live now, the more affluent people live in the north/north-west and you start to see more of the self-centered variety. Even though there’s plenty of great people there it’s the area where you’d expect to find the “look at what I got” person.

The east generally sees more crime.

I live in the far north-east part of the city which is more bible-belt oriented. We have our fair share of jerks just like any other place but I find the people to be more open and “real” (if that makes sense).

[Barking Spider]

Thats a tough one as well. While there are a lot of McMansions out west (Farragut), there is also a lot of big $$$ in Sequoia Hills, Holston Hills, and all along Northshore from far west, all the way to UT.
If you go downtown and walk around Market Square and Gay Street, and venture into the Old City, you will see a huge diversity. Almost impossible to pigeon hole the people into any one group.

You could probably hit a specific demographic if you went into REI and Whole Foods, and slide into another if you visited McKay's Books (yet there would be some overlap). Same goes for Trader Joes! I go to Casual Pint a lot, and would not even try to figure out the diversity of lifestyles, and or political/religious views there. Nor do I try.

You indicated you are looking for "good down-to-earth people who’d rather sit outside and communicate instead of burying their faces in cell phones and game consoles". Are you looking for these types to be neighbors, or be in the same place and strike up conversations? If you are looking for a neighborhood full of these types, I think you are going to be disappointed. I don't think that many people hang out in their front yards and porches chewing the fat with neighbors (a whole neighborhood).

If you are looking for a place to go to find these types, its not that hard.
In my work I typically meet 4 - 6 new people every day. I develop a lot of three hour friendships. My point is, I find it very easy to engage strangers, so its not uncommon for me to strike up conversations when I am out to dinner or drinks, in line at stores, or at Market Square for example. Generally, you will have a better chance of meeting someone like minded if there is a common ground.

I think you will find that most people in the Knoxville area are very nice. However, there are jerks everywhere.

[creeksitter]

are there areas where groups of people tend to cluster?

Sounds like Market square. Everybody clusters there. All kinds of people.

I could make broad location generalizations but they wouldn't be entirely accurate. Best advice is to land a job first and start from there. It sounds like you'll be joining a church so you can choose one with an active social program.

[builderofbonsai]

We have just moved to the area. We checked around different areas around the Knoxville area when we were looking for where to buy our house. We went to stores and stuff in the areas we were checking out to live and talked to all kinds of people, from store clerks to customers, etc. Just making general chit chat and asking questions about the area. Most people were very nice and accommodating, giving us info on the area and what they thought about the area. We finally settled on Lenoir City, where everyone seemed more laid back and friendly. We still run into some jerks, but, we like the country like setting of where we live, but are still close to everything we need. Our neighbors seem to be very nice, we chat and wave when we see each other in the yard, but we are still so new that we haven't made any friends yet. Too busy working on the house, I guess. The thing I haven't gotten used to yet, is whenever we meet or talk to anyone (even the plumber, electrician, etc), is that after introductions, everyone pretty much asks if we have found a church yet. I just found it amusing that everyone has asked!

I hope you find what you are looking for. This area is so beautiful, with lots to do if you love the outdoors. I still have to learn more about the area, what it has to offer, but, I believe that it will be what I want to make it!

[KathiOH1]

Just had our friend from Uganda visit. He has been all over the US and gave us his opinion of Knoxville. This is what he observed.

He was overwhelmed by the friendliness of the people. Putting it bluntly, he's REALLY dark and was pleasantly surprised that people struck up conversation while waiting in line for ice cream or while walking the local Greenway. He said it was quite different from the north, and big cities.

He also noticed the heavy southern accent and the casual dress. I thought he was pointing out that we're not stylish, but what he said was that we dressed more "appropriately" as in not showing hooters and butt cheeks and bellies like Cali and NY. He liked it.

He also noticed that Knoxville was more business casual. Maryville was more athletic. I concluded that was because Maryville is closer to the mountains and so many of us down here go hiking for fun rather than hanging out at Market Square or someplace in Knoxville.

You'll see rebel flags on cars (and yes, trucks) not because people are rebels in the historical sense but because that is the mascot of Maryville HS. There is some prejudice here, not different than anywhere else. Some bash blacks. Some bash whites. Some bash those damn yankies (lol) ...

Most of us have cell phones, so you're not going to get away from that except in the Smokies where cell signal doesn't exist. We still bring our phones though, because the views are picture-worthy!

[High Altitude]

What I really like is most people are looking out for each other. They stick together.

I can't tell you how many times I have gone to purchase something and when I get to the register the person looks at what I am buying and tells me about a much better deal, here is a coupon and I walk out spending much less money.

Everybody shares information to help each other out.

In lots of other places I have lived, this doesn't happen at all.

[KathiOH1]

So rue, High Altitude. When a car stopped in front of us and got out of the driver seat (at a stoplight) my visiting guest inhaled and then as the guy got back into his car, he said, "I wss afraid he was going to grab a gun from the back." I laughed and said, "that's funny! I was about to ask if you wanted to help the guy push his car out of the intersection. He was just checking a tire."