East Knoxville....the bad area ? (Morristown, Newport: appointed, crime, mobile home) - Tennessee (TN) - City-Data Forum

hoosier07 · 03-14-2007, 05:31 AM

Hello folks, as I mentioned before, I may have to relocate to East Tennessee due to a job transfer....I REALLY like the idea

however, we're city people living in Indianapolis and growing up in the city. I understand the concerns of everybody on this forum, people from the city, move to the rural areas of East TN and try to change things....this is not right and you're correct to complain. Since I know that we will not be happy in a total rural area, however, we like the mountains, lakes and quality of life with nature around, I believe living in East Knoxville and commuting to the Morristown area is perhaps the best option for my family. I'm in my mid 30's, married with a 3 Year old boy. We like the simple life and more time with family and friends. Anyway, I was disappointed to find out that the East area of Knoxville is the one with the highest crime / old houses / bad schools. Is there any area that I could consider ? Or any town in the outskirts of East Knoxville ? I was considering Kodak but also heard it's the Meth City of East TN. Perhaps Strawberry Plains ??? Any suggestions or tips ??? The worst case, I will move to Morristown, which is a city with 25,000 people and would be in between Tri-cities and Knoxville, perhaps that's the best solution. Suggestions REALLY appreciated.

JMT · 03-14-2007, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoosier07

Hello folks, as I mentioned before, I may have to relocate to East Tennessee due to a job transfer....I REALLY like the idea

however, we're city people living in Indianapolis and growing up in the city. I understand the concerns of everybody on this forum, people from the city, move to the rural areas of East TN and try to change things....this is not right and you're correct to complain. Since I know that we will not be happy in a total rural area, however, we like the mountains, lakes and quality of life with nature around, I believe living in East Knoxville and commuting to the Morristown area is perhaps the best option for my family. I'm in my mid 30's, married with a 3 Year old boy. We like the simple life and more time with family and friends. Anyway, I was disappointed to find out that the East area of Knoxville is the one with the highest crime / old houses / bad schools. Is there any area that I could consider ? Or any town in the outskirts of East Knoxville ? I was considering Kodak but also heard it's the Meth City of East TN. Perhaps Strawberry Plains ??? Any suggestions or tips ??? The worst case, I will move to Morristown, which is a city with 25,000 people and would be in between Tri-cities and Knoxville, perhaps that's the best solution. Suggestions REALLY appreciated.

This is fun to watch your thought processes; I seem to recall that you had previously decided to go ahead and live in Morristown. I think you're wise to want to consider East Knoxville.

Now, there's East Knoxville (run-down neighborhood) and EAST Knoxville (suburbs). If you don't want to live in the country, then avoid Kodak and Strawberry Plains. They're not even towns, they're just areas with some mobile home parks and a few homes with a post office. Very rural.

But the area just east of Knoxville Center Mall is booming. Take Millertown Pike and keep going east. At one time, Knoxville Center Mall was out in the middle of nowhere, but that part of Knoxville is finally growing, and it's convenient to I-640 and I-40.

Otherwise, in East Knoxville is my favorite neighborhood in the entire county: Holston Hills. It was developed in the 1950s or so, it ranges from small bungalows to large estates. It's very hilly, and it's all built around a beautiful golf course. It's just off Asheville Highway (Hwy 70) so you're in the city but right off I-40.

hoosier07 · 03-14-2007, 09:24 AM

Thank you for the comments on the East suburbs of knoxville, I will definitely check it out around the Center Mall area and Millertown Pike going east. Really thanks for the tips and letting me know that Kodak and Straw. Plains are rural areas. I'll take a trip there and check.

mbmouse · 03-14-2007, 10:04 AM

You also have to look at your commute to M'town from this area, 11E is the straightest shot, but it is well travels 4 lane road with stop lights and many intersection to slow down your travel. The other is 40 which goes kinda out and around to Mo'town and you are looking at an hour each way minimum.
Just my 2 cents worth

bfskinnerpunk · 05-28-2007, 06:49 PM

I also highly recommend east Knoxville. West Knoxville has almost no character at all. It looks like the zillions of newer Orlando neighborhoods that have sprung up everywhere.

I moved here a year ago, and fell in love with Holston Hills. It has many fancy, vintage homes from the 1920's to the 1960's, and it has some modest homes as well.

The greatest thing is the beauty of the neighborhood. I think it would be impossible to recreate. Massively tall trees everywhere... it's like the neighborhood is hidden in a lovely forest. This place is still affordable, too. It is possible that the "east Knoxville" reputation is keeping the price down...which is fine with me because I could never afford this neighborhood otherwise.

The troubling part of "east knoxville" is the part that is very close to downtown knoxville...and it only exists for about 4 miles east of downtown. Even then, there are plenty of nice neighborhoods within that 4 miles.

In Holston Hills, I never see stragglers or suspicious folks...just neighbors taking walks.

I've never seen a neighborhood where you can live in a neighborhood and yet feel like you have total privacy (due to the hills, woods and other greenery).

hoosier07 · 05-30-2007, 06:39 AM

Thank you very much for your comment on Holston Hills...I was there two weeks ago and really loved it.....we're also looking at some subdvision on 11E.

NCTNOH · 05-30-2007, 11:56 AM

If you're worried about safety, just call the police dept. when considering different neighborhoods. Read the crime column in the newspapers to see where the problems are. I lived in a very nice neighborhood but found I was between two families who called the police on each other. Visit the local schools or look at their websites and see if they appeal to you. Talk to the principals and the kindergarten teachers. Find out where the teachers send THEIR kids to school. My experience is that the realtors tend to direct all the newcomers to the same sub-divisions. Good luck.

daniellefort · 05-30-2007, 12:16 PM

I did an extensive seach in East TN before we bought our property as my husband will probably work in Morristown. We bought in Newport about 30 minutes away and though i was told by several people that this was a "bad area" I talked with residents there, workers, did my statistic research and followed the newspaper online for quite some time before making our decision to buy there. apparently, it's in a county with a bad history that goes way back that can't be forgotten but this particular town I believe is up and coming and through my research, the city is trying to change what it's known for. Haven't looked much into the schools as we're not moving until school is no longer an issue for us. Don't get me wrong though, south end of this county is pretty rural and if the history still stands, I believe it's at that end of the county where the drugs are. I bought in a very nice subdivison with very minimal restrictions even allowing farm animals but enough restrictions to make sure there will always be nice homes in the area and yet enough land with each lot. no lots under 1.5 acres along the river and many up around 6 acres or more. It's 5 miles outside of town. We found this subdivision by accident and fell in love with the views and location was great. Point being, I was told not to buy in a specific area but after i did my own research, i found my little piece of heaven there. It's great to get some feedback on general areas to avoid but i was under the impression when i was searching that the entire county was bad which turned out only parts were. Good luck on your search.

hoosier07 · 05-30-2007, 06:28 PM

Thanks for your comments.....I may be working in Morristown too....negotiating now....let's see

NCTNOH · 06-16-2007, 07:52 AM

Good luck to all of you moving to east TN. Join the rest of the Florida crowd being directed to Newport/Cocke County. Yes, it has a bad reputation but has some nice folks. The land is cheaper than on the western side of Gatlinburg. Get your Florida car tags off your car ASAP and just be friendly. Don't openly criticize or make fun of the people who live where you chose to move. Be sure to get some Southern manners (open doors for women and the elderly and say "yes, ma'am and "no, ma'am). I'm not kidding. As a native southerner having lived in the north for a time, I appreciated the difference when I returned.