Anyone from the Knoxville, TN area??

[SRTcracka]

I am seriously considering the idea of relocating to TN within the next year. I would like to get some info and/or opinions from people that live in the area...like cost of living, employment opportunities, people, housing market, emission checks, taxes, etc. I've always loved visiting the area, and have wanted to live there most of my life. There seem to be a lot more manufacturing industries in the Knoxville area, which is where most of my career experience is based in, than here in NW Florida.

Florida's high cost of living, low wages, hurricanes, lack of employment opportunities, high property tax and high insurance premiums are beginning to out weigh the desire to live here, and thanks to Gov.Crist, it's only going to get worse in the upcoming years.

Any info you TN guys can give me that may help me to make my decision will be greatly appreciated. TIA

 

[SchuettS]

I was down in TN for about a week a year ago to ride motorcycles. Its beautiful down there! I would also like to relocate down there sometime in my lifetime.

 

[TNVIPER]

I am about 90 miles NE of Knoxville in Kingsport.

If you like big city living Knoxville has everything. Cost of living is not bad but dont expect income to be real high...but with a lower cost of living you do not need it.

You should consider Kingsport. Smaller town but we are in what is called the Tri-Cities....Kingsport, Johnson City & Bristol...so anything you want is available and the 3 cities are only about 20 minutes apart... Cost of living is very low. Kingsport was chosen as one of the top 10 places to move to in the U.S. this past year. We are a manufacturing town with TN Eastman Chemical being the largest employer.

Both cities are great..just depends really if you like fighting heavy traffic and crowds or a more laid back living..

 

[SRTcracka]

Thanks for the info TNVIPER! I will definitely look into that area as well. I like the big city life, but prefer to live on the outside of it.

What are the geographics of the area? Lots of hills or flat land? Are there a lot of places to ride fourwheelers and stuff like that?

 

[JTS VENOM PERFORMANCE]

Anywhere up in the kingsport area is cool, really cool in the winter

its a really good area, only a hop skip to Ashville nc, couple three hours from charlotte, close to gaffney and spartanburg sc, and close to knoxvill, and even kentucky if ya cut thru the woods.

should be plenty of trail ridin in the area too.

money jsut depends on what you are actually into bo

 

[WILDMAN]

WILDMAN

I live about 45 minutes North od Knoxville. There is no emissions check here. There is alot of manufacturing and construction going on right now. Oak Ridge always has alot of work opportunities. Taxes here are 8 3/4 % range with no city or state tax.
You can't find a better place to live if you like to ride motorcycles, hunt, fish, hike, or any other outdoor activity. Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Dolly Wood, Big South Fork park, as well as some of the best car shows and GTG's you will find anywhere. I love it here.

Wade

 

[FATJACK]

Tennessee is a great place to live, lots to do, lots to see.
I'm in Chattanooga which is in the lower SE corner of the state, been here all my life and really like it. Not sure about wonderful employment opportunities
real estate and manufacturing are down at the present like so much of the country. Oh yeah Tennessee has no State Income Tax.:rock: :rock:

 

[Roz]

I live in Chattanooga w/ FATJACK.

As others have said, the cost of living is low, but the median income is relative. Knoxville is a good sized city, I'm pretty certain you'll find a good job within Knoxville itself or somewhere close by. I'm also fairly certain the housing market in Knoxville is favorable to a buyer, not a seller. That's probably the same story everywhere though. Chattanooga has emissions testing, but that easily solved by keeping your stock mids, just reinstall at test time. As Jack said, there is no state income witheld on your paycheck. There are extra "common" natural disasters either. There are lots of hills/valleys, so watch out for "flood zones". Knoxville also has alot to offer as far as recreational activities are concerned. Theres a few malls, a zoo, and several lakes. And if you enjoy consuming adult beverages and live music and the occasional naked woman there is many many many many places to indulge thyself. (Not that I know, I've only "heard" )

Oh, and one more thing. If you move to Knoxville, TN . . . You are obligated to become a UT fan. If not, you will be booted out of any neighborhood, apartment complex or Wal-Mart Supercenter. :rock:

Good luck, let me know if there anything I can do for ya.

 

[FATJACK]

Well he doesn't actually live WITH me. But you know, he does have a cute ass.

 

[SRTcracka]

Well he doesn't actually live WITH me. But you know, he does have a cute ass.

LOL...that's probably a little TOO much information!


Thanks for the "relevant" information though guys! :rock: :rock: I'm excited about finally taking the first steps on the move....now if I could just find a good job...

 

[FATJACK]

What field are you interested in?

 

[GriffsSRT]

As said before tennessee is a great place to live now what jack and Roz have going on I am not sure but i live in Chattanooga too. Knox is a pretty good place to live it is growing fast though. If you ever need anything orange you can find it there!!!! Alot of people live on the out skerts of knox. It is gorgeous any direction so you will have alot to choose from.

 

[Roz]

As said before tennessee is a great place to live now what jack and Roz have going on I am not sure but i live in Chattanooga too. Knox is a pretty good place to live it is growing fast though. If you ever need anything orange you can find it there!!!! Alot of people live on the out skerts of knox. It is gorgeous any direction so you will have alot to choose from.

Always more fun with more people . . . :dontknow:

Back on topic (Sorry!). . . As Jack said, what type of manufacturing do you do?

 

[OCBob]

Tennessee, Tennessee, ain't no place I'd rather be.....................

I wouldn't mind relocating to Tennessee myself, it's a beautiful place for sure. Maybe someday.

 

[SRTcracka]

I worked at Honeywell Friction Materials (Bendix Brakes) for 9 years...3.5 years as a Processor and 5.5 years as an Operations Coordinator. Honeywell didn't like being in the OE friction materials business (low profit margin), so after several unsuccessful attempts to sell us, they decided to close down our facility (Lynn Haven), and dispurse the products between their other plants in Cleaveland, TN, China and Mexico....out-sourcing at it's finest. Our plant was not climate controlled, so they had a heck of a time trying to keep the processes in check, and scrap low. We have hot humid days, and cool drier night...not to mention the plant was about 200yds from the bay...almost impossible to control products that are sensative to 1 degree temp variations. :dontknow:

Anyway, I got out right before it closed....went to work for Gulf Power Company...been there about three years now. Good place to work, but there's not much overtime, and not much room for advancement without a college degree. Plus, like I said before, the cost of living here is getting ridiculous! I figured this would be my best chance to try to start over again and live somewhere I really want to live, and that has more oppotunity in my field of expertise.

Do yall no of any good companies in the area that I should send resumes to first?

 

[Roz]

FYI, Cleveland, TN is just 25-ish miles north of Chattanooga, TN . . .

To answer your question about whom to send resumes to, I only know of two (I know there's loads more - Google is your friend )

1) TVA: Tennessee Valley Authority They provide power electric power for the entire state and part of the surrounding states. They mainly work through hydro-electric dams and nuclear reactors. They also manage flood control.

http://www.tva.gov/

2) Oak Ridge Y-12 Security Complex or K-25 Plant or Oak Ridge National Labratory. All of the places listed deal with nuclear research and engineering. You'll need to do a google search or wikipedia search to educate yourself further. I don't really know all that much about them. The K-25 plant is also the site where the Atom Bomb was made.

http://www.ornl.gov/

Good luck!

 

[TNVIPER]

Here is a link that should answer your questions about the Kingsport area..

http://www.movetokingsport.com/







.

 

[SRTcracka]

That's a good site! Thanks.

 

[GriffsSRT]

Well man I work in the Inustrial field. From here (Chattanooga) to Kingsport you have more choices that you can shake a stick at. Eastman, TVA, Huber, Dupont, BASF, Kimberly Clark, Dow, Omnova .........etc..... They are all in this area, it really matters where you want to live and how much you want to drive. I have some insite a quite a few of these places. Do your research and find out were exactly you are going to live and possible work and I can get all the info you want.

Griff:rock: :rock: :rock: