Moving to Knoxville soon

[spyfish007]

That might play a factor into what I’ve heard then. I guess the metrics that schools are graded on are trending in the wrong direction. What’s going on with the kids there?

It has been this way for a long time. The difference is the internet and more people being aware of it. There could be fewer kids in the advanced classes if more high tech families are not living in Oak Ridge.

 

[Coug]

I am fine with a slightly more rural area. I live in Elizabethton now so a short commute for entertainment is ok, just as long as the necessities are readily available such as grocery stores and basic shopping for everyday incidentals

Strawberry Plains is not bad and it's a slightly more rural area. You could find some fair priced housing and the school district is mostly Carter. I have no idea how they are ranked. It does put you slightly outside downtown Knoxville.
If you want West Knoxville but not Farragut you might lean towards Hardin Valley/Karns area also going slightly south on Pellissippi but not all the way into Maryville/Alcoa you can find some fair house prices. The schools for that area and around Westland Dr. are Northshore Elementary, West Valley Middle, Bearden High School.

I'm with others on Oak Ridge. Most people live in Knoxville/Knox County and commute to Oak Ridge for jobs, same thing for Maryville/Alcoa. At the end of the day they drive back home to the Knoxville area. The majority of your shopping and better restaurants are located in the Knox County area as opposed to Oak Ridge.

 

[ConantheVolbarian]

I dont understand the prejudice against Oak Ridge I'm seeing here. It seems like a nice, quiet town that has everything you really need. It seems like houses are cheaper there too.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Is the strawberry plains area a good area?

There's nothing at all wrong with Strawberry Plains/Carter. But if your work is out west you'll be commuting an hour or hour and a half round trip per day. Somebody mentioned Ebenezer Road area. That and the Bluegrass Road areas are great ideas with a lot of houses that aren't crazy expensive. There are lots of subdivisions out that way. If you want a more rural area out west then Karns/Oak Ridge Highway area is a good choice.

 

[Go aeiou]

I dont understand the prejudice against Oak Ridge I'm seeing here. It seems like a nice, quiet town that has everything you really need. It seems like houses are cheaper there too.

I was born there in 52. I was last there about six years ago. Most of the houses were built in the eary 40s as temporary houses for the 70,000 people who came to work there. Some of the houses are very delapidated while others have been well maintained.
FWIW, Structurally I would take one of those houses over a house built in a county in TN that does not have building inspections.

If you consider OR resesrch the schools. My understanding is orhs is no longer in thetop ten in the state.They all seem to bewhere the wealth is.
Houses are moving slowly in OR so prices are still reasonable.

 

[OldandStillaVol]

I dont understand the prejudice against Oak Ridge I'm seeing here. It seems like a nice, quiet town that has everything you really need. It seems like houses are cheaper there too.

Grew up there in the 60's/70's and had family there until my dad, passed away earlier this year. I haven't lived there as an adult but keep in touch a bit with some old friends. These are my impressions of OR. School system good but not hugely different from other good quality schools around Knoxville. Housing widely varied - from shacks to wealthy newer neighborhoods on the perimeter of the town. Had some bad problems with drug trafficking and the crime involved with that - not sure if that has been cleaned up or not. Commercial downtown area struggling to compete with Turkey Creek. People are very friendly, a bit on the older side. Fine for a low key, family environment as long as you stay away from the bad neighborhoods.