Knoxville, TN

[NewVolunteer]

I'll be moving to Knoxville in the Fall to work on my MA in English at UT. I'm from Texas, so I don't know a thing about Tennessee. Any information regarding Knoxville as a city (things to do, public transportation, parks, climate) and UT as an institution for grad students would be much appreciated! I'm also looking for someplace to live that's close enough to campus to ride my bike. I'm not big on cars. Is living downtown/close to campus doable on grad student money?

[firecolon]

I've been there a few times. I can try to answer your questions.

• 
  Knoxville has among the lowest costs of living in the country.
  
  Having a bike is a good idea. The roads are largely mountainous and the traffic is worse than in Nashville or Memphis (despite a smaller population).
  
  Compared to Texas, the summers are more tolerable, but still hot. The winters are much colder and they get snow every year, but not a whole lot of it like they would in the mountains. The weather is really nice in the spring and the fall because it is much less humid than the east coast or east Texas.
  
  I am not very familiar with public transportation in Knoxville. If you choose not to bring a car, you might be just fine with a bike since Knoxville isn't very big. But if you need food or errands, you would probably need to live close to a Kroger or Walmart.
  
  The World Fair Sunsphere recently reopened for tourists, but aside from that I don't know much about the parks. Knoxville is the third-largest city in Tennessee so I expect that there would be plenty of things to do.
  

Culturally and historically, Tennessee is very similar to Texas and if you like it in Texas, you will definitely like Tennessee. East Tennessee is a beautiful place and they get a lot of tourists (e.g. Smokey Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, fall colors, etc). It is also (as I said earlier) really cheap, so unless they're paying you like a slave, I have no doubt that you will find a place close to campus. But the middle part of the city is a little bit crowded because of geographical constraints and construction, but I don't think that will be too much of a problem either.

Let me know if you have any more questions. I will be in Knoxville again for a conference on Saturday so I might know more after that.

[polisciphd]

All I know is that their football team is lousy. ROLL TIDE!

(Sorry, you will have to get used to this going to an SEC school)

[NewVolunteer]

Thanks for the info fire! I'm thinking that the combo of low cost of living and proximity to beautiful countryside will do me well. I didn't know that traffic was a big issue, but hopefully having a bike will alleviate that sort of stress. Culturally it sounds like I'll be right at home coming from Texas. As for tidefan's remarks, I did my undergrad work at the University of Texas at Austin so I'm well-versed in the football barbs from the Okies and the Aggies. Thanks for making me feel right at home! Hah! Thanks folks...

[firecolon]

I visited the University of Texas at Austin last September. The University of Texas is bigger, warmer, and flatter but aside from that I thought the two schools were actually very similar. It's not like you're moving to a totally different place, and there are plenty.

I'm actually in the Knoxville area right now and it's been storming. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[firecolon]

The campus is a lot like the University of Texas, except that there are more hills. The weather was warm and dry (unlike the steamy east coast) and the people were incredibly nice. The administration of the school is among the few weaknesses - not the department of your major but at the higher levels. I don't think this is anything to be scared about though.

One more thing: The people at the University of Tennessee worship Peyton Manning as it is their birthright. They also mostly dislike Tom Brady. So be careful when discussing that with the locals.

[NewVolunteer]

I appreciate all the info! It's seeming to me more and more that Tennessee is going to be very similar to Texas. UT-Austin was extremely difficult to manage on the administrative end, too. As I said before, my biggest concern is finding someplace to live close to campus. If Knoxville is anything like Austin, parking on campus will be a tall order, so the closer the better. By the way, if you end up deciding on UT-Austin, feel free to post any questions on here. I don't know a whole lot about the graduate school, but I know Austin as a city very well. I lived there for eight years and pretty well covered all corners. It's a great town! Anyway, thanks again. I'll make sure to wear a Peyton Manning jersey on campus my first day in town. Hah!

[SilverHammer314]

As an undergrad at UT, I can confirm that bikes are popular. I do not bike, because the campus is quite hilly ("The Hill", for one) and I'm just not a biker. There are motorized scooters and such, which I imagine would be ideal. As for the roads outside of campus, they are not mountainous. I use I-40 almost exclusively to get everywhere I want to go and, as you can imagine, it's like any other interstate. With the exception of the revamping of the downtown area this summer, traffic is not a problem - at least not anything like it is in Nashville. If you're at all familiar with I-24 through Nashville, you know it's riddled with construction (and has been for several years) and the main highways and thoroughfares are quite unmanageable. This is not the case at all in Knoxville. Aside from the obvious rush hour traffic, I've never had any issues. This goes for downtown and the old city too, which is preferable to that of Nashville, in my mind.

Also, while summers are absolutely warm and the winters cold, it does not snow with any regularity at all. In fact, longtime residents have told me they do not recall ever having snow days during school. This winter, it snowed maybe twice, with little to no accumulation, and was melted by midday. The idea that it snows often here is a misconception. I do find the weather pleasant nearly all the time, as we often have a strong breeze from the mountains that cools hot days and pushes storms out quickly.

As far as living goes, I wouldn't say you'd be completely set with simply a bike. Do you plan on living very close to campus? While certainly affordable, these places are often the most expensive and the least desirable in and around Knoxville - at least for someone intending to make a life outside of the undergrad scene. Places like Fort Sanders come to mind, which has recently experienced a rash of crime, although I would still make note that Knoxville is quite safe on the whole.

I live about 5 minutes from campus near Alcoa. The traffic is never bad and you can find homes for very reasonable prices in the area. Places on the west side of town are considerably further away and nicer on the whole. As a non-biker, I can't imagine riding from my home or from anywhere else but right on campus, although I admittedly don't know how far people who bike normally travel. Public transportation is more than adequate, as I have friends similarly distant from campus who regularly take KAT (Knoxville Area Transport) and don't have problems. The university also operates a robust bus system.

Not sure if you're still interested, but it may be helpful to others.

[NewVolunteer]

Thanks for the added info! I'm planning a trip to Knoxville this weekend, so I'll keep what you've said in mind. Personally I've found that I do vastly better academically when I live within walking/biking distance to school, so more than likely I'll be living as close to campus as possible. However, if I can find something significantly more affordable a little further out but still on the bus route, I might have to consider it. Money is really my biggest concern right now, as the funding package is a little bit on the lean side. From what I've heard though the cost of living in Knoxville is very low, so hopefully it'll work out. I'll definitely look into Alcoa and the other places a bit further south though. And thanks again!

[jlloyd87]

I was also planning on taking a bike and using the Knoxville public transit when a bike won't be enough. Does anybody have any info on the Knoxville public transit? It is any good? Reliable?

[jlloyd87]

Is nobody applying to Tennessee!?!?!?

[The Wanderer]

I've lived in Knoxville for a little while now, and I've used public transportation off and on. The good news is that you can buy a student bus pass for about $50 per semester. If you plan to use the buses regularly, it's a good deal. Further, the buses run to pretty much every corner of the city. I live well west of campus but still have access to one of the lines. The buses aren't anything special and can be crowded at certain times of the day, but they're usually on time and will get you where you need to go. In my experience, don't expect to see many UT students riding the city buses though. It seems most people who live off campus commute in their own vehicles. Doing so is a viable option, as there are almost always open metered spaces on the west side of campus ($.25 = 1 hr and 40 mins).

As for biking, depending on where you end up living, it can be a real challenge. Knoxville is a city of hills! If you consider yourself a very strong rider, it shouldn't be a problem, but if you're a hack (like me), it's difficult to get anywhere that isn't relatively nearby. Also, while parts of the city are extremely bike-friendly, others are not at all. If you live west of campus, you'll find few sidewalks, fewer bike lanes, and even fewer secondary streets that will get you very far. It's pretty much Kingston Pike or bust, and riding a bike on the Pike is a suicide mission. But the weather is extremely moderate here (although it does seem to rain a lot), so being out of doors is pleasant for a good part of the year. All in all, I would guess that using a combination of the bus and your bike would work most of the time. It was my plan to do exactly that when I moved here, but the combination of cheap metered parking on campus and the intimidating hills/traffic has led to me using my car most of the time.

[jlloyd87]

I've lived in Knoxville for a little while now, and I've used public transportation off and on. The good news is that you can buy a student bus pass for about $50 per semester. If you plan to use the buses regularly, it's a good deal. Further, the buses run to pretty much every corner of the city. I live well west of campus but still have access to one of the lines. The buses aren't anything special and can be crowded at certain times of the day, but they're usually on time and will get you where you need to go. In my experience, don't expect to see many UT students riding the city buses though. It seems most people who live off campus commute in their own vehicles. Doing so is a viable option, as there are almost always open metered spaces on the west side of campus ($.25 = 1 hr and 40 mins).

As for biking, depending on where you end up living, it can be a real challenge. Knoxville is a city of hills! If you consider yourself a very strong rider, it shouldn't be a problem, but if you're a hack (like me), it's difficult to get anywhere that isn't relatively nearby. Also, while parts of the city are extremely bike-friendly, others are not at all. If you live west of campus, you'll find few sidewalks, fewer bike lanes, and even fewer secondary streets that will get you very far. It's pretty much Kingston Pike or bust, and riding a bike on the Pike is a suicide mission. But the weather is extremely moderate here (although it does seem to rain a lot), so being out of doors is pleasant for a good part of the year. All in all, I would guess that using a combination of the bus and your bike would work most of the time. It was my plan to do exactly that when I moved here, but the combination of cheap metered parking on campus and the intimidating hills/traffic has led to me using my car most of the time.

Thank you for all that information!!! That was far more than I knew already since the only person I know from Knoxville is my dept head, but he graduated in the 80's.

[capshaw]

Is nobody applying to Tennessee!?!?!?

I am applying to UT's Social Work Program... Haven't found too many ppl on here who are though. Are you looking into UT?

[Kathryn]

I applied to Tennessee and was accepted. I'm waiting to hear on money before I make a decision.

[PaperChaser]

Thanks for the added info! I'm planning a trip to Knoxville this weekend, so I'll keep what you've said in mind. Personally I've found that I do vastly better academically when I live within walking/biking distance to school, so more than likely I'll be living as close to campus as possible. However, if I can find something significantly more affordable a little further out but still on the bus route, I might have to consider it. Money is really my biggest concern right now, as the funding package is a little bit on the lean side. From what I've heard though the cost of living in Knoxville is very low, so hopefully it'll work out. I'll definitely look into Alcoa and the other places a bit further south though. And thanks again!

I grew up outside of Knoxville and went to Webb, so I'll throw in my 2 cents..

Unless you want to be in the middle of an eternal frat party, don't live "on campus." I think it's worth it to live in BIKING distance (i.e. Old Town) or RIGHT off Kingston Pike (they've changed all the interstate stuff the past few years, so my references may be obsolete) to avoid having to buy a parking pass, because even if you get one, you'll still have a LOT of walking to do! I think K-Ville's been cleaned up/restored enough over the past few years that taking the bus for a SHORT distance is safe. I would not recommend living too far from downtown because the traffic is INSANE with all the road work. (It's always been bad.) The cost of living isn't bad, and you do have the opportunity to occasionally see good bands, sports, etc. It's a typical flagship school in a lot of ways. I'll second the person who said don't bring up Vols sports unless you have something nice to say...Tennesseans are quite territorial about their sports!

Try Craigslist for a place to live. I'd say anything downtown or in Old Town or immediately off Kingston Pike is pretty safe. You shouldn't have to pay more than $600-700 to have something pretty nice downtown.

[jlloyd87]

I am applying to UT's Social Work Program... Haven't found too many ppl on here who are though. Are you looking into UT?

This was my top choice, but I was rejected.

[avatarofabs]

I'm currently trying to decide if I should except a fellowship offer from UTK's English PhD program. Unfortunately I'm living in Seoul (not Korean, just an American working as an editor/writer here), which makes visiting any city in the USA impossible AND finding a decent apartment a huge hassle.

Does anyone know what sort of housing is available for graduate students? How about living close to Cumberland Avenue? I don't have a car and have NO desire to get one, hills or no hills. I'm not a "biker" but I'm in very good shape so I could manage if absolutely necessary.

[natalou]

I'm currently trying to decide if I should except a fellowship offer from UTK's English PhD program. Unfortunately I'm living in Seoul (not Korean, just an American working as an editor/writer here), which makes visiting any city in the USA impossible AND finding a decent apartment a huge hassle.

Does anyone know what sort of housing is available for graduate students? How about living close to Cumberland Avenue? I don't have a car and have NO desire to get one, hills or no hills. I'm not a "biker" but I'm in very good shape so I could manage if absolutely necessary.

I just finished my undergrad in Knoxville and I lived in Shelbourne Towers, which is actually on campus (but the property itself is private) and I STILL found it absolutely necessary to have a car. Anyone I know who did not have one got by by catching rides with someone else. The biggest reason for me is because the nearest grocery store is at least 10 minutes away.

Knoxville is just one of those cities where you need a car. There are lots of students who ride their bikes around campus (myself included!), but not much further. Anywhere you go from campus, you will have to encounter Kingston Pike, which starts out as a small 2 lane road with no bike lanes and sometimes no sidewalks. This road links the suburbs to the downtown area and is parallel to the interstate. It's poor planning because the traffic is heavy at rush hours and it is very unfriendly to bikers.

I only rode the city buses a few times and they are just okay. I didn't feel unsafe, but that is from a Memphis girl's perspective. It's not a great bus system, though. The timing is unreliable and too infrequent. However the campus has a great shuttle system like most college campuses do. It covers almost every inch of the campus and buses come every 5-10 minutes.

So I really do think a car is a must. There are so many great places in Knoxville to discover where the buses don't go, or don't go at night, that I would have hated to have missed out on! And there is nothing like a spontaneous road trip to the Smokey Mtn National Park!

Anyway, I loved Knoxville! I felt negatively about it when I first moved, but I quickly fell in love. It is such an interesting mix of your typical conservative southerners and young (and old!) hipsters. Great vibe. And the mountains are beautiful, of course.

Edited April 16, 2010 by natalou

[megumi85]

Bump!

I'm currently weighing offers and heavily leaning toward University of Tennessee. Unforunately, it's unlikely I'll be able to visit the area anytime before the fall, because I'm currently in Japan, and it would just be too expensive, especially right before the big move this fall. I'm trying to figure out a decent area to live in, preferably within biking distance to campus (though I would have a car for shopping / non-academic adventures, etc). Based on the comments on this thread I'm looking at places a little north of downtown and directly south of the university / river.

My question is - as far as the south side goes, how are the bridges that cross over for pedestrians and bikers? I tried checking google maps but I can't tell from the satellite images whether or not there are bike lanes / sidewalks on either the Henley St. / Chapman Hwy bridge or the S. Gay St. bridge. Is this a safe commute for bikers?

Thanks!

[fangsout]

Bump!

I'm currently weighing offers and heavily leaning toward University of Tennessee. Unforunately, it's unlikely I'll be able to visit the area anytime before the fall, because I'm currently in Japan, and it would just be too expensive, especially right before the big move this fall. I'm trying to figure out a decent area to live in, preferably within biking distance to campus (though I would have a car for shopping / non-academic adventures, etc). Based on the comments on this thread I'm looking at places a little north of downtown and directly south of the university / river.

My question is - as far as the south side goes, how are the bridges that cross over for pedestrians and bikers? I tried checking google maps but I can't tell from the satellite images whether or not there are bike lanes / sidewalks on either the Henley St. / Chapman Hwy bridge or the S. Gay St. bridge. Is this a safe commute for bikers?

Thanks!

First off, I hope you are safe and sound after the earthquake last night! such a tragedy.

Anyways, I just finished my MS at UT and am now working in the area. I would check www.rentutk.com for nice rentals close to campus. Renaissance 1 condos and Sullins Ridge Condos are nice and safe and very close to campus. message me what you are looking for and I can talk to the realtor that manages a ton of units close to campus.

To answer your question in a more general sense, Fort Sanders is as close to campus as you can get but it suffers from occasional burglary. I lived in Fort Sanders last year and never saw a single crime. Basically, you don't want to live in one of the massive old homes because they are least secure. I would not live in south knoxville if you are going to bike to school. henley bridge is currently closed for construction and I don't think it will be done by fall. If you don't mind a 10 min. commute, then west knoxville is really nice and also north knoxville is cheap and safe.

[chaospaladin]

I may be heading to University of Tennessee, Knoxville for an undergraduate research program soon. Is there a place on campus or near campus where you can get your bike fixed, pump your bike, etc.?

[sls144]

I will most likely be accepting a position in the M.S. speech-language pathology program at UTK. Someone tell me about living in Knoxville..where to live, work and play (when I have time!). My main concern right now is where to live.

[marjar]

I am also most likely going to be attending UT for their M.S. Speech Pathology program! I would also like any information that anyone has to offer about the area & where to live....thanks

[UTK]

I'm also going to UT for their M.S. speech pathology program! How neat...we're congregating :-)!