we're planning on relocating to the knoxville area in tn. We've heard good things about the communities of Maryville & Farragut. Does anyone know about knoxville west in terms of livability, safety, shopping etc. Any other areas in the knoxville area to recommend? All input would be appreciated.

Having lived in Knoxville at one time for appx. 6 years and still traveling back there fairly frequently, it is a nice city but geared more for the college crowd. Have you considered Chattanooga? A great retirement city, on the river, a mild climate and many exciting things to do with the revitalization that is taking place. Definitely worth a visit...think you may change your mind.

Have you considered Fairfield Glade, just north of I-40 & Crossville TN & half way between Knoxville & Nashville? It's on the Cumberland Plateau and is a very large retired community with about everything you would ever need, right there. There are 4 or 5 golf courses, 4 or 5 lakes. There are homes, and condos and some timeshare units. We own a timeshare unit there and would go very often to enjoy the scenery, activities and peacefullness of *the Glade*. We seriously considered retiring there, but our kids moved to Florida and we followed them instead.

I don't know how big the "Knoxville area" is in your mind, but I would say it probably includes anything within 50 miles or less. Within that radius, you can find lots of nice communities. One decision you need to make right away is whether to find a real retirement community or a more typical location with people of all ages. It's not possible from reading your post to know which kind of environment you would like. Some folks hate to retire in retirement communities.

Having said that, I would suggest you look into all of the smaller towns surrounding Knoxville, especially the developments that are located along the various TVA lakes.

Here are some of my suggestions:
-Oak Ridge, which has lots of retirees, a high level of education among its inhabitants, lots of cultural activites, and nice homes for a reasonable price.
-Mascot, a small community in the hills that has lots of homes on larger lots if you like a little more privacy.
-Tellico Village along Tellico Lake, a really lovely development with nice homes and a lot of retirees.

Good luck on your search.

Wayne: We're looking for nice, safe, mixed age communities with upscale apartments. We're considering Maryville, Knoxville, Farragut and Oak Ridge (and maybe more if we were aware of them). We're no longer interested in owning a home or purchasing a condo. As said, a nice apartment/town house is what we're looking for, preferably gated (but not a requirement). Safety, cultural activities, near-by shopping and good medical facilities are what we're looking for. Any further input on your part would be appreciated. Thanks.

My husband and I are also looking to relocate to Knoxville. We have no kids, and are in our 30's. We are looking specifially for an area as close as pos, but willing to be up to 70 miles from Knoxville. We are looking for a semi new home on 5+ acres with mountain views. We are considering areas like Strawberry Plains, Jefferson City, Dandridge, Harriman, and pos Greenville. Any words about these places and if anyone has any other good towns/cities, I would love to hear it. I would be looking for office or retail work, and my husband works from the house. We will be there on Monday, for 10 days to check out the area in more detail. Hope to move there this fall. Thanks in advance for you help. Faythe