Knox County
Knoxville is a wooded, rolling, valley town approaching the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Green spaces, rivers, lakes and mountain views have drawn visitors and inhabitants since the 1700’s. Knoxville is known for its natural beauty during all four seasons, particularly it’s springtime display of dogwood and redbud blooms. It’s no surprise that many of the neighborhoods here are named for hills, lakes, forests or some combination thereof.
NORTH
North Knoxville has cachet as an up-and-coming area with tons of architectural character, ethnic diversity and easy access to downtown.
Flagship Neighborhood: North Hills
North Hills, which occupies a verdant rectangle of land bordered by Washington Pike, Whittle Springs Road, Prosser Road and Cecil Avenue, is a collection of architecturally unique homes built in the years between the two world wars. Visit in the spring to fully appreciate the area’s lovely, mature gardens. Despite a flourishing neighborhood association and garden club, many fixer-upper opportunities can still be found and its architecturally unique homes vary widely in price.
The Neighbors: Young professionals, families, garden enthusiasts, longtime Knoxvillians with diverse political views
Also Consider: Fairmont, Oakwood/Lincoln Park
These neighborhoods just minutes from downtown Knoxville have a casual, front-porch aesthetic and feature a range of affordable homes built primarily from the 1920s to the 1950s.
The Neighbors: Diverse in terms of income, ethnicity and politics
SOUTH
South Knoxville, Knoxville’s lightly traveled but scenic gateway to the mountains via Chapman Highway, is separated from the city proper by the Tennessee River. To reach it from downtown, take the Henley Street Bridge, the James C. Ford Memorial Bridge or the Gay Street Bridge.
Flagship Neighborhood: Island Home
If you love Craftsman and bungalow-style homes, you’ll adore Island Home, a charming and quaint haunt that has plenty of both. This neighborhood was founded in 1899 and named for the property on which it was constructed, a Knoxville businessman’s private retreat that he referred to as his “island home.” It features a wide central boulevard that used to be a streetcar line. Neighborhood landmarks include the Tennessee School for the Deaf and Ijams Nature Center, a park and wildlife sanctuary with hiking trails and educational programs for the public.
The Neighbors: Young professionals, university professors, community activists with diverse political viewpoints
Also Consider: Lake Forest, Colonial Village
Longtime staples on the Dogwood Trail, Knoxville’s springtime scenic driving tour, these intimate older neighborhoods are so cozily ensconced in the woods, you hardly notice you’re near a city.
The Neighbors: Highly diverse: families, business professionals, young do-it-yourselfers, active seniors
EAST
Knoxville’s wealth was once concentrated in the East, and for a glimpse into this past, look no further than grand old Magnolia Avenue. Broad, airy and tree-lined, Magnolia fell into disrepair and squalor when Knoxville’s fortunes moved west, but community activists are working to restore Magnolia to its former glory.
Flagship Neighborhood: Holston Hills
This neighborhood nestled along the Holston River was designed in the 1920s around a country club and golf course — which is still considered one of the best in the state. Its lovely, winding streets boast deep lots and a combination of large, ornate homes and quaint stone cottages.
The Neighbors: Old Knoxville families, professionals in a variety of fields; it’s similar to Sequoyah Hills but with a mix of mini-estates and more modest homes.
Also Consider: Corryton, Strawberry Plains
Looking for acreage? If you need room to spread out, these small communities on the east/northeast side of town offer a rural vibe just minutes from the city.
The Neighbors: Rural dwellers, trade professionals
WEST
Since America started moving to the suburbs after World War II, Knoxville has been creeping steadily west along Interstate 40 and its parallel local road, Kingston Pike. It’s on the western side of town that you’ll find the most amenities, such as shopping and restaurants. In recent years, a boom in residential and commercial development west of Interstate 140 (aka Pellissippi Parkway), like the Turkey Creek shopping district, has drawn more Knoxvillians westward. Karns and Hardin Valley have developed significantly in the past few years, offering many new homes with modern floor plans and amenities.
Flagship Neighborhood: Sequoyah Hills
Sequoyah Hills is truly the granddaddy of all Knoxville neighborhoods. Annexed by the city in 1917, it’s one of Knoxville’s oldest and most prestigious residential areas, and it has lost none of its grandeur with age. Adjacent to Fort Loudon Lake, Sequoyah Hills has a central artery in wide, impeccably manicured Cherokee Boulevard, well-known in town as a great place to walk and bike. Sequoyah Hills homes are a variety of styles and sizes. Italianate, Colonial Revival, Tudor, Craftsman and ranch houses all coexist here, but they have one thing in common: a whopping price tag. A home in Sequoyah Hills is a sign not just of wealth, but of social connectedness.All in all, its riverfront setting, extensive jogging trails, green parks and skyline view make Sequoyah Hills one of Knoxville’s prime neighborhoods.
The Neighbors: Knoxville’s old guard, business owners, university professors and administrators
Also Consider: Forest Heights
This private little nook west of Sequoyah Hills has immediate access to Sutherland Avenue, home to an array of ethnic businesses and groceries and the Bearden area of Kingston Pike, packed with restaurants and shops.
The Neighbors: Longtime Knoxvillians (very little turnover in this neighborhood), professionals, university professors
Also Consider: Farragut
Bedroom communities abound in the suburb of Farragut, which is technically a separate town on Knoxville’s western boundary. The area has a reputation for large, beautiful homes, strong schools and well-maintained parks and outdoor recreation areas. Farragut is popular with relocating families and professionals, as seen in local buying trends.
The Neighbors: Families, professional transplants from all areas of the globe, residents tend to be politically conservative
DOWNTOWN
Knoxville’s downtown area has experienced considerable growth in recent years. As amenities have arrived, making downtown more livable, the desirability of homes with access has skyrocketed. Mixed use properties in the Market Square area and property on the Tennessee River banks offer new housing options for buyers, many of which are graduates of the University of Tennessee.
Flagship Neighborhood: Fourth and Gill
This historic neighborhood was once the City of North Knoxville, but the city’s growth in all directions has rendered it firmly and proudly central. The homes in this neighborhood — primarily Craftsman and Queen Anne style — have undergone a renaissance in the last 20 years as its residents took interest in improving distressed properties. Fourth and Gill is a friendly, pedestrian-oriented place with loose, cottage-style gardens spilling out from between homes.
The Neighbors: In a word, diverse: architecture enthusiasts, professionals, families, artists, students
Also Consider: Downtown/The Old City
Knoxville’s downtown high-rises and Old City buildings are now home to a wealth of condominiums and loft apartments. The Fire Street Lofts, for example, are chic modern condos created from an old nightclub off the 100 block of Gay Street.
The Neighbors: In condominiums, primarily transplants, young professionals and retirees; in apartments, demographics vary.
Blount County
MARYVILLE
Maryville is located in North-Central Blount County in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Chilhowee Mountain, the outermost ridge of the Western Smokies, rises prominently to the south. Chilhowee’s eastern flank— known locally as “The Three Sisters”— is visible from almost anywhere in the city, and dominates the southern horizon along US-321 between Maryville and Walland. Dozens of historic structures proudly line the downtown area that have remained and enjoyed continuous use over the years, while others have been recently rehabilitated. Historical Maryville College is at the heart of the city and has a beautiful campus that holds events and festivals open to the public yearly. The City and participating community businesses also sponsor numerous events downtown that add to the use and enjoyment of the downtown area.In addition, the Blount County Library and scheduled community programs further improves the downtown’s position in attracting individuals and families while the City of Maryville has obtained a variety of grants used for road and sidewalk improvements, safe and attractive lighting, benches, two small parks, landscaping, and informative signage. All in all, residents of Maryville find appeal in the small-town vibe, tight-knit community, and well-maintained amenities, and typically consider it a place to set roots and call home for many years.
Flagship Neighborhood: College Hill Historic District
The Neighbors: Families, university professors, young professionals
ALCOA
Alcoa is bordered on the South by its twin city, Maryville, both situated in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, the outermost of which, Chilhowee Mountain, rises just a few miles to the south. Large sections of the North-Central and North-Eastern parts of the range are visible from Alcoa Highway. The Little River, which originates near the heart of the Smokies, flows through the Eastern section of Alcoa before merging into the Tennessee River near Louisville. Alcoa residents enjoy immediate access to the region’s airport, McGhee-Tyson (TYS), which has recently expanded to provide longer runways bringing in more commercial airlines offering more direct flights than ever before.
Alcoa’s early developers considered public parks an essential attribute of the city, and in the 1920’s, ALCOA Corporation sought to set aside 1-acre parcels of land, parks for every 100 people living in the city. In the early 1930’s, the City utilized idle plant workers for park construction, and over the years, the company continued donating land for continued development and expansion. In 1998, a 3-mile section of the Maryville-Alcoa Greenway was completed, connecting Alcoa’s Springbrook Park with Maryville’s Bicentennial Greenbelt Park.
Flagship Neighborhood: Springbrook
The Neighbors: Families, trade professionals
Also Consider: Northwood
Loudon County
LENOIR CITY
Lenoir City, the “Lake Capital of the South”, began as a 5,000-acre plantation. It was incorporated in 1907. Beginning in the 1930’s, a series of federal government projects provided a needed boost to Lenoir City’s economy. The Tennessee Valley Authority’s construction of Fort Loudoun Dam and reservoir, which began in 1940, provided hundreds of locals with jobs, and brought a number of road improvements to the area. The creation of the Interstate Highway System in the 1950’s and 1960’s brought about the construction of Interstate75 and Interstate40 – two trans-national highways that intersect just northeast of Lenoir City. U.S. Highway 321 was built through Lenoir City in the 1980’s primarily to provide greater access to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, some 40 miles (64 km) down the road in Blount County. The Tennessee River and TVA’s Fort Loudoun and Watts Bar reservations provide Lenoir City’s southern boundary.
Flagship Neighborhood: Chestnut Hills
The Neighbors: Families, trade professionals
Anderson County
OAK RIDGE
Oak Ridge is a city encompassing Anderson and Roane counties, about 25 miles west of Knoxville. Oak Ridge’s nicknames include the Atomic City, the Secret City, the Ridge, and the City Behind the Fence.Oak Ridge was established in 1942 as a production site for the Manhattan Project—the massive American, British, and Canadian operation that developed the atomic bomb. As it is still the site of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex, scientific development still plays a crucial role in the city’s economy and culture in general. Melton Hill Dam (along the Clinch near Copper Ridge) in 1963 created Melton Hill Lake, which borders the city along the North-Eastern and Eastern regions. The lakefront on the East side of the city is a popular recreation area, with bicycling trails and picnic areas lining the shore. The lake is also well known as a venue for rowing competitions. Watts Bar Lake, an impoundment of the Tennessee River which covers the lower 23 miles of the Clinch River, borders Oak Ridge to the South and South-West.
Flagship Neighborhood: Rivers Run
The Neighbors: Families, professional transplants from all areas of the globe
Also Consider: Emory Valley
All Counties
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