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Before moving to Knoxville, TN, know that it is laid-back but growing fast, with a strong job market. Traffic is mild compared with Atlanta or Nashville, but it varies by area. Neighborhoods feel very different, people are friendly though friendships take effort, and it is not a big city, with a small, walkable downtown.

The biggest pros of living in Knoxville, TN are a low cost of living with no state income tax, low ownership costs, outdoor beauty near the Smoky Mountains, four mild seasons and a strong arts and food scene. The main cons are growing traffic, few quality homes for sale, rising prices and no true master-planned communities.

For Steve and Karen, who left the only home either had known in California, the move to the Knoxville area has been a big positive. They love the nature, the changing seasons, the water and the friendly people, and say their financial picture changed dramatically for the better. The downsides were leaving friends, a tougher job market and narrow country roads.

Tellico Village is a spread-out lake and golf community along Tellico Parkway near Lenoir City, TN. It feels like its own small town, with a yacht club, rec center, golf courses and more than 100 clubs. Life here is relaxed and very social, with a wide mix of home styles, but some parts sit farther from shopping and Knoxville.

Living in Oak Ridge, TN means a spread-out small town about 20 minutes from West Knoxville, built as a Manhattan Project base and now home to Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It has top-rated schools, its own hospital, lake parks and a wide range of homes, often on bigger lots. It has no traditional downtown.

Lenoir City, TN has an older small southern downtown, big water at Fort Loudoun Lake and Lake Tellico, and lakeside parks, all close to I-75. Todd says you get a little more for your money than in Farragut or West Knoxville, with more of a small-town feel, and West Knoxville is about 20 minutes away.

Farragut is one of Knoxville's most convenient suburbs. Along Turkey Creek Road you get sidewalks, a greenway that links most subdivisions, Anchor Park and Farragut school zoning, with homes from mature neighborhoods to newer construction. Todd's take: you pay a premium and homes go quickly, but for walkability and convenience it's hard to beat.

Yes. When we flew out of McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) at 8:15 in the morning, we got through security in about two to three minutes. The airport offers several parking options, has rental car counters right in the terminal and now has Southwest Airlines. There are no international flights yet, so those trips connect through larger airports like Atlanta.

Our favorite Knoxville restaurants include The Kennedy on Gay Street, Stock & Barrel on Market Square, Southern Grit in the Old City, Connors Steak & Seafood in Turkey Creek, Elkmont Station in Farragut and Point B on Ebenezer Road. For local-only picks, we like Country Burrito in Hardin Valley, Gourmet's Market & Café and Matt Robbs Biscuits downtown.

Maryville is a small-town community just south of Knoxville with a walkable, tree-lined downtown, a strong greenway system and the Great Smoky Mountains as its backdrop. It has its own hospital and nearly every store you need, sits about 30 minutes or less from downtown Knoxville and the Smokies, and offers everything from established neighborhoods to newer subdivisions.

Sweetwater is a small town about 45 minutes outside Knoxville with a rich history and a welcoming community. This video tours the town so you can see whether small-town living in Sweetwater fits your move to East Tennessee.

Whether you are relocating right away or planning a move in the next year, this video walks through how to start the process of buying a home in Knoxville so your transition is easier and less stressful.