Living a College Town Lifestyle in Maryville, Tennessee

Home to Maryville College, Maryville, Tennessee is a small college town of 23,000; it happens to be only 15 miles from a much bigger college town - Knoxville (home of the University of Tennessee). This small town has many of the things that make Tennessee college towns so appealing - low taxes and cost of living, small town living, and outstanding recreation opportunities in nearby lakes and Great Smoky Mountains.

Maryville College is one of the town's top attractions. This private liberal arts college of about  1000 has several buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. The  campus is in the center of town. The presence of the college and its students is one of Maryville's most exciting draws. Many cultural events emanate from the campus as well.

Photo of Maryville skyline courtesy of Wikipedia and Brian Stansberry.

Where to Retire in Maryville and Home Prices

There are many places for retirees to live in Maryville, either downtown or in the suburbs. Maryville has a twin city on its northern border, Alcoa. Some of the active adult communities nearby include Laurel Valley Country Club, Grand Vista, and Rarity Bay. Zillow reported that the median home value in Maryville has been on the rise during the last few years and was $350,304 in late 2022, up about 30% during the past year.

What Is Special about Maryville

There a number of things that make Maryville special. Those include historic and beautiful Maryville College. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is nearby. Many different housing options are available. It has some of the lowest taxes of anywhere in the U.S. Its recreational activities include 8 parks in town. Maryville enjoys a low crime rate. People who live here say they like the hospital, the mall, community spirit, and being close to educated people including those in nearby towns like Oak Ridge.

What Is Not Special about Maryville

Blount County is dry. Small town in the hills might not appeal to everyone. Posters on various bulletin boards have commented about "why Maryville has to be so junky", as in why are yards not maintained and certain areas look trashy. Some Topretirements members have visited Maryville. See bottom of this page for those reports.

Climate and Physical Environment

Maryville is at an altitude of 1000', very close to the Great Smoky Mountains. Maryville has a twin city on its northern border, Alcoa.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

Maryville College is the main cultural force in the community. Its very large chapel and 400 seat performing arts center are host to many plays and concerts. The college's Clayton Center for the Arts offers ballet performances and also art exhibits. Locals can join a joint college/communal orchestra. The Blount County Library is new, very attractive, and popular. There are also many community festivals throughout the year, some of which are put on by the Maryville Arts Coalition. There is the Everett Senior Center with many programs.

Crime

The crime rate is about half the national average in Maryville.

Medical Facilities

Blount County Memorial Hospital has over 300 beds, while a short drive to Knoxville provides even greater medical resources.

Transportation

McGhee Tyson Airport (Knoxville) offers commercial service just 4 miles away.

Valuable Links

Wikipedia on Maryville
Maryville City-Data
More community reviews at Topretirements
Town of Maryville
Mini-guide to retirement in Tennessee

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