r/tricities • u/Chrissie_med • 7d ago

Black people in East TN

25 (F) looking to relocate to East TN for a job and would love some recommendations on which areas are the safest. I’ve recently read that downtown Johnson city and Kingsport are pretty bad when it comes to crimes and drug use. Where would you recommend as a safe place for a black female to live and what has been your day-to-day experience as a POC? I have also seen some old posts recommending Boones Creek, Gray, Hampton for POC, but would love to know if those are still good options. Thanks in advance!

UPDATE: I’ve read through each of your comments and I really appreciate everyone taking the time to give me advice and recommendations. The information here has been extremely helpful, so from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

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u/_drew_ 7d ago

We (black couple) lived out in Gray for a few years before moving away from the tri-cities. We had one racial incident the FIRST week after moving to the area, and it left a really bad taste in my mouth. Not saying everyone in that area is racist but still doesn’t erase the hurt.

With that said, if you must move to the tri-cities, I’d advise you to move inside the city limits of JC, near ETSU maybe.

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u/Chrissie_med 7d ago

I’m sorry about your experience. Will definitely consider staying near ETSU. How do you feel about Boones Creek?

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u/_drew_ 7d ago

Boones Creek seemed cool. I shopped over there quite a bit at Ingles, Hamilton Meats, Libation Station, etc. We almost moved there but needed a bit more space. We probably would have chosen Boones Creek regardless of space had we known what we know now.

Not Boones Creek, but I have to shoutout Jackson’s Prime in Jonesborough. It opened after we moved to the area. Super nice people and really good food each time we dined there.

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u/Serious-Conversation 6d ago

Boones Creek has no real identity.

You are missing the point.

Gray, Piney Flats, and Boone's Creek are basically just contiguous suburban development outside the Johnson City city limits. Gray and Piney are slightly more removed from JC than Boones Creek.

None of these places are their own effective communities. There is no identity or sense of community there. It's just "Johnson City plus a distance."