Knoxville isn't a million, but I'd opt for East Tennessee. If it has to be 1 million plus, I'd head to the Lebanon, TN area. Close to Nashville airport and rural. We moved from Texas to the Knoxville area in 2009 (Job related). Had the chance to move back but chose to stay with no regrets.

A low of the answer depends on what you like and you didn't tell us that. Best city depends on the person. First rule, live where others want to vacation. We don't have to go anywhere if we don't want, friends come to us.

That being said, I have lived in the following cities...

Fresno
Los Angeles
Bay area
Houston - Clear Lake, North Side, West Side
College Station
Dallas - Lake Highlands and Greenville
Arlington
Fort Worth
Knoxville
Flower Mound
Grapevine
Colorado Springs

The two best of the list FOR ME are Knoxville and Colorado Springs. The Texas cities are great for some people, but I am not really interested in shopping, heat, traffic, crime and bars. We will probably move to California when I retire (Placerville area), but it is too expensive while still working. Tax my house or tax my income, don't tax both.

So here is the good and bad of Knoxville... First, Knoxville itself kinda sucks. Also more than 100 miles from a real airport. You really don't want to live in actual Knoxville. Farragut and Maryville and are great. Knoxville is a great college town, but there isn't a whole lot of adult stuff. The best thing about Knoxville for me was the Plateau. It is a large area west of town with amazing rivers, hiking, waterfalls, etc. It is exponentially better than the Smokies. If you aren't into the outdoors, then I have no idea why you would live there. The bad thing, and why we moved, is the people. They are all in your business, overly religious, and try to drag down those who are improving their lives. A high percentage of the area does their pain pills, trashes the libs, and tells you the earth is 6000 years old. It can be REALLY depressing. The City strives for zero taxation, which means zero City projects and zero public events. Again, in Knoxville it is the outdoors or nothing. Also there is Houston level of bugs. Last thing, low taxation is great, but wages there are VERY low and there are few high level jobs. The successful people either work for the lab or work in another state. Hope I don't sound like I hate the place, it is actually quite high on my list. But only if you love the outdoors.

So we now live in Co Springs and it is pretty darn good. First, the bad... there are not really any good restaurants. Couple of them, but nothing special anywhere. Second, lots of homeless and accompanying problems - drugs, petty theft (they steal bikes over and over and over). Third - military presence everywhere. I have no problem with that but it is everywhere. Last - hard to get to know people. They tend to mind their own business and are slow to make friends. It can be clicky here. The military thing means people move frequently so long termers are afraid to become friends.

Now the good - tons to do. There is a reason millions take their vacations here even though there really isn't any big city attractions. No real sports, no big things that bring people in, just tons of little things. Springs may be the best hiking City in America. Springs is one of the best biking Cities in America. There are a lot of bad a$$es here. I mean this in a good way. My house was previously owned by a 4 star General. You see Olympians regularly. If your kid is in a sport, chances are pretty good one of the coaches was an Olympian, a Olympic coach, or a pro. You will be passed on the trails no matter what shape you are in. My best friend here was in the Special Forces for 25 years. My next door neighbor is the director of ALL Medicine for the entire US Army. Next to him is a 27 year Army Surgeon. These dudes are pretty inspiring. They are bad a$$es.

The weather is freaking amazing. We get over 200 days a year where the high is between 60 and 80 with no clouds in sight. It is very rare that it falls below freezing for more than a couple days. The other guy said Monument but they get over 100 inches of snow a year, around the Broadmoor we get about 50. It can be VERY windy though.

Cheap housing is expensive. It can be VERY hard to find. Expensive housing is the same as other places. 5% income tax but really low prop taxes.

The City is booming, last year more new businesses opened than any other year in history. Springs will be bigger than Denver by 2050. That is both good and bad as our City Council is not very forward thinking.

It is a harder place to live than Texas cities with regards to conveniences. Target is farther, Costco is farther. You gotta scrape snow off the driveway. We have bears that will eat the trash and mountain lions that will eat your dog. You can't have a car break down in winter or you could actually die. Little things, but some don't like them.

Springs is VERY conservative. Extremely conservative. But no one gets in your business about it except the Texans who move here. The State is 50/50 and they don't play voter games or re-districting BS. The State wants every vote to count the same.

Last thing involves a little story. When we moved here the first day a little kid knocked on the door and said she saw a kid move in. My son had a new best friend in one day. My wife and I sat on the driveway that evening drinking a beer and within 20 minutes there were at least 20 neighbors standing around drinking one with us. People were walking their dogs and they just stopped and joined in. I lived in Flower Mound for 2 years and never met my next door neighbor.

Long post, hope it helps.