I 'escaped' Texas for Tennessee. I loved the food and tech scene, but got tired of the heat and rising property taxes.

Mon, 06/03/2024 - 15:57

Jim Ward and his wife in downtown Knoxville. — Jim Ward and his wife in Gay Street in Downtown Knoxville.
Courtesy of Jim Ward

Jim Ward, 61, said he "escaped" to Tennessee after living in Texas for 20 years.
Ward said he was ultimately tired of Texas' hot climate and relatively higher property taxes.
Ward had to pay more for his Tennessee house but loves having easy access to hikes in the mountains.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jim Ward, a 61-year-old who works in cybersecurity and moved from Dallas, Texas, to Knoxville, Tennessee, in 2022. The essay, which also incorporates quotes from emails between Ward and BI, has been edited for length and clarity.

I am not a native Texan, but I have lived there during three different time frames of my life: Houston from 1991 to 1993, Dallas from 1994 to 1995, and then Dallas again from 2002 to 2022.