South Clinton attracts nature lovers and families looking for a rural, yet well-resourced community outside Knoxville. Life here is inextricable from the Clinch River, where people boat, fish and enjoy watching local wildlife. The neighborhood has several developed parks as well, with ample space for kids to play. Downtown Clinton has several chain and local options for dining out, and big-box stores and a movie theater are 10 miles away in Oak Ridge.
People move here for access to the Clinch River. Many residents have pontoon boats and kayaks, and popular pastimes include fishing and wildlife spotting on the water and riverbanks. “The spring is wonderful; all the little babies start arriving,” says Jerri Bottom, broker with Realty Executives Associates and a former Clinton resident. “They’d pull up on the bank and once you feed them once they’ll return daily — I trained one little family of ducks to eat out of my hand.” Melton Lake Park is an especially popular spot to launch boats or walk on the river’s edge. More water recreation is available on the reservoir at Norris Dam State Park about 12 miles north.
South Clinton Park has basketball courts, a playground and a multipurpose athletic field. Kids also enjoy the wooden playground and play fort at Claxton Community Park. In summer 2024, Aspire opened in the neighborhood, a free, privately-owned recreational area with a nature preserve, pump track, dog park, restaurant and more.
South Clinton has seen several waves of development from the early 1900s through today. This varied housing stock offers multiple points of entry for buyers on different budgets. On the lowest end, manufactured homes typically start around $170,000, while new construction near downtown Clinton can sell up to $750,000. Most homes fall between $250,000 and $400,000. Lot sizes tend to get bigger — up to 13 acres — farther from Clinton’s center. “We loved watching the different changes in our view; When the leaves fell in the winter you could see some beautiful homes on the south side,” Bottom says. This hilly landscape includes ranch-style homes, bungalows, bi-levels and New Traditionals at more affordable rates than other riverside communities in South Knoxville or Farragut.
Some businesses line U.S. Route 25W, also known as Clinch Avenue and the Clinton Highway. El Tepame Mexican Restaurant is a popular spot to sit down for a margarita and an all-you-can-eat special. Mr. Wok Chinese Hibachi Grill offers dine-in and takeout. Main Street and Oak Ridge Highway have a plethora of chain fast food restaurants and locally owned staples — Hoskins Drug Store & Soda Fountain has been serving milkshakes and burgers since 1930. Clinton is a well-known hub for antiquing, and vintage stores, novelty shops, glass studios, jewelry stores and cafes line Market Street in the historic downtown.
Each fall, people from around the region descend on downtown Clinton for the Clinch River Antique Festival. The celebration of vintage handiwork attracts more than 100 vendors and local artisans.
The fall also brings Halloween, which is a big deal in Clinton. “We bought at least $100 of candy, and I still ran out before all the kids stopped coming,” Bottom says. “Even the adults would get into it — we’d see a dragon waddling down the street, just crazy things.”
Students closer to downtown Clinton can attend South Clinton Elementary within the Clinton City Schools district. The kindergarten through sixth-grade school has a B from Niche. Clinton Middle, part of Anderson County Schools, has a B-minus. Clinton High School, which sits on the north side of the Clinch River, also has a B-minus. The school offers career-oriented courses in subjects such as accounting, coding, fine arts and animal science.
The Clinton Highway runs through the neighborhood and eventually leads into Knoxville. The entrance to Interstate 75 is about 6 miles east, which also connects residents to downtown Knoxville 18 miles away. People drive on the Oak Ridge Highway for 10 miles to reach shopping and dining in Oak Ridge.
Sahel Naimy
Wallace
(865) 270-0149
100 Total Sales
1 in South Clinton
$30,000 Price
Cole Liles
Realty Executives Associates
(865) 346-2798
25 Total Sales
1 in South Clinton
$260,000 Price
Kim Taylor-Smith
Crye-Leike Realtors South, Inc.
(865) 344-5096
50 Total Sales
4 in South Clinton
$206K - $315K Price Range
Martha Riordan
MR10 Realty
(865) 770-4488
103 Total Sales
1 in South Clinton
$98,000 Price
Michael Shotwell
Realty Executives Associates
(865) 761-8713
91 Total Sales
1 in South Clinton
$979,549 Price
Shelly Renfro
Century 21 Legacy
(865) 413-8818
105 Total Sales
1 in South Clinton
$200,000 Price
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | South Clinton | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 3 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 3 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 3 | 4 |
| Robbery | 3 | 4 |
| Burglary | 3 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 3 | 4 |
| Larceny | 3 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 4 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
On average, homes in South Clinton, Clinton sell after 27 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in South Clinton, Clinton over the last 12 months is $323,000, up 2% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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