There is industry, and the area is growing in importance as an energy center, being the home of the Tennessee Valley Authority and being only thirty minutes away from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory . The campus is located in approximately the middle of the city, with the older shopping districts of the downtown area within walking distance.
Bus service is available to outlying areas.
The campus itself is a composite of old and new buildings, and there are several 'green spaces' and park areas on the campus itself. Most classroom buildings are within ten minutes' walk of each other, and the agricultural campus, which is a short distance away from the main campus, is serviced by a good campus bus system. The campus has one main library,the Hodges Library . There are many residence halls on campus, and student cafeterias are located across the campus for convenience. Of these, about 1,000 are international students.