Knoxville metro area is one of only three in the United States whose economy has fully recovered from the impact of the recession.

Knoxville metro area is one of only three in the United States whose economy has fully recovered from the impact of the recession.

Employment grew by 2.1 percent, which exceeded the national figure. In recent years the city has landed on numerous best-of lists, but recognition from the Brookings Institution is particularly significant.

Retailers moving into old downtown buildings, an abundance of freshly planted greenspaces, and a stream of new jobs in Knoxville,

The Brookings Institution says the Knoxville metro economy is one of three in the U.S. that has fully recovered from the recession. Here's the tale of the tape for the metro area's economy in 2012. GDP — $33.8 billion Population — 711,296 GDP per capita — $47,468 Employment — 344,328

"You can work here, be close to the city, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, or one of the seven lake, enjoy the four seasons, and still feel like they're on vacation year around, you can travel by boat from Tennessee to the Atlantic Ocean," said Steve Albin in an interview. http://justlistedknoxville.com/KnoxvilleFullyRecovered/