Having been born and raised in Chicago, moved by my parents to SoCal, and now deliriously happy in East Tennessee, I can assure you, the summer humidity/bug problem in Tennessee is nowhere near as bad as it was in Chicago.
I agree. I grew up in Southern Illinois and the humidity there is much worse than in Tennessee. I think all the trees in Tennessee suck the excess moisture/humidity out of the air. Really I have no clue.... ;)
IMO; the heat and humidity was tougher to deal with in soviet Red Hampshire...central air is hard to find. Here in East Tennessee, I have central air AND a woodstove.