Knoxville, Tennessee
Cost of living, housing, income, commute, climate, and safety — compiled for relocators researching Knoxville, TN.
MapsToIt planning snapshot
How much does it cost to live in Knoxville, TN?
Knoxville planning snapshot: population 198,722, housing index 77 (among the more affordable large markets in this catalog), median home $214,000, median rent $1,116, and income near $50,994. Expect 87°F summer highs, 32°F winter lows, and about 21-minute one-way commutes. Violent-offense rates run about 667.3 per 100k (catalog avg 559.5).
Crime figures may use an older source vintage than housing and income on this page.
- Housing cost index
- 77U.S. avg 100
- Median home value
- $214,000U.S. $303,400
- Median rent
- $1,116U.S. $1,348
- Median income
- $50,994U.S. $78,538
- Unemployment
- 3.1%U.S. 4.2%
- Avg commute
- 21 minCatalog avg 25 min
- Violent crime
- 667.3per 100k · catalog avg 559.5
- Summer high
- 87°FCatalog avg 87°F
Key figures
Each metric shows how Knoxville compares with a U.S. baseline (ACS/BLS nationals) or a MapsToIt catalog average (crime, climate, and commute). Income, housing, population, and crime are for the incorporated city (city limits), not the broader metro/MSA — unemployment is county-level (BLS LAUS).
- Population
- 198,722City limits · Census PEP 2024 estimate
As of 2026-10-19 · Census PEP 2024 - Median household income
- $50,994Incorporated place (ACS)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year35% below U.S. avgU.S. $78,538 - Housing cost index
- 77ACS home+rent vs U.S. (100 = avg)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year23% below U.S. avgU.S. 100 - Median home value
- $214,000City limits (ACS)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year29% below U.S. avgU.S. $303,400 - Median rent
- $1,116City limits (ACS)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year17% below U.S. avgU.S. $1,348 - Unemployment
- 3.1%County LAUS · not city-only
As of 2026-10-19 · July 20261.1 pts below U.S. rateU.S. 4.2% - Avg commute
- 21 min16% below catalog avgCatalog avg 25 min
- Walk Score
- 3327% below catalog avgCatalog avg 45
- Violent crime rate
- 667.3per 100k · citywide
As of 2026-10-19 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback) · older data (2019)19% above catalog avgCatalog avg 559.5 - Property crime rate
- 4350per 100k · citywide
As of 2026-10-19 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback) · older data (2019)45% above catalog avgCatalog avg 3005.3 - Summer high
- 87°FAs of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normalsNear catalog avg (87°F)Catalog avg 87°F
- Winter low
- 32°FAs of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals3.0 pts below catalog avgCatalog avg 35°F
- Annual rainfall
- 51.9 inAs of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals56% above catalog avgCatalog avg 33.2 in
- Sunny days
- 236As of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals12% below catalog avgCatalog avg 268
Population trend
Knoxville grew 11.5% from 178,258 in 2010 to 198,722 in 2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PEP city/town estimates (2010–2024). Playback steps monthly between annual Census PEP estimates.
Is Knoxville, TN expensive compared to the U.S. average?
Knoxville's housing cost index is 77 versus 100 nationally — among the more affordable large markets in this catalog. That gap is driven mainly by ACS median home values ($214,000 vs $303,400) and rents ($1,116 vs $1,348).
- Housing cost index 77 (U.S. 100)
- Median home $214,000 vs U.S. $303,400
- Median rent $1,116 vs U.S. $1,348
How much does housing cost in Knoxville, TN?
Typical ownership costs center near $214,000, while median gross rent is about $1,116 a month. Against a median household income of $50,994, rent alone is roughly 26% of income on an annualized basis.
- Median home value $214,000
- Median rent $1,116/month
- Median household income $50,994
What is the job market like in Knoxville, TN?
County unemployment recently ran 3.1% versus a U.S. rate of 4.2%. Median household income in Knoxville is about $50,994 (U.S. $78,538).
- Unemployment 3.1% (U.S. 4.2%)
- Median income $50,994
How long is the typical commute in Knoxville, TN?
Average one-way commute time is about 21 minutes, with Walk Score near 33/100. The catalog-city average commute is 25 minutes.
- 21 minutes average one-way
- Walk Score 33/100
Is Knoxville, TN safer than similar U.S. cities?
Published violent-offense rates are about 667.3 per 100k and property about 4350 per 100k, versus catalog averages of 559.5 and 3005.3. Citywide rates hide large neighborhood differences.
- Violent 667.3 per 100k
- Property 4350 per 100k
What is the climate like year-round in Knoxville, TN?
Normals show summer highs near 87°F, winter lows near 32°F, about 51.9 inches of rain, and roughly 236 sunny days a year.
- Summer high 87°F
- Winter low 32°F
- 51.9 in rain · 236 sunny days
Music/tourism hubs and auto manufacturing corridors sit under humid summers. With about 51.9 inches of rain a year, wet-season drainage and mold checks are worth asking about. Average one-way commute time is about 21 minutes, and Walk Score estimates land around 33/100. Labor-market readings near 3.1% unemployment are neither boom nor bust by national standards. Violent-offense rates near 667.3 per 100k sit in a mid-to-elevated band versus many peer cities in this catalog.
Knoxville (pop. 198,722) sits in Tennessee. With median income around $50,994 and a cost index of 77, the market reads among the more affordable large markets in this catalog on housing costs. Entry home prices around $214,000 still look attainable compared with coastal metros.
Knoxville is compact enough that a single wrong neighborhood choice is easy to feel day to day — visit at commute hour before signing. Figures on this page are merged from Census ACS, BLS LAUS, FBI crime figures, and NOAA Climate Normals — use them to compare Knoxville with nearby alternatives before you relocate.
Nearby & similar cities
Continue researching with these internal links — each page is a full data profile.
Sources
- Census / ACS: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year (Knoxville city, 1600000US4740000) — As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year
- BLS: BLS LAUS · Knox County, July 2026 — As of 2026-10-19 · July 2026
- Crime: FBI CIUS Table 8 (2019), city offenses per 100k — As of 2026-10-19 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback)
- Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 Monthly Normals (USW00013891 KNOXVILLE MCGHEE TYSON AP) — As of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals
- Population trend: U.S. Census Bureau PEP city/town estimates (2010–2024) — As of 2026-10-19 · Census PEP 2024
Catalog refreshed 2026-10-19