What it's like to live in Knoxville
Knoxville is a mid-size city in Tennessee with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Knoxville deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Above-average rainfall
How Knoxville compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Knoxville
Based on Knoxville's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,382
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $47,640 a year
- 50% of Knoxville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$47,940
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $23,970
- Homes cost 4.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 16% below US
$1,191/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,191 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $239,700. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $239,700 · 50% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 26% below US
3.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.2%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 108% above US
685 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2361/100k · Knoxville Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 22% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.2 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 28°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
6 hospitals
There are 6 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.3 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
35% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 35% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
53 public schools inside the boundary
There are 53 public schools inside the boundary and 21 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Great Smoky Mountains National Park (35 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Knoxville's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,191/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Knoxville
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