What it's like to live in Lenoir City
Lenoir City is a small city in Tennessee with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lenoir City deals with household incomes below the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, above-average rainfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Clean air
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Low college degree attainment
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Lenoir City compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lenoir City
Based on Lenoir City's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,864
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $37,280 a year
- 49% of Lenoir City renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$50,480
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $25,240
- Homes cost 3.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 34% below US
$932/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $932 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $252,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $252,400 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.3% county unemployment
Unemployment in Loudon County is 3.3%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Loudon County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 35% below US
215 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1201/100k · Lenoir City Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 17% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.5 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 88°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 30°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 46% below US
19% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to 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 Obed Wild & Scenic River (27 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lenoir City'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 college degree attainment below the national average. A year of median rent ($932/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), and anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Lenoir City
All Tennessee guides →Moving to Farragut →
7 mi away · pop. 24,634
Rent $1,966/mo · Income $142,093
Compare with Lenoir City →Moving to Oak Ridge →
10 mi away · pop. 32,693
Rent $1,131/mo · Income $72,311
Compare with Lenoir City →Not sure Lenoir City is the one?
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