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Tennessee city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Knoxville?

What it costs to live in Knoxville, and how it compares with other Tennessee cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

33

30th best value in Tennessee

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Tennessee cities.

Overall livability

29

34th overall in Tennessee

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Knoxville is home to about 189,339 people. A typical home runs $154,500 and a household earns around $44,300, a price-to-income ratio of 3.5. Among Tennessee's largest cities, it ranks 30th for value and 34th overall.

Knoxville at a glance

Median home price

$154,500

22nd in TN of 39

Median rent

$938/mo

Median household income

$44,300

Home price to income

3.5x

Unemployment

5.3%

24th in TN of 39

School rating

2/10

35th in TN of 39

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in TN of 39

Walk score

22/100

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‹ See all top Tennessee cities ranked  ยท  Tennessee state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Tennessee only. Updated 2026.