The Town Files

Knoxville, Arkansas

Town in Johnson County · population 660 (2020 Census)

Map: where Knoxville is in ArkansasKnoxville
Median home
$125,700
Household income
$45,714
Jan low / Jul high
29° / 92°
Snow a year
2 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
28
Median age
42.1

Knoxville is a town of 660 people in Johnson County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $125,700, close to the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks better for families than 87% of Arkansas towns, easier by car than 87% of Arkansas towns, better for first-time buyers than 86% of Arkansas towns.

Knoxville in our rankings:

How Knoxville ranks

Percentile among Arkansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arkansas towns.

Knoxville lifestyle rankings vs other Arkansas townsRetirement33rd pctFamilies87th pctQuiet74th pctWalkability55th pctFirst-time buyers86th pctYoung professionals5th pctVibrancy6th pctHip & trendy80th pctCollege town23rd pctUpscale48th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit80th pctDriving87th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Knoxville is worth $125,700, close to the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $45,714, which is more affordable than 51% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $854 a month. 85.1% of households own their home.

Knoxville vs Johnson County vs typical Arkansas townKnoxvilleJohnson CountyTypical Arkansas townHome value$125,700$135,300$128,600Household income$45,714$45,995$50,408Monthly rent$854$728$792
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Arkansas towns with 500+ people.
HousingKnoxvilleTypical Arkansas town
Median home value$125,700$128,600
Median rent$854$792
Median household income$45,714$50,408
Home value ÷ income2.7×2.7×
Homeownership85.1%64.9%
Median year built19831980
Seasonal / vacation homes1.6%—

Who lives in Knoxville

PeopleKnoxvilleTypical Arkansas town
Median age42.137.8
Age 65 and over13.7%17.2%
Under 1823.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher11.8%16.5%
Below the poverty line25.5%19.7%
Veterans8.1%—
Born outside the U.S.1.5%—
Work from home5.7%5.3%
Average commute21.6 min22.2 min
Homes with broadband84.0%84.4%

Weather in Knoxville

July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 29.3°F. About 51.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.4 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 61 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 70 nights at or below freezing.

Knoxville monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32° freezing48°29°Jan53°33°Feb62°40°Mar71°49°Apr79°59°May87°67°Jun92°71°Jul92°70°Aug85°63°Sep73°51°Oct61°40°Nov51°32°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.70.83.30.74.50.64.85.54.44.23.83.54.25.14.10.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Clarksville 2N station (10.5 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Knoxville since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 15 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on May 24, 2011 about 8.4 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 130 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 18, 2023.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Knoxville by decade71950s21960s31970s31980s41990s32000s22010s42020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 63 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 11, 2022.

Severe weather in Johnson County since 1996

Storm events in Johnson County since 1996 by typeHail139Flood3Tornado20Lightning5Heavy Rain3Flash Flood53Funnel Cloud1Winter Storm5
NOAA Storm Events Database, Johnson County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 4 deaths recorded.

Johnson County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3636: Severe Winter Storm
April 5, 2025Severe StormEM-3627: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
August 27, 2020HurricaneEM-3541: Hurricane Laura
April 3, 2020BiologicalDR-4518: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3461: Covid-19

Jobs and pay in Johnson County

Johnson County had 8,068 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,859 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Knoxville itself the ACS puts it at 3%.

Largest industries in Johnson CountyManufacturing1,808 jobs · $45,310Retail999 jobs · $29,156Construction237 jobs · $41,517Administrative & support142 jobs · $31,904Finance & insurance112 jobs · $54,069Wholesale trade73 jobs · $52,558
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Johnson County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023Johnson 4.4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Knoxville

Knoxville questions

Is Knoxville, Arkansas a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Knoxville scores better for retirees than 33% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 74%. 13.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.1).

How much does a house cost in Knoxville?

The median owner-occupied home in Knoxville is valued at $125,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,714, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $854 a month.

What is the weather like in Knoxville?

July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 29.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.0 inches of precipitation a year and 2.4 inches of snow.

Does Knoxville get tornadoes?

28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Knoxville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on May 24, 2011. The typical Arkansas town has had 24.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Knoxville's Census boundary (GEOID 0537300). Comparisons use the median of Arkansas towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.