The Town FilesKnoxville, Tennessee
City in Knox County · population 190,740 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $239,700
- Household income
- $54,039
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 33.5
Knoxville is a city of 190,740 people in Knox County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $239,700, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks more vibrant than 99% of Tennessee towns, hipper than 99% of Tennessee towns, better transit than 99% of Tennessee towns.
How Knoxville ranks
Percentile among Tennessee towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Tennessee towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Knoxville is worth $239,700, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $54,039, which is more affordable than 23% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $1,191 a month. 46.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Knoxville | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $239,700 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $1,191 | $863 |
| Median household income | $54,039 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 46.6% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Knoxville
| People | Knoxville | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.5 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.4% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 17.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.6% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.2% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.2% | — |
| Work from home | 13.2% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.0% | 88.2% |
Weather in Knoxville
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 26.4°F. About 55.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.2 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 36 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 87 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Knoxville since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on February 21, 1993 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 84 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 21, 1998.
Severe weather in Knox County since 1996
Knox County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 27, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4742: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| March 8, 2023 | Winter Storm | DR-4691: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Knox County
Knox County had 260,373 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,043 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Knoxville itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Public schools in Knoxville
84 public schools with 52,189 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farragut High School | 9-12 | 2,091 | 18.7 |
| Hardin Valley Academy | 9-12 | 2,043 | 16.7 |
| Bearden High School | 9-12 | 2,008 | 17.6 |
| West High School | 9-12 | 1,509 | 17.1 |
| Farragut Middle School | 6-8 | 1,400 | 17.9 |
| Karns High School | 9-12 | 1,341 | 15.1 |
| Central High School | 9-12 | 1,296 | 15.1 |
| Halls High School | 9-12 | 1,252 | 17.4 |
| Bearden Middle School | 6-8 | 1,243 | 17.3 |
| Hardin Valley Elementary | PK-5 | 1,211 | 16.8 |
| West Valley Middle School | 6-8 | 1,107 | 17.0 |
| Northshore Elementary School | PK-5 | 1,101 | 17.2 |
Towns near Knoxville
- Powell, TN6.4 mi · 13,802 people · home $299,400
- Halls, TN7.7 mi · 10,341 people · home $321,300
- Karns, TN9.0 mi · 3,536 people · home $328,600
- Alcoa, TN10.8 mi · 10,978 people · home $277,100
- Louisville, TN11.7 mi · 4,384 people · home $379,900
- Seymour, TN12.1 mi · 14,705 people · home $308,100
- Mascot, TN12.4 mi · 2,760 people · home $206,000
- Eagleton Village, TN12.6 mi · 5,393 people · home $197,700
Knoxville questions
Is Knoxville, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Knoxville scores better for retirees than 11% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 2%. 14.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.5).
How much does a house cost in Knoxville?
The median owner-occupied home in Knoxville is valued at $239,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,039, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,191 a month.
What is the weather like in Knoxville?
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 26.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 55.8 inches of precipitation a year and 4.2 inches of snow.
Does Knoxville get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Knoxville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on February 21, 1993. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)