Knoxville is a city of 202,021, and it grades C− overall, ranked 108th of 175 in Tennessee. It is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 89% of U.S. towns. The trade-off: its crime rate is higher than 93% of U.S. towns, with 1,374 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. 52% of working residents work locally in Knoxville, above both Tennessee’s towns (12%) and U.S. towns (8%). Its National Register listings include William Blount Mansion and Knoxville National Cemetery. Only 14 of Tennessee’s 292 towns score higher on the outdoors.

StrongestAWalkability AHistory A⁻OutdoorsWeakestDSafety CHealth

What makes Knoxville stand out

Where Knoxville beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

William Blount Mansion

HistoryA

Settled in 1786

104 places on the National Register

A history going back 240 years.

Jobs vs. working residents

Jobs here181,996

Residents who work79,478

Work

2.3 jobs for every working resident

A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 95% of U.S. towns

Census LEHD 2023.

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Knoxville6.8

Tennessee5

U.S.3.3

Worth knowing · SafetyD

36% more violent crime than TN

FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.

William Blount Mansion · National Register of Historic Places

Knoxville’s story

240 years in pictures

William Blount Mansion is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1786, comes before those of 95% of the Tennessee towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 387 in 1800, 190,740 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1796 and 5 maps from 1936 on.

104 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1786Knoxville is settled

Explore the history →

How Knoxville grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Knoxville is from typical.

How grading works

SafetyDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 11.6 of 20; 9.1% of households have no car; 4.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitAOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listB⁺Open →HealthEast Tennessee Childrens Hospital 1.2 miles awayCOpen →SchoolsB⁺Open →Jobs & incomeC⁺Open →Cost of livingC⁺Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors7% conserved landA⁻Open →History33 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life4.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market49 days on market–Open →Who lives here35% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Neyland Stadium and 30 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Knoxville. Close and well known come first.

All 44 attractions →

Big drawin town Stadium & arenaNeyland Stadium

Big draw26 mi Theme parkDollywood3.1M visitors a year

Big draw19 mi National ParkGreat Smoky Mountains National Park11.5M visitors a year

in town LookoutSunsphere

Big draw38 mi MountainKuwohi

in town Stadium & arenaThompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Neyland Stadium: Neomrbungle, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dollywood: Brian Stansberry (photographer), CC BY 2.5 · Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Scott Basford, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Sunsphere: Ɱ, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kuwohi: C. Kenneth Dodd, Jr., Public domain · Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center: TN 66, CC BY-SA 3.0

Getting set up

Moving to Knoxville: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Knoxville, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerKnoxville Utilities Board13.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterKnoxville Utilities Board - KubNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpSolid Waste FacilityTown’s haulerTown site

SchoolsKnox County School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Tennessee you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereKnox County Election CommissionKnox County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025

ZIP codes37921, 37917, 37919, 3791237921 13% · 37917 13% · 37919 12% · 37912 11%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Knoxville.

Knoxville draws workers from Farragut and beyond and is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it has a long record of flood insurance claims.

OutdoorsA⁻

7.4% of Knoxville is conserved land

The concentration of trails for Knoxville comes to 0.9 miles per square mile. Across 93 parks and preserves: 91 miles of trail. Meads Quarry Park, at 228 acres with 10.8 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.

#9for trails in TN

	Knoxville	Tennessee towns	U.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile	0.9 miles per square mile	0.2	0.4
Conserved land	7.4%	1.7%	4.3%

7.4%

conserved · 4,926 of 66,467 acres

91 mi

of trails · 0.9 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Meads Quarry Park	10.8 mi	228
2. Sharp's Ridge Memorial Park	7.8 mi	174
3. I.C. King Park	6.1 mi	137

Full pageKnoxville’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map91 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk10.8 miles of trail · Meads Quarry Park Conserved land7.4% conserved · 4,926 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Knoxville?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsB⁺

Knoxville’s schools rank ahead of 66% of Tennessee districts

The public schools here belong to the Knox County school district. Below: Three of its 78 schools, each with why it was picked. 6 public schools serve Knoxville, with 5,469 students in all.

66%of TN districts it outscoresB⁺School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Bearden Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	1,229	B
Bearden High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,963	B
Sequoyah ElementaryTop results in townGrades K–5	Grades K–5	524	A⁺

Full pageKnoxville’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsKnox County Vs. the neighborsBehind its 5 graded neighbors Every school78 schools · Tennessee Virtual Academy Questions“Are Knoxville’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C⁺

More than half of Knoxville’s working residents work in town

181,996 jobs are based in Knoxville, 2.3 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.

Knoxville’s typical household income is $54,000. It had 181,996 jobs in 2023, up 16,476 from 2013. For residents in the town, the share who live below the poverty line is 20%. Half of commuters travel less than 8 miles.

52%work in town

	Knoxville	Tennessee towns	U.S. towns
Below the poverty line	20%	14%	9.6%
Average trip to work	20 minutes	25 minutes	25 minutes
Median household income	$54,000	$61,000	$80,000
Work from home	13%	9.5%	11%

Where working residents work

In Knoxville52%

Oak Ridge5%

Nashville3%

Alcoa2%

Maryville2%

8 mi

median commute distance

181,996

jobs based in Knoxville

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

Walkability grade: more walkable than 89% of U.S. towns

Full pageKnoxville’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here181,996 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work52% work in Knoxville Commute times20 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 8 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

SafetyD

Knoxville’s grade for safety is a D

Reported crimes fell from 7,816 to 6,100 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.

The level of violent crime in Knoxville is 6.8 per 1,000 residents. The property offense rate locally is 23.6 per 1,000 residents.

7%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade

	Knoxville	Tennessee towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	6.8 per 1,000 residents	2.6	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	23.6 per 1,000 residents	11.5	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Knoxville6.8

Tennessee5

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Knoxville23.6

Tennessee16.6

U.S.15.5

7th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

10th

percentile among TN towns

1,374

violent crimes reported in 2025

4,726

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageKnoxville’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type6.8 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighborsBehind its graded neighbor Questions“Is Knoxville, TN safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

HealthC

Residents of Knoxville are less healthy than 73% of U.S. towns

Against the 7,135 U.S. towns with household incomes like Knoxville’s, it is healthier than 53%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income. Within Tennessee it is healthier than 60% of the 176 graded towns: much of Tennessee scores lower on these measures.

The share of adults 18 to 64 in Knoxville who have no health insurance: 13%. Of 31 CDC measures, Knoxville beats the Tennessee average on 4 and trails it on 9. Two figures for adults in the town: 22% report frequent mental distress, 20% worry about having enough food. Among 176 Tennessee towns, just 10 have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Knoxville.

27%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade

	Knoxville	Tennessee towns	U.S. towns
Depression (CDC PLACES)	32%	29%	23%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)	22%	20%	17%
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)	20%	16%	14%
No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES)	13%	12%	8.1%

31 measures vs. Tennessee

4 better18 too close to call9 worse

What stands out	Knoxville	TN
Fewer adults who have had cancer	7.1%	8.2%
Fewer adults with heart disease	6.2%	7%
More adults without reliable transportation	11.8%	8.9%

East Tennessee Childrens Hospital

1.2 mi away · emergency room

2 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental

60th

percentile among TN towns

Full pageKnoxville’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore binge drinkers Hospitals & doctors nearby1.2 miles to an ER · East Tennessee Childrens Hospital How adults are doingMore adults in frequent mental distress Every CDC estimateBetter than TN on 4 of 31

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Who lives here

More young adults than Tennessee overall

Only 46.6% of households own their home, against 66.9% across Tennessee.

18% of residents are under 18 in Knoxville. Adults 18 to 34 are 34% of residents (23% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 33% of residents (38% statewide). Population is up 6% in the town since 2020, to 202,021 by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. For Knoxville, the midpoint age is 33.5 years.

33.5median age · TN 38.9

	Knoxville	Tennessee towns	U.S. towns
Median age	33.5 years	40 years	40.5 years
Under 18	18%	22%	22%
Aged 65 or older	14%	18%	18%
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	35%	23%	29%

KnoxvilleTennesseeUnited States

TNU.S.

Ages · share of residents

18%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma10%

High school27%

Some college20%

Associate’s9%

Bachelor’s21%

Graduate14%

Women and men · all residents

51.7% women, 48.3% men

About 94 men for every 100 women. Across Tennessee, 50.9% of residents are women. Median age: women 34.6, men 32.5.

Ages and education in Knoxville
	Knoxville	TN	U.S.
Under 10	10%	11.9%	11.6%
10 to 17	7.9%	10.3%	10.3%
18 to 24	18.2%	8.9%	9.1%
25 to 34	16.2%	13.8%	13.7%
35 to 44	12.7%	12.8%	13.2%
45 to 54	9.9%	12.4%	12.2%
55 to 64	10.7%	12.8%	12.7%
65 to 74	8.5%	10.3%	10.2%
75 and older	5.9%	6.7%	7%
No diploma	10.2%	10%	10.4%
High school	26.8%	31.2%	26%
Some college	19.8%	19.9%	19.1%
Associate’s	8.5%	7.9%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	20.8%	19.4%	21.6%
Graduate	13.8%	11.7%	14.1%

Full pageKnoxville by the numbersOpen the page

Ages33.5 median age · 14% are 65 or older Schooling35% have a four-year degree Homes47% own their home · Homeowners Income$54K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B⁺

Knoxville has a low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding

272 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 40 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected losses in Knoxville break down as 39% from inland flooding and 29% from earthquakes. For Knoxville, the FEMA risk score is 28 of 100. Paid flood insurance claims in the town since 1978: 272.

28risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingEarthquakesTornadoes

272

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageKnoxville’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesLow risk Flood claims272 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters8 federal disasters · Paid out in Knoxville Get ready2.2 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

In Knoxville, expect mild winters and hot summers

Expect July afternoons of 88° and January nights of 29°, with about 5 inches of snow a winter.

5″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter31–50°

Spring47–70°

Summer66–87°

Fall49–71°

Oct 28

typical first frost

Apr 11

typical last frost

+0.9°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageKnoxville’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 88°, January lows 29°Rain & snow5″ of snow a winter · 54 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+0.9° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

HousingCost of living grade C⁺

Zillow puts the typical Knoxville home at about $369K

Home values rose 42% in five years, to about $369K, against 23% across Tennessee.

On the market in Knoxville: a median 49 days to sell. 47% of Knoxville households are owner-occupiers. Homes in Knoxville sold for 98.4% of their list price on average.

$369KZillow home value

	Knoxville	Tennessee towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	47%	66%	73%
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	54%	45%	48%
Median rent	$1,191 a month	$944 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Knoxville$369K

Tennessee$331K

Market temperature

days on market

98.4%

sale-to-list price

+1%

value change, 1 year

229

homes sold in May

Full pageKnoxville’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 1% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 6.8 years of income Rents$1,191 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 5 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Knoxville

20pages on Knoxville

The big questions

SchoolsB⁺Beat 66% of TN districts · 78 schools SafetyD6.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthCBetter than TN on 4 of 31 CDC measures Cost of livingC⁺$369K typical home · up 1% in a year Work & commuteC⁺$54K median household income · 181,996 jobs here Natural hazardsB⁺FEMA risk higher than 28% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁻91 mi of trails · 7% conserved land PlacesAttractions44 nearby · Neyland Stadium under 1 mi LibraryB⁺Murphy Branch Library CollegesThe University of Tennessee-Knoxville, in town

The story

HistoryASettled 1786 · 104 on the National Register Famous people33 born in Knoxville Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 73 residents Climate88° summer highs · 5″ of snow

Day to day

News16 recent stories about Knoxville WeatherHandbookZIP code 37901, 37902, 37909 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

4 within 15 miles of the center of Knoxville

The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleUniversity or college · Public · KnoxvilleIn town$13,812 in-state tuition South CollegeUniversity or college · Private for-profit · KnoxvilleIn town$18,535 tuition Pellissippi State Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Knoxville12.2 mi$4,786 in-state tuition

About 14 of every 100 Knoxville residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

14% of Knoxville is in college

2 colleges in town.

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville33,547 students on campus

Admission: 42%
Net price: $18,976
Graduate: 74%

South College4,052 students on campus

Admission: Open
Net price: $17,858
Graduate: 42%

College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

104 places in Knoxville on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

William Blount MansionBuilt 1792 · National Historic Landmark

Ramsey House

Old Knoxville City Hall

James Park House (Additional Documentation)

Famous people from Knoxville

33 notable people were born in Knoxville.

See all 33 →

Quentin TarantinoAmerican filmmaker and actor · born 1963

Christina HendricksBritish-American actress · born 1975

Randy OrtonAmerican professional wrestler · born 1980

James AgeeAmerican author, journalist, poet, screenwriter and film critic · 1909–1955

Johnny KnoxvilleAmerican stunt performer and actor · born 1971

Brad RenfroAmerican actor · 1982–2008

About Knoxville

City in Tennessee, United States

Official town website ↗

Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Located on the Tennessee River within the Appalachian Mountains, it is the largest city in the Grand Division of East Tennessee. Knoxville had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most-populous city in Tennessee. The Knoxville metropolitan area has an estimated 958,000 residents. Settled in 1786, Knoxville was the first capital of Tennessee. The city struggled with geographic isolation throughout the early 19th century before the arrival of the railroad in 1855 led to an economic boom. The city was bitterly divided over the issue of secession during the American Civil War and was oc…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1786
Area: 104 sq mi
Elevation: 886 ft
ZIP code: 37901, 37902, 37909
Area code: 865

Knoxville’s neighbors

6 towns share a border with Knoxville.

Explore the map →

All 4 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its C−; Alcoa (C) is closest.

PowellAlcoaJohn SevierFarragutRockfordHallsKnoxville

Powell

Visit

Alcoa

S · 2% of Knoxville workers commute here

Visit

John Sevier

Visit

Farragut

SW · 2% of Knoxville workers commute here

Visit

Rockford

Visit

Halls

Visit

How the neighbors grade

Town	TN rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Knoxville	#108	C⁻	C⁺	D	B⁺	C
Powell	#21	B⁺	B	—	B⁺	B⁻
Alcoa	#98	C	C	C	A⁻	C⁻
John Sevier	—	—	A	—	B⁺	C⁺
Farragut	#12	A⁻	C	—	B⁺	A
Rockford	—	—	—	—	—	—
Halls	#28	B⁺	B	—	B⁺	B⁻

John Sevier has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Powell, John Sevier, Farragut and Halls report no FBI crime data of their own. Rockford isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Knoxville with a neighbor →

Questions about Knoxville

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Knoxville, TN a good place to live?

Knoxville grades C− overall, better than 21% of U.S. towns and #108 of 175 in Tennessee. It grades C for health, D for safety and B+ for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Knoxville, TN expensive?

That is 5.1 years of the area's median household income ($72,422 across the Knoxville, TN metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.

What is Knoxville, TN known for?

33 notable people were born here, including Quentin Tarantino and Christina Hendricks.

Post to Knoxville

Check your email

KnoxvilleTN

What is it like to live in Knoxville?

What makes Knoxville stand out

Jobs vs. working residents

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

240 years in pictures

How Knoxville grades

Neyland Stadium and 30 more within 40 miles

Moving to Knoxville: who provides what

The data

7.4% of Knoxville is conserved land

Knoxville’s schools rank ahead of 66% of Tennessee districts

More than half of Knoxville’s working residents work in town

Where working residents work

Knoxville’s grade for safety is a D

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Residents of Knoxville are less healthy than 73% of U.S. towns

More young adults than Tennessee overall

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

Women and men · all residents

Knoxville has a low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding

In Knoxville, expect mild winters and hot summers

Typical low → high °F

Zillow puts the typical Knoxville home at about $369K

Typical home value

Everything we know about Knoxville

Colleges nearby

14% of Knoxville is in college

Landmarks

Famous people from Knoxville

About Knoxville

Knoxville’s neighbors

Questions about Knoxville