Living in Knoxville, TN
Mid-size city in Tennessee
Knoxville is a mid-size city in Tennessee, home to about 194,000 people, with 470,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Knoxville a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Low taxes: no state income tax, 0.67% property tax
- Strong healthcare: 4 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $356k and rents for $1,860 a month
- Low natural disaster risk: 10 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Smaller job market: about 470,000 people live within 31 mi
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Fewer outdoor escapes: few parks and no water close by
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Knoxville ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Knoxville: common questions
What is the cost of living in Knoxville?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $356k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,860 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 93, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Knoxville?
Tennessee has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 0.67% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Knoxville safe?
Violent crime is well above the national rate (1.8× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Knoxville?
Knoxville has cool winters: winter days average around 51°F and summer days around 87°F, with roughly 5″ of snow a year.
Does Knoxville get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes: 10 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.65 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Knoxville?
The nearest major airport is TYS, about 11 mi away.
How Knoxville scores
Each bar compares Knoxville with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Knoxville right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.