Knoxville, TN Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Knoxville, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Knoxville →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Knoxville counts roughly 191,857 residents, and the median household brings in $48,309 annually — -33% relative to the cities in our dataset, putting incomes here below the pack.
In Knoxville, the median home is valued at $184,200 — below the median across the cities we track (-44%) — and typical rent runs $1,043 a month. Factor in mortgage rates and property taxes when sizing up whether buying pencils out.
The home-value-to-income ratio in Knoxville — around 3.8× — falls into a middle tier, neither notably affordable nor notably stretched. Knoxville's home prices climbed 2.95% over the past year — steady appreciation without signs of overheating. FEMA rates Knoxville's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively Moderate — comparatively low, which tends to keep home insurance costs in check.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,043/mo in Knoxville would take 25.9% of your income.
$165/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($184,200) would take 24.4% of your income toward principal & interest.
$144/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Knoxville
Median home value is $184,200 and median gross rent is $1,043/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Knox rose 2.95% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,471/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Knoxville's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively Moderate. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Knoxville reported a violent crime rate of 684.8 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Knoxville
Planning a move to Knoxville? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Knoxville, TN?
- Cost of living in Knoxville centers on housing: median home value runs $184,200, median rent runs $1,043/month, and the typical household earns $48,309 a year. Data via the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Knoxville?
- A common guideline is that rent should stay under 30% of gross income. With median rent at $1,043/month in Knoxville, that implies an income of about $41,720 to keep housing affordable. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Knoxville.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Knoxville?
- Buying at Knoxville's median home value of $184,200 takes about $42,144 a year in principal-and-interest income (20% down, 30-year fixed, current mortgage rates), compared with roughly $41,720 a year to comfortably rent at the median $1,043/month. Down payment and expected length of stay usually settle the question.
- Is Knoxville safe?
- FBI data puts Knoxville's violent crime rate at 684.8 per 100,000 residents for 2025 — a useful benchmark alongside other cities you're weighing.
See the full salary breakdown for Knoxville →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Knoxville's.
Median rent $1,045/mo · Median income $47,798
Salary breakdown →