Hamilton County vs Knox County
Hamilton County, Tennessee versus Knox County, Tennessee: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Hamilton County and Knox County score about the same overall (42 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hamilton County | Knox County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $69k | $69k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $53k |
| Home Value | $251k | $248k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $96k | $127k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.73% | 0.52% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.55% | 9.55% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 5.81% | 5.05% |
| Unemployment | 4.4% | 3.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 39°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.2 in | 55.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.9 in | 4.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 221 days | 211 days |
| Summer Humidity | 69°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 79 days | 77 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 93.3 | 92.1 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 38.0 | 30.2 |
| Violent Crime | 1813/100k | 1691/100k |
| Property Crime | 3083/100k | 2124/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 367,193 | 481,406 |
| Median Age | 39.7 | 37.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.44 | 0.30 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+15 |
| White (%) | 70.1% | 81.1% |
| Black (%) | 17.7% | 8.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.2% | 4.8% |
| Asian (%) | 1.9% | 2.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 3.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 7.8/20 | 8.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 103 mi | 152 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.7% | 86.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.93 | 8.25 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hamilton County or Knox County more affordable?
- Knox County has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Hamilton County's $53k and Knox County's $53k. Median rent is $1k in Hamilton County versus $1k in Knox County.
- Is Hamilton County or Knox County safer?
- Knox County has the lower violent crime rate. Hamilton County reports 1813/100k and Knox County reports 1691/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hamilton County or Knox County?
- The median home value is $251k in Hamilton County and $248k in Knox County, so homes are more affordable in Knox County.