Bristol vs Knoxville
Bristol, Tennessee versus Knoxville, Tennessee: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Bristol edges out Knoxville on overall objective livability (52 vs 42 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bristol | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $49k | $48k |
| Cost of Living | $42k | $53k |
| Home Value | $166k | $184k |
| Monthly Rent | $746 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.85% | 0.76% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.55% | 9.55% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 6.02% | 6.05% |
| Unemployment | 8.8% | 4.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 37°F | 39°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.0 in | 55.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 9.2 in | 4.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 233 days | 211 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 74 days | 77 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 19.8 | 35.3 |
| Air Quality | 36 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 42.9 | 30.2 |
| Violent Crime | 2272/100k | 2725/100k |
| Property Crime | 2301/100k | 3914/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 27,307 | 191,857 |
| Median Age | 40.2 | 33.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.18 | 0.42 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.89 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | R+53 | R+15 |
| White (%) | 89.3% | 72.1% |
| Black (%) | 2.8% | 16.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.5% | 5.7% |
| Asian (%) | 0.4% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 6.7/20 | 14.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 115 mi | 154 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.5% | 82.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 20.87 | 19.96 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Bristol or Knoxville more affordable?
- Bristol has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Bristol's $42k and Knoxville's $53k. Median rent is $746 in Bristol versus $1k in Knoxville.
- Is Bristol or Knoxville safer?
- Bristol has the lower violent crime rate. Bristol reports 2272/100k and Knoxville reports 2725/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bristol or Knoxville?
- The median home value is $166k in Bristol and $184k in Knoxville, so homes are more affordable in Bristol.