Knoxville vs Memphis
Knoxville, Tennessee versus Memphis, Tennessee: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Knoxville and Memphis score about the same overall (42 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Knoxville | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $48k | $48k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $49k |
| Home Value | $184k | $140k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.76% | 1.29% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.55% | 9.55% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 6.05% | 6.88% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 8.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 39°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.8 in | 54.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.6 in | 2.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 211 days | 201 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 79 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 35.3 | 65.8 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 30.2 | 51.5 |
| Violent Crime | 2725/100k | 5824/100k |
| Property Crime | 3914/100k | 7195/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 191,857 | 630,027 |
| Median Age | 33.4 | 34.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.42 | 0.51 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | R+15 | D+31 |
| White (%) | 72.1% | 24.1% |
| Black (%) | 16.0% | 64.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.7% | 8.0% |
| Asian (%) | 1.6% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.7% | 2.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 14.1/20 | 13.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 154 mi | 6 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 82.0% | 80.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 19.96 | 3.78 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Excellent |
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 Knoxville or Memphis more affordable?
- Memphis has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Knoxville's $53k and Memphis's $49k. Median rent is $1k in Knoxville versus $1k in Memphis.
- Is Knoxville or Memphis safer?
- Knoxville has the lower violent crime rate. Knoxville reports 2725/100k and Memphis reports 5824/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Knoxville or Memphis?
- The median home value is $184k in Knoxville and $140k in Memphis, so homes are more affordable in Memphis.