Knoxville vs Nashville-Davidson
Knoxville, Tennessee versus Nashville-Davidson, 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 Nashville-Davidson score about the same overall (42 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Knoxville | Nashville-Davidson |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $48k | $71k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $60k |
| Home Value | $184k | $351k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.76% | 0.62% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.55% | 9.55% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 6.05% | 6.23% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 39°F | 39°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.8 in | 53.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.6 in | 4.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 211 days | 183 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 70 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 35.3 | 60.7 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 30.2 | 61.1 |
| Violent Crime | 2725/100k | 3233/100k |
| Property Crime | 3914/100k | 3949/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 191,857 | 684,103 |
| Median Age | 33.4 | 34.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.42 | 0.57 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | R+15 | D+33 |
| White (%) | 72.1% | 54.9% |
| Black (%) | 16.0% | 26.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.7% | 10.8% |
| Asian (%) | 1.6% | 3.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.7% | 4.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 14.1/20 | 14.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 154 mi | 7 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 82.0% | 90.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 19.96 | 9.49 |
| 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 Nashville-Davidson more affordable?
- Knoxville has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Knoxville's $53k and Nashville-Davidson's $60k. Median rent is $1k in Knoxville versus $1k in Nashville-Davidson.
- Is Knoxville or Nashville-Davidson safer?
- Knoxville has the lower violent crime rate. Knoxville reports 2725/100k and Nashville-Davidson reports 3233/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Knoxville or Nashville-Davidson?
- The median home value is $184k in Knoxville and $351k in Nashville-Davidson, so homes are more affordable in Knoxville.