Knoxville vs Oak Ridge
Knoxville, Tennessee versus Oak Ridge, 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 Oak Ridge score about the same overall (42 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Knoxville | Oak Ridge |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $48k | $67k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $49k |
| Home Value | $184k | $212k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.76% | 0.88% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.55% | 9.55% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 6.05% | 5.92% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 5.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 39°F | 38°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.8 in | 59.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.6 in | 4.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 211 days | 211 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 78 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 35.3 | 41.6 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 30.2 | 55.0 |
| Violent Crime | 2725/100k | 1225/100k |
| Property Crime | 3914/100k | 1774/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 191,857 | 31,535 |
| Median Age | 33.4 | 39.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.42 | 0.32 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | R+15 | R+33 |
| White (%) | 72.1% | 80.5% |
| Black (%) | 16.0% | 6.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| Asian (%) | 1.6% | 2.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.7% | 5.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 14.1/20 | 5.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 154 mi | 133 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 82.0% | 93.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 19.96 | 16.49 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 Knoxville or Oak Ridge more affordable?
- Oak Ridge has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Knoxville's $53k and Oak Ridge's $49k. Median rent is $1k in Knoxville versus $1k in Oak Ridge.
- Is Knoxville or Oak Ridge safer?
- Oak Ridge has the lower violent crime rate. Knoxville reports 2725/100k and Oak Ridge reports 1225/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Knoxville or Oak Ridge?
- The median home value is $184k in Knoxville and $212k in Oak Ridge, so homes are more affordable in Knoxville.