Knox County, Tennessee
Among the top 17% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 31% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 21% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 0% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 68% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 83% of US counties
- top 8% for estimated total tax burden
- top 9% for income tax
- bottom 3% for school quality
Knox County is a county in Tennessee with about 481,000 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include estimated total tax burden, income tax, and walkability. It rates lower on sales tax and school quality.
Official websiteknoxcounty.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet · Light snow
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68%46%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.3 in3.7 in
muggy 99%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$69k71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$53kbetter than 14% of US counties
Home Value$248k80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 17% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 30% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.52%better than 84% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax9.55%better than 4% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden5.05%better than 92% of US counties
Unemployment3.8%better than 68% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)39°F64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)78°F56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation55.3 in86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall4.2 inbetter than 65% of US counties
Sunny Days211 daysbetter than 23% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 34% of US counties
Comfortable Days77 daysbetter than 44% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk92.1better than 8% of US counties
Air Quality52 AQIbetter than 10% of US counties
School Quality30.2better than 3% of US counties
Violent Crime1691/100kbetter than 11% of US counties
Property Crime2124/100kbetter than 12% of US counties
Community
Population481,40695th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.418th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3054th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9622nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1527th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)81.1%50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)8.2%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.8%49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.3%86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.7%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 67% of US counties
Walkability8.5/20better than 88% of US counties
Airport Distance152 mibetter than 25% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.9%better than 73% of US counties
Amenities Nearby8.25better than 81% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 53% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Knox County an affordable place to live?
- Knox County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $53k, better than 14% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Knox County?
- The median home value in Knox County is $248k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Knox County?
- Median household income in Knox County is $69k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Knox County?
- Median gross rent in Knox County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Knox County safe?
- Knox County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1691/100k (better than 11%). Property crime is 2124/100k.
- What is the weather like in Knox County?
- Knox County averages 78°F in July and 39°F in January, with 55.3 in of annual precipitation and about 211 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Knox County?
- Public-school quality in Knox County is below average, scoring better than 3% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Knox County?
- The average one-way commute in Knox County is 22 min.
Other counties in Tennessee
Explore Tennessee
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)