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Knoxville, TN

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Neighborhood intelligence

Your Knoxville relocation brief

Safety, noise, air quality, true cost, hazard, and commute intelligence for Knoxville.

Median rent

$1,191/mo

ACS 2024 5-year

HUD 2-bedroom FMR $1,475/mo

Median household income

$54,039

ACS 2024 5-year

Median home value

$239,700

ACS 2024 5-year

Safety score

42/100

FBI CDE

Weather

64°F (H 72° / L 55°)

Open-Meteo

Buying in Knoxville? Check current mortgage rates early — before you fall in love with a ZIP.

Safety & Crime Index

42/100

FBI CDE

Worth extra due diligence — 78% above average FBI data, 2023–2024

Average

Noise Level

40 dB — Quiet Suburb

Open-Meteo

Open-Meteo 16-day avg 64°F

Quiet — Low environmental index

Environmental / Air Quality

AQI 35 — Good

Open-Meteo

Low pollen & dust baseline · wind index 37 (100 = avg)

Good / Low Pollen

Neighborhood guide

Living in Knoxville TN

Knoxville is one of the more affordable options in its region at $1,191/month typical rent. Safety scores 42/100.

Knoxville has about 195,185 residents. Scores below are citywide. Your ZIP can land better or worse on rent and crime.

Is Knoxville TN Safe?

Knoxville TN scores 42/100 on safety (well below average). Crime is about 78% above the national average. Research block-level crime data and visit after dark before you commit.

Detail: overall crime index 178 (100 = avg); violent crime index 206; property crime index 150. Indexes near 100 track a typical U.S. load. Higher means more crime pressure on that category.

Schools in Knoxville TN

School quality varies by neighborhood in Knoxville. Check GreatSchools.org or your local district for current ratings before you choose a ZIP.

Cost of Living in Knoxville TN

Typical rent in Knoxville is about $1,191/month (affordable). At $1,191/month for a typical unit, you need about $42,876+ in household income to rent comfortably without stretching (3× rent × 12). Typical home value: $239,700.

Median household income is $54,039, property taxes run about 1.45%, and homes typically sell in around 28 days. Local median income ($54,039) clears the $42,876 comfort line for that rent.

Walk Score 68 (Somewhat Walkable); transit score 42 (Some Transit).

Weather and Climate in Knoxville TN

Average temperature is about 64°F (highs near 72°F, lows near 55°F).

You can be outside most of the year without extreme gear. Heating and cooling costs are usually moderate compared with hotter or colder metros. If you visit, go in winter or midsummer (not only in spring) to see the extremes.

Who Should Move to Knoxville TN?

Who tends to thrive in Knoxville: (1) Renters who want $1,191/month housing without coastal prices (comfort income is about $42,876) (2) Households earning $42,876+ who can clear the 3× rent rule at $1,191/month (3) Movers with a locked job offer in Knoxville who already priced rent and commute (4) Buyers comparing mid-size metros who will tour multiple ZIPs before signing

Who should look elsewhere: (1) People with young kids who want to let them roam freely (crime pressure is real here; safety 42/100) (2) Households expecting top marks on rent and safety at once (Knoxville does not clear every bar) (3) People who will not research ZIP-level crime maps before leasing

Income sniff test: clear about $42,876 household income for $1,191/month rent. Under that, pick a cheaper ZIP or a different city.

Bottom Line

Knoxville scores 42/100 on safety with $1,191/month typical rent. Run the numbers against your income before committing.

Next steps

Tools for your move

Quotes and listings for Knoxville when you're ready to act.

Relocation deep-dive

Before you sign anything

True ownership costs, insurance hazards, and commute math for Knoxville.

True Cost Matrix

Property tax trajectories and climate-adjusted utility estimates

Monthly carrying cost

$1,682

Mortgage + tax + insurance + HOA

Annual property tax

$3,476

Annual est. $5,580

Est. monthly utilities

$461

Climate-adjusted electric, gas & water

Median home price

$239,700

ACS 2024 5-year

Home price trend

5-year median sale price

+11.2% · 5 yr
$216k
2022
$221k
2023
$227k
2024
$233k
2025
$240k
2026

Modeled from +14.2% cumulative appreciation · median sale price by year

Rent vs buy index

Estimated monthly cost comparison

Renting saves ~$491/mo vs buying
$1,191ACS 2024 5-year
Rent
$1,682
Buy

Mortgage

$1,212

Property tax

$290

Insurance

$86

HOA

$95

Buy estimate: 20% down, 30-yr fixed at 6.5% APR · taxes, insurance & HOA included

Property tax trajectory

Effective rate and estimated annual bill on median home

2023

1.33%

$3,181/yr

2024

1.37%

$3,276/yr

2025

1.41%

$3,375/yr

2026

1.45%

$3,476/yr

Buying in Knoxville? See current mortgage rates in minutes.

Disaster & Insurance Risk

Flood zone exposure and average insurance premium impacts

Flood zone

Zone X — minimal flood risk

moderate exposure

Wildfire hazard index

63 (100 = avg)

low exposure

Est. annual homeowners insurance

$1,027/yr

moderate exposure
Wind hazard index37 (100 = avg)
Tornado index—
Earthquake index—
Insurance trendTypical near-term temperature around 64°F

Flood and wind exposure can materially affect premiums — verify FEMA maps and carrier quotes before closing. Estimated annual homeowners insurance: $1,027.

Custom Commute Calculator

Work address, MPG, and toll footprint estimates

Work commute & expense calculator

Monthly gas and toll footprint from Knoxville to your workplace

One-way drive

~24 min

At ~30 mph average

Monthly fuel

$66

18.9 gal · 22 days

Monthly tolls

$0

Round-trip toll estimate

Monthly total

$66

Gas + tolls · 48 min/day

Annual footprint

$792

Commute-only estimate

✓ Data sourced from U.S. Census Bureau, HUD, FBI & Open-Meteo