Knoxville TN
Tennessee · Pop. 195,185
Knoxville, TN: median household income of $54,039, median rent of $1,191/mo, 4.5% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$54,039
per year
Median Rent
$1,191
per month
Median Home
$240k
home value
Unemployment
4.5%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
20.2%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
20 min
one way
City Reality Check honest
"Knoxville, TN Reality Check"
In Knoxville, the rent-to-income burden runs around 26% — acceptable by national standards. Median income sits at $54,039 and median rent is $1,191/month. 50% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $239,700 — that's 4.4× the median income. Employment picture: 4.54% unemployment — a healthy job market. Poverty rate: 20.2% — well above the national average. The headline economic numbers hide a bifurcated city. Average commute: 20 minutes — mercifully short. Violent crime: 65.8/100k avg monthly rate (6034 reported); Property crime: 345.3/100k avg monthly rate (31618 reported). Knoxville was founded in 1786 — that's 240 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 104.2 sq miles at 1,874 people/sq mile — spread out. Elevation: 886 ft — modest elevation. Knoxville has 7 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 63/100 — It Depends.
Local Context
Safety
/100Violent crime: 65.8/100k avg monthly rate (6034 reported); Property crime: 345.3/100k avg monthly rate (31618 reported).