Knoxville, TN Metro Area

Metro Area

Population: 919,553 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Knoxville, TN Metro Area

What is the median household income in Knoxville, TN Metro Area?: The median household income in Knoxville, TN Metro Area is $69,734 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Knoxville, TN Metro Area?: The poverty rate in Knoxville, TN Metro Area is 8.3% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Knoxville, TN Metro Area?: $255,300 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Knoxville, TN Metro Area?: The median gross rent in Knoxville, TN Metro Area is $1,080 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Knoxville, TN Metro Area residents have a college degree?: 31.9% of adults in Knoxville, TN Metro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

919,553

Median Income

$69,734

Median Home Value

$255,300

Poverty Rate

8.3%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

3.9%

Median Age

40.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$15,098 (+27.6%) Home Value: +$84,000 (+49%) Poverty Rate: -1.9 pp (-18.6%) Bachelor's+: +2.2 pp (+7.4%) Unemployment: -1.0 pp (-20.4%)

Demographics

Total Population 919,553

Median Age 40.0

Female 50.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 5.2% White (non-Hisp.) 84.4% Black 5.4% Asian 1.5% Two or More 5.6% Other 1.4%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Indian

0.5%

Chinese

0.4%

Filipino

0.2%

Korean

0.2%

Vietnamese

0.1%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

2.7%

Puerto Rican

0.4%

Cuban

0.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $69,734 ±$976

Per Capita Income $96,374

Median Family Income $88,736

Poverty Rate 8.3%

Child Poverty Rate 13.2%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 10.0%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 25.8%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

4.8%

$10–15k

4.3%

$15–25k

7.5%

$25–35k

8.0%

$35–50k

12.0%

$50–75k

16.8%

$75–100k

13.3%

$100–150k

17.7%

$150–200k

7.0%

$200k+

8.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 412,448

Owner-Occupied 70.2%

Renter-Occupied 29.8%

Vacancy Rate 10.0%

Median Home Value $255,300

Median Gross Rent $1,080

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 16.1%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 37.7%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

5.4%

$50–100k

6.7%

$100–200k

10.1%

$200–300k

25.4%

$300–500k

25.1%

$500k–$1M

12.3%

$1M+

2.3%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

10.1%

$500–1k

33.3%

$1–1.5k

35.8%

$1.5–2k

14.0%

$2–2.5k

4.1%

$2.5–3.5k

1.6%

$3.5k+

1.1%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

5.0%

1 vehicle

29.5%

2 vehicles

38.3%

27.3%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

70.1%

Single-fam. att.

3.8%

2–4 units

1.6%

5–19 units

3.9%

20+ units

5.3%

Mobile home

8.2%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

6.4%

1940–1969

5.6%

1970–1999

14.2%

2000–2009

15.7%

2010+

9.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 90.5%

Bachelor's or Higher 31.9%

Graduate Degree 12.5%

Some College / Associate 19.6%

Less Than High School 3.5%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 60.6%

Unemployment Rate 3.9%

Work from Home 11.6%

Self-Employed 6.1%

Government Workers 14.6%

Private For-Profit 79.1%

Industry

Edu/Health

22.9%

Prof. Services

12.3%

Retail

12.2%

Manufacturing

10.5%

Arts/Entmt.

9.0%

Construction

8.0%

Finance

6.2%

Transportation

5.8%

Public Admin

3.8%

Wholesale

2.3%

Information

1.5%

Agriculture

0.6%

Occupation

Management

39.9%

Sales

20.8%

Food Prep

16.1%

Production

14.0%

Construction

9.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 24.4 min

Drove Alone 78.5%

Carpool 7.3%

Public Transit 0.3%

Work from Home 11.6%

Walked 1.3%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 371,027

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 49.4%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 17.1%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.2%

5–9

5.7%

10–14

5.9%

15–19

6.3%

20–24

7.0%

25–34

12.9%

35–44

12.2%

45–54

12.6%

55–64

6.7%

65–74

6.7%

75–84

11.2%

85+

5.6%

Under 18: 20.6% Working age (18–64): 79.4% 65 and over: 18.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 4.7%

Naturalized Citizen 43.0%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 2.4%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

44.4%

Asia

31.2%

Europe

13.8%

Africa

7.5%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 7.8%

With a Disability 15.0%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 91.3%

Uninsured 8.7%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 86.9%

Has a Computer 93.9%

Same House 1 Year Ago 87.5%

Moved from Abroad 0.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023