Knoxville, TN

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2023 Population

919,553

3.98% 1-year growth

US Senator

Marsha Blackburn

Republican Party

US Senator

Bill Hagerty

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

40.5

0.248% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

12.6%

0.0263% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$69,734

4.53% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$255,300

10.7% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

437,256

4.3% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Knoxville, TN had a population of 920k people with a median age of 40.5 and a median household income of $69,734. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Knoxville, TN grew from 884,359 to 919,553, a 3.98% increase and its median household income grew from $66,715 to $69,734, a 4.53% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Knoxville, TN are White (Non-Hispanic) (84.4%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (5.3%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.06%), Two+ (Hispanic) (2.55%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.52%).

None of the households in Knoxville, TN reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.3% of the residents in Knoxville, TN are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Knoxville, TN are The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (8,049 degrees awarded in 2022), South College (220552) (2,322 degrees), and Pellissippi State Community College (1,741 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Knoxville, TN was $255,300, and the homeownership rate was 70.2%.

Most people in Knoxville, TN drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Knoxville, TN was 2 cars per household.

Knoxville, TN borders Athens, TN, Crossville, TN, Dayton, TN, Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA, London, KY, Morristown, TN, and Sevierville, TN.

About the photo: World's Fair Park Bridge, Knoxville, TN

Photo by Will Fisher

United States Tennessee

Population & Diversity

Knoxville, TN is home to a population of 920k people, from which 97.3% are citizens. As of 2023, 4.69% of Knoxville, TN residents were born outside of the country (43.1k people).

In 2023, there were 15.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (776k people) in Knoxville, TN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 48.8k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 28.1k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.3%

2023 Citizenship

97.6%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.3% of Knoxville, TN residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Knoxville, TN was 97.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Knoxville, TN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Knoxville, TN

White (Non-Hispanic)
776k ± 1.12k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
48.8k ± 1.05k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
28.1k ± 1.44k

5.2%

Hispanic Population

47.9k people

5.2% of the people in Knoxville, TN are hispanic (47.9k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Knoxville, TN as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Tennessee.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
84,446 ± 7,091 people
India
23,758 ± 3,778 people
Guatemala
22,245 ± 3,656 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Tennessee was Mexico, the natal country of 84,446 Tennessee residents, followed by India with 23,758 and Guatemala with 22,245.

Foreign-Born Population

4.69%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

43.1k people

4.3%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

38k people

As of 2023, 4.69% of Knoxville, TN residents (43.1k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Knoxville, TN was 4.3%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Knoxville, TN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
19,680 ± 859
Gulf War (2001-)
11,745 ± 945
Gulf War (1990s)
9,597 ± 791

Knoxville, TN has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.68 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Knoxville, TN employs 437k people. The largest industries in Knoxville, TN are Health Care & Social Assistance (60,633 people), Retail Trade (53,237 people), and Manufacturing (46,129 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($82,188), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($74,601), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($74,219).

Males in Tennessee have an average income that is 1.36 times higher than the average income of females, which is $53,544. The income inequality in Tennessee (measured using the Gini index) is 0.462, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

437k

2023 Value

± 5,578

4.3%

1 Year growth

± 1.74%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Knoxville, TN grew at a rate of 4.3%, from 419k employees to 437k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Knoxville, TN, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (47,955 people), Management Occupations (45,796 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (43,027 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Knoxville, TN.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Tennessee (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

437k

2023 Value

± 5,578

4.3%

1 Year growth

± 1.74%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Knoxville, TN grew at a rate of 4.3%, from 419k employees to 437k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Knoxville, TN, are Health Care & Social Assistance (60,633 people), Retail Trade (53,237 people), and Manufacturing (46,129 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Knoxville, TN, though some of these residents may live in Knoxville, TN and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$50,465

Median earning men ± $1,018

$36,747

Median earning women ± $473

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Information ($70,799), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($70,178), and Public Administration ($68,205).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($49,603), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($46,788), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($46,637).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

Y-Axis

3.15%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 3.29M people employed in Tennessee. This represents a 3.15% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.8%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Tennessee.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,243
Other Services (except Public Administration)
1,168
Retail Trade
1,131
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$2.88M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$2.86M
Manufacturing
$2.69M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Tennessee went to Donald J. Trump with 64.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.703%).

Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are the senators currently representing the state of Tennessee. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Tennessee is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Knoxville, TN. Showing the available data for Tennessee.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (64.2%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (34.5%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.703%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Tennessee went to Donald J. Trump with 64.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.703%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Tennessee for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Tennessee

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

Marsha Blackburn

Senator from Tennessee

Assumed office on January 3, 2019

Bill Hagerty

Senator from Tennessee

Assumed office on January 3, 2021

Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are the senators currently representing Tennessee.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Tennessee over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Tennessee

Tennessee is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Tennessee have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Knoxville, TN awarded 15,172 degrees. The student population of Knoxville, TN in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 24,178 male students and 33,628 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Knoxville, TN are White (11,629 and 78.7%), followed by Black or African American (1,249 and 8.45%), Hispanic or Latino (679 and 4.59%), and Two or More Races (489 and 3.31%).

The largest universities in Knoxville, TN by number of degrees awarded are The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (8,049 and 53.1%), South College (220552) (2,322 and 15.3%), and Pellissippi State Community College (1,741 and 11.5%).

The most popular majors in Knoxville, TN are Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,345 and 8.87%), Registered Nursing (695 and 4.58%), and Pre-Nursing Studies (657 and 4.33%).

The median tuition costs in Knoxville, TN are $17,384 for private four year colleges, and $11,332 and $29,522 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Knoxville, TN, the percentage of applicants admitted was 68.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 27.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 57,806 (41.8% men and 58.2% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 57,806 students enrolled in Knoxville, TN, 41.8% men and 58.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 43,332 records, of which 57.6% were women and 42.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
532 degrees awarded
Other Research & Experimental Psychology
378 degrees awarded
Logistics, Materials, & Supply Chain Management
369 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Knoxville, TN was Registered Nursing with 532 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Knoxville, TN according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
8,049 degrees awarded
South College (220552)
2,322 degrees awarded
Pellissippi State Community College
1,741 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was The University of Tennessee-Knoxville with 8,049 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 6,015 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Knoxville, TN, which is 0.657 times less than the 9,157 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 11,629 degrees mean that there were 9.31 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,249 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($17,384) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,912) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,598) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

Measure

In 2022, 0.806% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.744% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.75M), Some college (1.2M), and Bachelors Degree (956k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Knoxville, TN was $255,300 in 2023, which is 0.841 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $230,700 to $255,300, a 10.7% increase. The homeownership rate in Knoxville, TN is 70.2%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Knoxville, TN have an average commute time of 24.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Knoxville, TN is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Knoxville, TN is $69,734. In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Knoxville, TN was Williamson County, TN with a value of $131,202, followed by Wilson County, TN and Sumner County, TN, with respective values of $94,048 and $86,005.

Housing

Property

$255,300

Median Property Value 2023

±$3,104

$260,373

Median Property Taxes

±$3,904

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Knoxville, TN the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Knoxville, TN compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

70.2%

Homeownership

2023

67.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 70.2% of the housing units in Knoxville, TN were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 69.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Knoxville, TN compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Knoxville, TN was Williamson County, TN with a value of $131,202, followed by Wilson County, TN and Sumner County, TN, with respective values of $94,048 and $86,005.

The following map shows all of the counties in Knoxville, TN colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$69,734

Median Household Income

± $976

371k

Number of Households

± 4,707

In 2023, the median household income of the 371k households in Knoxville, TN grew to $69,734 from the previous year's value of $66,715.

The following chart displays the households in Knoxville, TN distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Knoxville, TN is from Tennessee.

0.462

2022 Wage GINI in Tennessee

0.463

2021 Wage GINI in Tennessee

In 2022, the income inequality in Tennessee was 0.462 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.289% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Tennessee was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Tennessee in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Tennessee across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (78.5%)
Worked At Home (11.6%)
Carpooled (7.34%)

In 2023, 78.5% of workers in Knoxville, TN drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.6%) and those who carpooled to work (7.34%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

24.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Knoxville, TN have a shorter commute time (24.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.48% of the workforce in Knoxville, TN have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Knoxville, TN compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Knoxville, TN distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Knoxville, TN have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

12.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Knoxville, TN (113k out of 899k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Knoxville, TN is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

91.3% of the population of Knoxville, TN has health coverage, with 48.1% on employee plans, 14.5% on Medicaid, 14.5% on Medicare, 12.6% on non-group plans, and 1.59% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Tennessee see 1403 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.143% increase from the previous year (1401 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1793 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 560 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

1,403 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Tennessee

Primary care physicians in Tennessee see an average of 1,403 patients per year. This represents a 0.143% increase from the previous year (1,401 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Tennessee in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22% under 18 years, 21.2% between 18 and 34 years, 38.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.3% were men and 51.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

8.67%

Uninsured

48.1%

Employer Coverage

14.5%

Medicaid

14.5%

Medicare

12.6%

Non-Group

1.59%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Knoxville, TN grew by 1.11% from 8.58% to 8.67%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Knoxville, TN changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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