Knoxville, TN Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Knoxville, TN Summary

Cost of living in Knoxville research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Knoxville is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Tennessee, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Knoxville is 81, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Knoxville is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Knoxville ranks as the #20 cheapest in Tennessee out of 105.

  • Knoxville ranks as the #290 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Knoxville is $154,500.

  • The median income in Knoxville is $44,308.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
81
Knoxville's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Knoxville, TN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Knoxville has an overall cost of living index of 81, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Tennessee, Knoxville has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Tennessee's index of 90.

The standard of living in Knoxville ranks as #20 most affordable out of the 105 places we measured in Tennessee. By definition, that implies Knoxville ranks as the #85 most expensive place in the Volunteer State.

For more reading on life in Knoxville, check out:

20 out of 105
In Tennessee
290 out of 6,412
In America

Knoxville Cost Of Living Vs. Tennessee

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Knoxville. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Knoxville is 87.

  • The Groceries index in Knoxville is 85.

  • The Health index in Knoxville is 94.

  • The Housing index in Knoxville is 72.

  • The Transportation index in Knoxville is 88.

  • The Utilities index in Knoxville is 92.

Living Expense Knoxville Tennessee National Average
Overall 81 90 100
Services 87 93 100
Groceries 85 96 100
Health 94 88 100
Housing 72 82 100
Transportation 88 90 100
Utilities 92 93 100
For more reading on cost of living around Tennessee, check out:
Knoxville Cost of Living Vs. TN

Knoxville, TN Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Tennessee, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Knoxville is $154,500.

  • The Median Rent in Knoxville is $938.

  • The Median Income in Knoxville is $44,308.

  • The Home Value To Income in Knoxville is 3.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Knoxville is 0.25x.

Statistic Knoxville Tennessee United States
Median Home Value $154,500 $193,700 $244,900
Median Rent $938 $951 $1,163
Median Income $44,308 $58,516 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.5x 3.3x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.2x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Knoxville, TN
$154,500
Median Home Value
$938
Median Rent
$44,308
Median Income

Knoxville, TN Costs By Category

Detailed Knoxville Services Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Knoxville Tennessee
Shampoo $0.84 $1.06
Movie $10.22 $10.68
Bowling $18.67 $14.67
Haircut $14.73 $18.62
Beauty Salon $37.6 $39.05

Detailed Knoxville Groceries Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Knoxville Tennessee
Ground Beef $4.41 $4.22
Fried Chicken $0.99 $1.39
Milk $1.85 $2.05
Potatoes $2.88 $3.29
Pizza $9.99 $10.62
Beer $9.75 $9.38
Toothpaste $1.5 $2.34

Detailed Knoxville Health Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Knoxville Tennessee
Optometrist $88.0 $108.57
Doctor $105.73 $116.17
Dentist $88.77 $99.13

Detailed Knoxville Transportation Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Knoxville Tennessee
Gasoline $2.06 $2.22
Tire Balancing $36.44 $50.07

Detailed Knoxville Utilities Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Knoxville Tennessee
All Electricity $149.12 $167.67
Phone $184.96 $175.64

Knoxville SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
7
Affordability
5
Diversity
8.5
Safety
3
Amenities
9
Education
8
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Knoxville

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Knoxville. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Maryville, TN has a cost of living index of 92, 1.1x Knoxville.

  • Oak Ridge, TN has a cost of living index of 88, 1.1x Knoxville.

  • Farragut, TN has a cost of living index of 112, 1.4x Knoxville.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Knoxville
Maryville, TN 31,281 92 1.1x
Oak Ridge, TN 31,087 88 1.1x
Farragut, TN 23,388 112 1.4x
Seymour, TN 15,633 87 1.1x
Alcoa, TN 10,777 85 1.0x
Clinton, TN 9,982 84 1.0x

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