Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Knoxville, TN

    Is Knoxville a good place to live?

    Watch Knoxville

    Knoxville ranks #19 of 28 Tennessee cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (41/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 1.0% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $214,000
    +16.2% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,116
    per month
    Household income
    $50,994
    median
    Unemployment
    4.4%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Knoxville

    The median home value in Knoxville is $214,000 and median rent is $1,116 a month, against a median household income of $50,994. Homes cost about 4.2× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Knoxville crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Tennessee the 2025 rate was 499 violent and 1,661 property crimes per 100,000 people — #14 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Knoxville, TN

    Knoxville has about 193,721 residents, 4.4% unemployment and 20% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Knoxville with

    Knoxville vs NashvilleKnoxville vs MemphisKnoxville vs ChattanoogaKnoxville vs ClarksvilleKnoxville vs MurfreesboroKnoxville vs FranklinKnoxville vs Johnson CityKnoxville vs Jackson

    More: Where to move in Tennessee · Best counties in Tennessee

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report