Knox County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Knox County, Tennessee has a population of 494,148, the 3rd most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $74,222 and the median home value is $320,900. The poverty rate is 12.2%.

Knox County Quick Facts

Population 494,148

Median Household Income $74,22290% MOE ±$1,390

Median Home Value $320,90090% MOE ±$5,524

Poverty Rate 12.2%90% MOE ±0.6 pts

Unemployment Rate 3.5%90% MOE ±0.3 pts

Median Age 37.4 years90% MOE ±0.2 years

Homeownership Rate 65.2%90% MOE ±0.7 pts

Affordability Ratio 4.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 41.0%90% MOE ±0.9 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 92.4%

Cities/Places 7

Population 494,148 3rd of 95

Median Income $74,222 7% higher than state

Poverty Rate 12.2%

Unemployment 3.5%

How Knox County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	461,104	494,148	+7.2%
Median household income	$70,729	$74,222	+4.9%
Median home value¹	$225,466	$320,900	+42.3%
Median gross rent	$1,098	$1,261	+14.9%

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Knox

$74,222

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Knox

$320,900

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 15.0%

$25K-$50K 19.1%

$50K-$100K 29.3%

$100K+ 36.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.9%

$10K-$15K

3.4%

$15K-$20K

3.0%

$20K-$25K

3.6%

$25K-$30K

3.6%

$30K-$35K

3.8%

$35K-$40K

3.8%

$40K-$45K

4.1%

$45K-$50K

3.8%

$50K-$60K

6.7%

$60K-$75K

9.8%

$75K-$100K

12.9%

$100K-$125K

10.3%

$125K-$150K

7.3%

$150K-$200K

8.3%

$200K+

10.8%

Employment

3.5% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

65.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 65.2%

Renter 34.8%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,261/mo 20.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.9%

18-34

25.8%

35-54

24.9%

55-74

21.8%

75+

6.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 46 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Knox County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Knoxville	195,185	$54,039	20.2%	$239,700
Farragut	24,634	$142,093	3.8%	$583,400
Powell	13,739	$82,434	4.1%	$299,400
Halls (Knox County)	10,272	$90,933	8.0%	$321,300
Karns	4,115	$100,043	3.8%	$328,600
Mascot	3,277	$60,250	19.2%	$206,000
John Sevier	1,177	$46,776	13.3%	$144,200

Explore Tennessee Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Knox County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 494,148. It is the 3rd most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Knox County is 37.4 years. This is 4% lower than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Knox County is $74,222. This is 7% higher than the state median of $69,595. It is also 8% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.2%. This is 11% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.5%. This is 25% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $320,900. Housing costs are 12% higher than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.3x. 65.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% lower than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Knox County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 79.1% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 8.0%.

Education

41.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Knox County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 32% higher than the state rate of 31.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.4%. Notably, 16.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Knox County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Tennessee and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Knox County, Tennessee?

Knox County has a population of 494,148, making it the 3rd most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Knox County?

The median household income in Knox County is $74,222 with a poverty rate of 12.2%.

How many cities are in Knox County, Tennessee?

Knox County contains 7 Census-designated places.