Knox County, TN

County

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    2024 Population
    494,148
    US Senator
    Marsha Blackburn
    Republican Party
    US Senator
    Bill Hagerty
    Republican Party
    2024 Median Age
    37.4
    0.268% 1-year increase
    2024 Poverty Rate
    12.2%
    0.371% 1-year decrease
    2024 Median Household Income
    $74,222
    3.57% 1-year growth
    2024 Median Property Value
    $320,900
    14.7% 1-year growth
    2024 Employed Population
    252,207
    2.28% 1-year growth

    About

    None of the households in Knox County, 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.

    96.2% of the residents in Knox County, TN are U.S. citizens.

    The largest universities in Knox County, TN are The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (8,969 degrees awarded in 2024), South College (2,780 degrees), and Pellissippi State Community College (1,742 degrees).

    In 2024, the median property value in Knox County, TN was $320,900, and the homeownership rate was 65.2%.

    Most people in Knox County, TN drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Knox County, TN was 2 cars per household.

    About the photo: World's Fair Park, Knoxville, TN
    Photo by Brent Moore
    United StatesTennesseeKnoxville, TN

    Population & Diversity

    Knox County, TN is home to a population of 494k people, from which 96.2% are citizens. As of 2024, 6.41% of Knox County, TN residents were born outside of the country (31.7k people).

    In 2024, there were 9.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (391k people) in Knox County, TN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 39.5k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 16.2k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    Population & Diversity

    Citizenship

    96.2%
    2024 Citizenship
    96.4%
    2023 Citizenship

    As of 2024, 96.2% of Knox County, TN residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Knox County, TN was 96.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

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    Diversity

    Race and Ethnicity

    The 3 largest ethnic groups in Knox County, TN
    1. White (Non-Hispanic)
      391k ± 891
    2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
      39.5k ± 875
    3. Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
      16.2k ± 1.43k
    6.33%
    Hispanic Population
    31.3k people

    In 2024, there were 9.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (391k people) in Knox County, TN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 39.5k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 16.2k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    6.33% of the people in Knox County, TN are hispanic (31.3k people).

    The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Knox County, TN as a share of the total population.

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    Global Diversity

    The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Tennessee.
    Most Common Origin
    1. Mexico
      95,077 ± 7,519 people
    2. Guatemala
      31,959 ± 4,379 people
    3. Honduras
      26,792 ± 4,011 people

    In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Tennessee was Mexico, the natal country of 95,077 Tennessee residents, followed by Guatemala with 31,959 and Honduras with 26,792.

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    Foreign-Born Population

    6.41%
    2024 Foreign-Born Population
    31.7k people
    6.19%
    2023 Foreign-Born Population
    30.1k people

    As of 2024, 6.41% of Knox County, TN residents (31.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Knox County, TN was 6.19%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

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    Military

    Veterans

    Most Common Service Period
    1. Vietnam
      8,652 ± 547
    2. Gulf War (2001-)
      6,289 ± 709
    3. Gulf War (1990s)
      4,159 ± 559

    Knox County, TN has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.38 times greater than any other conflict.

    The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Knox County, TN.

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    Health

    91.7% of the population of Knox County, TN has health coverage, with 52.7% on employee plans, 12.6% on Medicaid, 12.6% on Medicare, 12.4% on non-group plans, and 1.38% on military or VA plans.

    Primary care physicians in Knox County, TN see 915 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (915 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1671 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 227 patients per year.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49% were men and 51% were women.

    Coverage

    Patient to Clinician Ratios

    915 to 1
    Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Knox County, TN

    Primary care physicians in Knox County, TN see an average of 915 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (915 patients).

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

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    Health Care Diversity

    In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.6% under 18 years, 24.4% between 18 and 34 years, 37% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.1% over 64 years.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49% were men and 51% were women.

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

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    Uninsured People

    8.27%
    Uninsured
    52.7%
    Employer Coverage
    12.6%
    Medicaid
    12.6%
    Medicare
    12.4%
    Non-Group
    1.38%
    Military or VA

    Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Knox County, TN declined by 1.88% from 8.43% to 8.27%.

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

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    Health Indicators

    Health Outcomes

    Indicator

    In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 6.23 in Knox County, TN.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Knox County, TN.

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    Health Behaviors

    Indicator

    In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 37.5% in Knox County, TN.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Knox County, TN.

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    Clinical Care

    Indicator

    In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 9.76% in Knox County, TN.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Knox County, TN.

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    Economy

    The economy of Knox County, TN employs 252k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Knox County, TN were Health Care & Social Assistance (36,456 people), Retail Trade (30,848 people), and Educational Services (25,853 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($86,010), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($78,005), and Management of Companies & Enterprises ($65,772).

    Employment

    Occupations

    252k
    2024 Value
    ± 4,403
    2.28%
    1 Year growth
    ± 2.38%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Knox County, TN grew at a rate of 2.28%, from 247k employees to 252k employees.

    The most common job groups, by number of people living in Knox County, TN, are Management Occupations (28,769 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (28,547 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (25,640 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Knox County, TN.

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    Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

    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

    252k
    2024 Value
    ± 4,403
    2.28%
    1 Year growth
    ± 2.38%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Knox County, TN grew at a rate of 2.28%, from 247k employees to 252k employees.

    The most common employment sectors for those who live in Knox County, TN, are Health Care & Social Assistance (36,456 people), Retail Trade (30,848 people), and Educational Services (25,853 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Knox County, TN, though some of these residents may live in Knox County, TN and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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    Median Earnings by Industry

    $52,947
    Median earning men ± $1,549
    $39,592
    Median earning women ± $1,306

    The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($77,310), Public Administration ($74,580), and Information ($72,500).

    The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($58,281), Public Administration ($57,528), and Wholesale Trade ($56,927).

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    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.

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    Establishments by Size

    The industries with the most establishments
    1. 774
      Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
    2. 679
      Retail Trade
    3. 662
      Other Services (except Public Administration)

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

    The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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    Payroll by Industry Sector

    The industries with the highest total annual payroll
    1. $2.09M
      Health Care and Social Assistance
    2. $1.24M
      Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
    3. $1.17M
      Retail Trade

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

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    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

    Voting results are not available for Knox County, TN. Showing the available data for Tennessee.
    2024 Election Results
    1. Donald J. Trump (64.2%)
      Republican Party
    2. Kamala Harris (34.5%)
      Democratic Party
    3. 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.

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    Senator Elections

    US Senators from Tennessee

    Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.
    Marsha Blackburn
    Senator from Tennessee1
    Assumed office on January 3, 2019
    Bill Hagerty
    Senator from Tennessee2
    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.

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    Education

    In 2024, universities in Knox County, TN awarded 14,745 degrees. The student population of Knox County, TN in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 25,470 male students and 37,258 female students.

    Most students graduating from Universities in Knox County, TN are White (10,991 and 76.6%), Black or African American (1,339 and 9.33%), Hispanic or Latino (746 and 5.2%), and Two or More Races (535 and 3.73%).

    The largest universities in Knox County, TN by number of degrees awarded are The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (8,969 and 60.8%), South College (2,780 and 18.9%), and Pellissippi State Community College (1,742 and 11.8%).

    The most popular majors in Knox County, TN are Liberal Arts & Sciences (834 and 5.66%), Pre-Nursing Studies (714 and 4.84%), and Registered Nursing (605 and 4.1%).

    The median tuition costs are $19,200 for private four year colleges, and $11,560 and $30,704 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

    Admissions & Enrollments

    Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

    University
    Measure

    In 2024 in Knox County, TN, the percentage of applicants admitted was 41.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 27.5%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 62,728 (40.6% men and 59.4% 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.

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    Enrollments by Gender and Races

    Universities

    In 2024 there were 62,728 students enrolled in Knox County, TN, 40.6% men and 59.4% women.

    By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 43,800 records, of which 57.4% were women and 42.6% men.

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    Completions

    Concentrations

    Most Common
    1. Registered Nursing
      518 degrees awarded
    2. Logistics, Materials, & Supply Chain Management
      399 degrees awarded
    3. General Marketing & Marketing Management
      373 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Knox County, TN was Registered Nursing with 518 degrees awarded.

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

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    Universities

    Gender
    Race
    Largest Universities by degrees awarded
    1. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
      8,969 degrees awarded
    2. South College
      2,780 degrees awarded
    3. Pellissippi State Community College
      1,742 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was The University of Tennessee-Knoxville with 8,969 degrees awarded.

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    Student Diversity

    University

    In 2024, 5,723 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Knox County, TN, which is 0.634 times less than the 9,022 female students who received degrees in the same year.

    In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 10,991 degrees mean that there were 8.21 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,339 degrees awarded.

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    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.

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    Tuition

    Average Net Price by Sector

    Universities

    Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($19,200) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

    Public, 4-year or above ($2,252) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

    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.

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    Housing & Living

    The median property value in Knox County, TN was $320,900 in 2024, which is 0.965 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $279,700 to $320,900, a 14.7% increase. The homeownership rate in Knox County, TN is 65.2%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

    People in Knox County, TN have an average commute time of 22.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Knox County, TN is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

    In 2025, 12.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Knox County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2%.

    Housing

    Property

    $320,900
    Median Property Value 2024
    ±$5,524
    $131,117
    Median Property Taxes
    ±$2,721

    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 Knox County, TN the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

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

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    Rent vs Own

    65.2%
    Homeownership
    2024
    67.2%
    Homeowners with Mortgage
    2024

    In 2024, 65.2% of the housing units in Knox County, TN were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 64.9%.

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

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    Equity

    Household Income

    Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
    $74,222
    Median Household Income
    ± $1,390
    201k
    Number of Households
    ± 3,647

    In 2024, the median household income of the 201k households in Knox County, TN grew to $74,222 from the previous year's value of $71,662.

    The following chart displays the households in Knox County, 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.

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    Wage Distribution

    The closest comparable wage GINI for Knox County, TN is from Tennessee.
    0.457
    2024 Wage GINI in Tennessee
    0.459
    2023 Wage GINI in Tennessee

    In 2024, the income inequality in Tennessee was 0.457 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.505% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Tennessee was lower than than the national average of 0.474. 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.

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    Transportation

    Commuter Transportation

    Most Common Commute in 2024
    1. Drove Alone (75.8%)
    2. Worked At Home (14.4%)
    3. Carpooled (6.71%)

    In 2024, 75.8% of workers in Knox County, TN drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (14.4%) and those who carpooled to work (6.71%).

    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.

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    Commute Time

    22.2 minutes
    Average Travel Time

    Using averages, employees in Knox County, TN have a shorter commute time (22.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.03% of the workforce in Knox County, TN have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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    Car Ownership

    2 cars
    Average Number

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

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    Poverty

    Severe Housing Problems

    In 2025, 12.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Knox County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2%.

    The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

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    Poverty & Diversity

    12.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Knox County, TN (58.7k out of 481k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

    The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Knox County, 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.

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    Children in Poverty

    In 2025, 15.8% of the children was living in poverty in Knox County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.8%.

    The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

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    Security

    Crimes & Accidents

    Indicator

    In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 506 in Knox County, TN. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 56% per 100,000 population.

    The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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