Knoxville cost of living
Prices in the Knoxville, TN metro area run at 92.6 against a national average of 100, ranking it #227 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 82.8.
What drives the number
Prices in Knoxville run at 92.6 where the national average is 100, so about 7.4 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #227 of 387 metro areas. Against Tennessee as a whole it is 0.7 points more expensive, which is the usual direction: cities cost more than the states around them.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 96.2, rents at 82.8, other services at 71.9. When the components agree, the headline number is a fair summary of the whole cost of living rather than a proxy for rent.
The number is most useful in reverse: a job here can pay less in cash and still leave a household better off, by roughly 7.4 per cent before anything else is considered.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Knoxville is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 11,980 | $30,110 | $32,516 | $34,580 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 11,200 | $27,680 | $29,892 | $30,480 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 9,500 | $37,210 | $40,184 | $38,940 |
| Cashiers | 9,140 | $27,910 | $30,140 | $31,190 |
| General and Operations Managers | 8,930 | $103,360 | $111,620 | $102,950 |
| Registered Nurses | 7,970 | $73,320 | $79,179 | $93,600 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 7,860 | $56,630 | $61,156 | $57,440 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 7,750 | $38,350 | $41,415 | $42,830 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 92.6.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | 96.3 | 104.6 | #143 |
| Memphis | 92.2 | 79.8 | #237 |
| Chattanooga | 91.5 | 76.6 | #257 |
| Clarksville | 90.9 | 73.8 | #272 |
| Cleveland | 88.1 | 60.3 | #332 |
| Johnson City | 87.9 | 63.2 | #339 |
Knoxville: common questions
Is Knoxville expensive?
Prices are 7.4% below the national average, a parity of 92.6 where the country is 100. It ranks #227 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Tennessee as a whole it is 0.7 points more expensive.
What salary do you need in Knoxville?
The median worker there earns $45,460, which buys what $49,093 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 82.8 against goods at 96.2. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.