Knox County, Tennessee property tax
The median homeowner in Knox County, Tennessee pays $1,332 a year in property tax on a home worth $279,700, an effective rate of 0.48%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 0.48%, Knox County taxes property more lightly than the national 0.98%. That puts the median bill at $1,332. Rates this low usually mean the state, rather than the county, carries more of the school funding.
It ranks #54 of 95 Tennessee counties by effective rate, against a statewide 0.55%, and #2,489 nationally. The state runs from 1.03% in Shelby County down to 0.31% in Cumberland County.
The median home costs 3.9 times the median household income of $71,662, close to the national 3.86. At 487,401 residents the county is large enough that its median blends several distinct housing markets.
The rate is derived rather than quoted. How and why.
What that costs at different home values
Arithmetic at the county effective rate, before any exemption or assessment cap.
Housing and income
| Knox County | Tennessee | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 0.48% | 0.55% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $1,332 | $1,400 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $279,700 | $256,800 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,180 | $1,122 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $71,662 | $67,097 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.9× | 3.83× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 19.76% | 20.07% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 64.95% | 67.03% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 487,401.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County | 0.67% | $1,888 | $282,100 |
| Rutherford County | 0.51% | $1,757 | $346,400 |
| Davidson County | 0.62% | $2,390 | $386,600 |
| Williamson County | 0.43% | $2,891 | $673,700 |
| Montgomery County | 0.67% | $1,671 | $248,300 |
Knox County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Knox County, Tennessee?
The effective rate is 0.48% of home value, from a median tax bill of $1,332 against a median home value of $279,700. That is 0.5 points below the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Knox County?
Roughly $1,920 a year at the county effective rate of 0.48%.
Is Knox County expensive compared with the rest of Tennessee?
It ranks #54 of 95 Tennessee counties by effective property tax rate, and #2489 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.07 points below the Tennessee average of 0.55%.
What does housing cost in Knox County?
The median home is worth $279,700 and median gross rent is $1,180 a month. Median household income is $71,662, which puts the home at 3.9 times annual income and rent at 19.76% of it.