Population 494,148 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Knox County
Household size in Knox County
| Period | Knox County | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.36 | 2.40 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.42 | 2.46 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.58 | 2.55 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.46 | 2.47 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | +0.06 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Knox County run small, averaging 2.46 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.36, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Knox County
| Period | Knox County | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.9 | 40.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.8 | 41.0 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.8 | 41.6 | 39.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.8 | 41.6 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.9 | +1.6 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Knox County are younger than 38.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is younger than in the Knoxville area overall, where the median age is 41.6. The median age has crept up from 37.9 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Few Tennessee counties are younger: only nine of 95.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Knox County
| Period | Knox County | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 9.6% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 9.4% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 9.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 9.4% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Knox County than nationally: 9.4%, against 11.6%. The Knoxville area as a whole looks much the same.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Knox County
Renters in Knox County
| Period | Knox County | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.8% | 28.6% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.5% | 31.2% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.7% | 31.1% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.8% | 29.6% | 33.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a third of households in Knox County rent their homes (34.8%), the same as the national share. Renters make up a bigger share here than in the Knoxville area as a whole (29.6%). Among homeowners, 41.5% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Knox County
| Period | Knox County | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 9.9% | 11.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 11.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 11.7% | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.5% | 9.9% | 10.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −0.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Knox County as nationally: 8.5%, against 9.6%. Knox County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Tennessee counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Knox County
| Period | Knox County | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1980 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1985 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Knox County is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1985, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the east.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Knox County
| Period | Knox County | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $756 | $707 | $761 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $855 | $787 | $837 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $967 | $882 | $961 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,401 | $1,212 | $1,286 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$645 | +$505 | +$526 | +$606 |
The median renter in Knox County pays $1,401 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in the Knoxville area as a whole ($1,212). Rents are up $645 a month from 2006–10, an 85% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 31.2% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Knox County
Bachelor's degrees in Knox County
| Period | Knox County | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.7% | 26.7% | 23.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.4% | 27.7% | 25.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.2% | 30.0% | 27.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 41.4% | 33.5% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +6.8 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over four in ten adults 25 and older in Knox County (41.4%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of Tennessee's 95 counties, only two have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Knox County
| Period | Knox County | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.3% | 84.6% | 83.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.9% | 86.9% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.7% | 88.9% | 87.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.2% | 90.9% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +6.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Knox County is a bit above the national rate: 92.2% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.9 points, as it has nationally. Only six of Tennessee's 95 counties have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Knox County
| Period | Knox County | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 7.0% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 8.2% | 9.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 4.9% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 3.6% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −3.4 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Knox County runs below the national rate: 3.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Knox County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County | 2.46 | 38.8 | 9.4% | 34.8% | 8.5% | 1985 | $1,401 | 41.4% | 92.2% | 3.4% |
| Anderson County | 2.44 | 42.7 | 11.5% | 28.3% | 9.0% | 1976 | $1,062 | 28.4% | 91.3% | 3.7% |
| Sevier County | 2.51 | 43.2 | 10.5% | 29.3% | 22.0% | 1995 | $1,131 | 22.3% | 88.1% | 3.3% |
| Roane County | 2.44 | 46.3 | 9.0% | 21.9% | 10.9% | 1981 | $867 | 22.0% | 89.9% | 4.9% |
| Jefferson County | 2.56 | 45.0 | 10.1% | 24.2% | 13.2% | 1988 | $914 | 20.4% | 89.0% | 4.5% |
| Morgan County | 2.72 | 41.9 | 10.7% | 15.1% | 16.6% | 1985 | $847 | 13.7% | 85.5% | 5.5% |
| Cocke County | 2.39 | 44.3 | 15.3% | 25.5% | 13.1% | 1985 | $830 | 10.9% | 84.6% | 3.7% |
| Cumberland County | 2.26 | 51.4 | 7.9% | 19.8% | 10.6% | 1993 | $965 | 18.3% | 90.7% | 4.9% |
| Madison County | 2.57 | 45.4 | 9.7% | 22.5% | 25.2% | 1986 | $880 | 32.3% | 89.7% | 2.6% |
| White County | 2.51 | 43.3 | 9.5% | 23.1% | 9.1% | 1983 | $831 | 14.8% | 84.4% | 6.1% |
| Yancey County | 2.31 | 48.9 | 7.2% | 20.6% | 26.7% | 1988 | $880 | 25.1% | 90.5% | 7.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Seminole County, FL · Hillsborough County, NH · Jefferson Parish, LA · Lake County, FL · Lane County, OR · Mobile County, AL · Monterey County, CA · Richland County, SC · Sarasota County, FL · Sedgwick County, KS
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Knox County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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