Knox County · Tennessee · South · 195k residents
Knoxville, TN: economy, jobs & business costs
The site-selection read on Knoxville: labor costs, talent, corporate tax, energy, and business activity, with the Tennessee median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.
Average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,294/wk. Tennessee's corporate income tax rate is 6.5%. Commercial electricity averages 12.1¢/kWh.
Compare Knoxville side by side
Avg. weekly wage
$1,294/wk
Corporate income tax
6.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher
34.6%
Commercial electricity
12.1¢/kWh
Economic momentum
How fast Knoxville's economy is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
49/100
Steady
Ranks Knoxville's residential building-permit and jobs growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. This is economic activity, not commercial lease rates or vacancy. Not investment or relocation advice.
| Median home value | $350,000 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $215 |
| Property tax rate | 0.7% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $1,350/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,550/mo |
| State & local income tax | 0% |
| Sales tax | 9.25% |
| Corporate income tax | 6.5% |
| Avg. weekly wage | $1,294/wk |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.6% |
| Commercial electricity | 12.1¢/kWh |
| Businesses per 1k residents | 32.0/1k |
| Wage: Software developer | $121,750 |
| Wage: Registered nurse | $77,240 |
| Wage: General manager | $104,590 |
| Wage: Customer service | $38,840 |
| Wage: Warehouse worker | $35,410 |
| Wage: Heavy truck driver | $59,100 |
| Wage: Electrician | $58,640 |
| Wage: Retail salesperson | $31,150 |
| Cost of living index | 93 |
| Groceries index | 96 |
| Utilities | $150/mo |
| Transit pass | $50/mo |
| Gas price | $2.90/gal |
| Healthcare index | 95 |
| Childcare (per child) | $1,000/mo |
| Median household income | $55,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% |
| Population | 195k |
| Crime index | 52/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 |
| Walkability | 30/100 |
| Disaster risk | 92/100 |
| Avg. commute | 22 min |
| Sunny days / year | 205 days |
| July high | 88°F |
| January low | 26°F |
| Annual snowfall | — |
| Home price YoY | +0.9% |
| Home price MoM | 0.0% |
| Rent YoY | -0.2% |
| Rent MoM | -0.1% |
| Employment (jobs) YoY | +0.8% |
| Building permits YoY | -31.3% |
| Ocean coast | 319 mi |
| Big lake | 26 mi |
| Mountains | 36 mi |
| Major airport | 11 mi |
| Ski resort | 28 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Seymour, TN · 16k
- Maryville, TN · 32k
- Farragut, TN · 25k
- Oak Ridge, TN · 33k
- Sevierville, TN · 18k
Similar size
- Chattanooga, TN · 186k
- Clarksville, TN · 176k
- Murfreesboro, TN · 161k
- Franklin, TN · 87k
- Johnson City, TN · 72k
Real listings in Knoxville
LoopNet ↗Crexi ↗CommercialCafe ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- Is Knoxville a good place to run a business?
- Tennessee's corporate income tax rate is 6.5%; average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,294/wk; commercial electricity averages 12.1¢/kWh. Weigh these against your own priorities in the business comparison tool.
- What is the cost of living in Knoxville, TN?
- Knoxville indexes at 93 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,550/mo and a median home value of $350,000.
- How much does a house cost in Knoxville?
- The median home value in Knoxville is $350,000 (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Knoxville?
- A two-bedroom in Knoxville rents for about $1,550/mo.