City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Knoxville, IA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Knoxville - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

7,493
Residents
$70,136
Median income
$147,600
Median home
$1,016
Median rent (state)

Knoxville - the verdict

Knoxville ranks in the 50th percentile for household income and the 31st percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

50th
percentile, household income
26th
percentile, home value
21st
percentile, median rent
31st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Knoxville, IA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 7,493 residents in Knoxville, a small town within Iowa. The typical household in Knoxville brings in $70,136 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.5%. Knoxville's housing stock carries a median value of $147,600, and the median resident age is 42.2 years. About 31.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 59.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 6 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 200% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2044.1 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 49.9°F with 37.5 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Iowa at 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,016 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Iowa's average monthly utility costs around $212 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 34.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

7,493 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$70,136 /yr

Poverty 5.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Knoxville compare to other US cities?

Where Knoxville sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 50% higher than other cities
Home value 26% pricier than other cities
Median rent 21% pricier than other cities
Safety 31% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Iowa, Knoxville ranks #118 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Knoxville's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Iowa, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

50thIncome percentile
31stSafety percentile

50th percentile nationally for median household income · 31st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Knoxville's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Knoxville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 53 Avg. percentile National median
Knoxville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Knoxville's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$147,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 74% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Knoxville $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Knoxville, IA Knoxville, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Knoxville, IA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Knoxville, IA median $70,136/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Knoxville, IA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Knoxville, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
7,493
Median Income
$70,136
Median Home Value
$147,600
Median Age
42.2
Poverty Rate
5.5%
Labor force participation
59.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2044.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
324.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1719.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
49.9°F
Annual Precipitation
37.5"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
7,400 residents7,450 residents7,500 residents7,550 residents7,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 7,581 residents 7,469 residents ▼ -1.5%
Knoxville's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
6
housing units authorized
Single-Family
6
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2
2020 1
2021 6
2022 5
2023 13
2024 6

Permit volume increased 200% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.1%
Carpool
7.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.6%
Work from Home
13.9%
Other
1.6%

Based on 3,635 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Iowa - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$75
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Iowa state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Iowa state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Knoxville sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,016/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
34.4 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Creston
7,466 people
Decorah
7,597 people
Clear Lake
7,603 people
Charles City
7,321 people
Washington
7,314 people
Webster City
7,769 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Knoxville's 7,493 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Union, KY
7,494 people
Meraux, LA
7,492 people
New London, WI
7,492 people
North Riverside, IL
7,495 people
Tell City, IN
7,490 people
Breaux Bridge, LA
7,497 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Knoxville's $70,136 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lexington, MO
$70,134 median income
Glendale, AZ
$70,139 median income
Salisbury Center, NY
$70,132 median income
Bolivar, OH
$70,132 median income
Ventress, LA
$70,144 median income
Machias, NY
$70,127 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Knoxville, IA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Knoxville, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 94.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.2% White 94.6% Black or African American 0.5% Asian 1.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 0.2% Two or more races 3.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Knoxville compares to nearby Iowa cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Knoxville (this city) 7,493 $70,136
Creston 7,466 $50,752
Decorah 7,597 $62,177
Clear Lake 7,603 $70,278
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Knoxville, IA?

What is the population of Knoxville, IA? +

Knoxville, IA has a population of 7,493 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Knoxville, IA? +

In Knoxville, the typical household earns $70,136 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Knoxville? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Knoxville; the closest available measure is the Iowa state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Iowa vary by metro area.

Is Knoxville, IA safe? +

Knoxville has a total crime rate of 2044.1 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Knoxville, IA? +

Knoxville's median home value sits at $147,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Knoxville? +

The average annual temperature in Knoxville runs 49.9°F, 37.5 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.