County · Tennessee
Knox County, Tennessee
Knox County, Tennessee. Knox County had 511,453 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 6.8% since 2020, faster than Tennessee (+5.8%). It holds 7 places (2 cities, villages and boroughs and 5 census-designated) and 121 census tracts. GEOID 47093.
Knox County is one of the 9 counties of the Knoxville, TN metropolitan statistical area (the Census Bureau's July 2023 delineation).
Residents, July 2025 estimate
511,453
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 478,971 · ACS 2020-2024: 494,148
Median household income
$74,222
±$1,390 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $69,595
Median home value
$320,900
±$5,524 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $286,700
Median gross rent
$1,261
±$26 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $1,189
How many people live in Knox County, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 478,971 residents in Knox County. The Census Bureau estimates 511,453 for July 1, 2025, up 6.8% since 2020, faster than Tennessee (+5.8%). The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 494,148 over 508 square miles of land.
| Measure | Knox County | Tennessee | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 494,148 | 7,066,383 | +33,044 |
| Households | 201,146±1,077 | 2,824,277 | +13,827 |
| Average household size | 2.39±0.01 | 2.45 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 218,661±151 | 3,143,670 | +13,041 |
Knox County's population since 2000
From 382,032 in 2000 to 511,453 in 2025: up 33.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov
What cities and towns are in Knox County?
Knox County holds 7 places: 2 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places) and 5 census-designated places. The largest is Knoxville with 202,021 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Knox County?
The median resident of Knox County is 37.4 years old; 20.9% are under 18 and 16.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 79.1%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 8.0%. 6.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Knox County | Tennessee | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4±0.2 | 38.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.9%±0.1 pts | 22.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.3%±0.1 pts | 17.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.3% | 7.4% | +2.0 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 79.1%±0.2 pts | 71.0% | −3.2 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 8.0%±0.2 pts | 15.4% | −0.7 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.3%±0.1 pts | 1.9% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.7%±0.2 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4%±0.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 6.5%±0.4 pts | 6.1% | +1.6 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 8.7%±0.4 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.7%±0.3 pts | 7.3% | – |
| With a disability | 12.1%±0.4 pts | 14.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.3%±0.5 pts | 10.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.4%±0.5 pts | 90.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 41.0%±0.8 pts | 31.1% | +3.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 16.2%±0.6 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.2%±0.4 pts | 3.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Knox County earn?
Half of Knox County's 201,146 households earn less than $74,222 a year (±$1,390), against $69,595 in Tennessee. In 2015-2019 the median was $70,728 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $3,494 after inflation. 12.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Knox County | Tennessee | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,222±$1,390 | $69,595 | +$3,494 |
| Mean household income | $104,460±$2,056 | $96,820 | – |
| Per capita income | $43,351±$779 | $39,437 | +$2,456 |
| People below the poverty line | 12.2%±0.6 pts | 13.8% | −2.3 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.9%±1.5 pts | 18.8% | −4.1 pts |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.9%±0.5 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.5%±0.6 pts | 89.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Knox County?
Owners occupy 65.2% of Knox County's occupied homes and renters 34.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $320,900 by its owner (±$5,524). The median renter pays $1,261 a month including utilities, and 41.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Knox County | Tennessee | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $320,900±$5,524 | $286,700 | +$95,437 |
| Median gross rent | $1,261±$26 | $1,189 | +$163 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.0%±1.8 pts | 39.7% | +2.5 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,589±$24 | $1,566 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.2%±0.7 pts | 66.9% | no clear change |
| Housing units | 218,661±151 | 3,143,670 | +13,041 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.0%±0.3 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.5%±0.8 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 65.9%±0.6 pts | 68.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.6%±0.3 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.9%±0.3 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 6.8%±0.5 pts | 5.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Knox County building?
Builders took permits for 5,013 new housing units across Knox County in 2025 (2,566 single-family), 9.8 per 1,000 residents.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Knox County get to work?
75.8% of Knox County's workers drive alone and 14.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.5%.
| Measure | Knox County | Tennessee | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.0%±0.6 pts | 62.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5%±0.3 pts | 4.7% | −0.8 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 75.8%±0.8 pts | 75.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.7%±0.5 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.5%±0.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 1.6%±0.3 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 14.4%±0.7 pts | 12.9% | +8.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.2 min±0.3 | 25.7 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What are Knox County's census tracts?
Knox County is divided into 121 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $2,500 or less (Tract 9.02) to $227,250 (Tract 57.10).
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Knox County compare with Tennessee's other counties?
| Measure | Rank |
|---|---|
| Population | 3rd of 95 |
| Growth 2020-2025 | 35th of 95 |
| Residents per square mile | 3rd of 95 |
| Median household income | 15th of 95 |
| Median home value | 12th of 95 |
| Median gross rent | 9th of 95 |
| Poverty rate | 75th of 95 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 3rd of 95 |
| Median age | 88th of 95 |
Source: PlainCities ranks from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Knox County are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.