Knox County, Tennessee

7 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 487,401
Median household income: $71,662
Median home value: $279,700

Knox County is a county in Tennessee with a population of 487,401. 7 cities and places have their primary county here. At $71,662, its median household income sits above Tennessee's $67,097.

From 2019 to 2023, Knox County's population grew 5.7% from 461,104 to 487,401, while its median household income rose 24.7% from $57,470 to $71,662.

65.9% of homes are single-family detached houses. The typical home was built around 1985.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 487,401
Median age: 37.3 yrs
Median household income: $71,662
Median home value: $279,700
Median gross rent: $1,180
Housing units: 214,606
Homeownership rate: 64.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 40.2%
Unemployment rate: 3.6%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

461,104487,401

Median household income

$57,470$71,662

Median home value

$183,200$279,700

Median gross rent

$892$1,180

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	461,104	$57,470	$183,200	$892
2020	466,184	$59,250	$194,200	$933
2021	475,286	$62,911	$208,900	$989
2022	481,406	$68,580	$248,200	$1,097
2023	487,401	$71,662	$279,700	$1,180

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.5%

5 to 1715.5%

18 to 2411.9%

25 to 3413.8%

35 to 4412.8%

45 to 5412.1%

55 to 6412.2%

65 to 749.7%

75 and over6.4%

	Count	Share
Under 5	26,924	5.5%
5 to 17	75,751	15.5%
18 to 24	57,826	11.9%
25 to 34	67,411	13.8%
35 to 44	62,615	12.8%
45 to 54	59,156	12.1%
55 to 64	59,339	12.2%
65 to 74	47,284	9.7%
75 and over	31,095	6.4%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	387,760	79.6%
Black or African American	39,181	8.0%
American Indian & Alaska Native	426	0.1%
Asian	10,813	2.2%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	334	0.1%
Some other race	2,480	0.5%
Two or more races	16,828	3.5%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	29,579	6.1%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma7.7%

High school graduate24.6%

Some college or associate's27.5%

Bachelor's degree24.4%

Graduate or professional degree15.7%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	25,065	7.7%
High school graduate	80,497	24.6%
Some college or associate's	90,050	27.5%
Bachelor's degree	79,863	24.4%
Graduate or professional degree	51,425	15.7%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 22 min

Drove alone76.8%

Carpooled7.2%

Public transit0.6%

Walked1.7%

Bicycle0.1%

Worked from home12.7%

Other means0.8%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	186,712	76.8%
Carpooled	17,609	7.2%
Public transit	1,375	0.6%
Walked	4,039	1.7%
Bicycle	335	0.1%
Worked from home	30,935	12.7%
Other means	1,984	0.8%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	50,762	23.9%
15 to 29 min	104,676	49.4%
30 to 44 min	41,165	19.4%
45 to 59 min	9,210	4.3%
60+ min	6,241	2.9%

Households

Average household size: 2.41
Poverty rate: 12.2% (58,146 of 474,848)

	Count	Share
Family households	119,891	60.8%
Nonfamily households	77,407	39.2%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1985

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	197,298	91.9%
Vacant	17,308	8.1%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	128,142	64.9%
Renter-occupied	69,156	35.1%

1-unit, detached65.9%

1-unit, attached5.4%

2 to 4 units5.2%

5 to 19 units11.7%

20 or more units7.9%

Mobile home & other3.8%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	141,465	65.9%
1-unit, attached	11,690	5.4%
2 to 4 units	11,091	5.2%
5 to 19 units	25,174	11.7%
20 or more units	17,009	7.9%
Mobile home & other	8,177	3.8%

Geography

County GEOID: 47093
State: Tennessee
Land area: 508 sq mi
Water area: 18 sq mi
Center point: 35.9927, -83.9377