Cost of Living in Knoxville, TN
Knoxville, TN — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Knoxville, TN to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Knoxville, TN?
With a price level of 92.6 (U.S. average = 100), Knoxville, TN is cheaper than average. In detail, housing costs are 17% below average; everyday goods are 4% below average; utilities are 28% below average; other services such as healthcare and dining are 5% below average. The biggest difference from the national average is in utilities.
Prices in Knoxville, TN vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.6 | −7.4% |
| Housing | 82.8 | −17.2% |
| Goods | 96.2 | −3.8% |
| Utilities | 71.9 | −28.1% |
| Other services | 95.1 | −4.9% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Knoxville, TN
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,119 | $44,760/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $1,126 | $45,040/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,401 | $56,040/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,782 | $71,280/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,068 | $82,720/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Knoxville, TN
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Knoxville, TN | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $37,000 | $31,910 |
| $60,000 | $55,500 | $46,774 |
| $80,000 | $74,100 | $60,959 |
| $100,000 | $92,600 | $73,974 |
| $150,000 | $138,900 | $106,204 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, Tennessee 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Knoxville, TN's median wage of $47,080 takes home about $3,334 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $1,126, which is 34% of take-home pay — above the 30% guideline that financial planners suggest. That leaves about $2,208 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Knoxville, TN
- Federal income tax$3,470
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,919
- Medicare (1.45%)$683
- Tennessee income tax$0
- Take-home pay$40,009
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Highest-paying jobs in Knoxville, TN
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in Tennessee cities
Half of Tennessee’s 3,278,760 workers earn less than $47,380 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $35,830–$71,050 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: Jackson, TN stretches a paycheck furthest, while Cleveland, TN is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | $50,390 | 96.3 | $1,530 | 43% | $2,026 | $44,290 |
| Memphis, TN | $46,890 | 92.2 | $1,137 | 34% | $2,184 | $43,238 |
| Knoxville, TN | $47,080 | 92.6 | $1,126 | 34% | $2,208 | $43,220 |
| Chattanooga, TN | $46,700 | 91.5 | $1,263 | 38% | $2,046 | $43,409 |
| Kingsport, TN | $45,240 | 86.4 | $818 | 25% | $2,393 | $44,571 |
| Clarksville, TN | $44,860 | 90.9 | $1,082 | 34% | $2,103 | $42,030 |
| Jackson, TN | $44,790 | 85.5 | $880 | 28% | $2,301 | $44,630 |
| Johnson City, TN | $43,480 | 87.9 | $893 | 29% | $2,200 | $42,212 |
| Morristown, TN | $44,280 | 86.4 | $887 | 28% | $2,260 | $43,721 |
| Cleveland, TN | $40,230 | 88.1 | $940 | 33% | $1,935 | $39,174 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Knoxville, TN vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville, TN | 92.6 | $1,126 | $47,080 | 424,600 |
| Greenville, SC | 93.3 | $1,155 | $46,580 | 434,900 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 90.8 | $1,048 | $48,710 | 409,690 |
| Madison, WI | 97.3 | $1,377 | $58,080 | 408,070 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 95.5 | $1,185 | $48,060 | 404,700 |
| Bridgeport, CT | 106.9 | $2,100 | $61,470 | 404,180 |
| Des Moines, IA | 91.7 | $1,092 | $51,820 | 404,130 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Knoxville, TN expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Knoxville, TN metro area are 92.6% of the U.S. average, with housing at 82.8%. It is the #228 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Knoxville, TN?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $55,541 in Knoxville, TN (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $47,080.
Can you afford Knoxville, TN on the median wage?
A single worker on the $47,080 median wage takes home about $3,334 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $1,126 would take 34% of that.
How much is rent in Knoxville, TN?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Knoxville, TN are $1,119 for a studio, $1,126 for one bedroom, $1,401 for two bedrooms and $1,782 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Knoxville, TN
Management Occupations
- General and Operations Manager — $104,590
- Managers, All Other — $101,930
Business and Financial Operations Occupations
- Project Management Specialist — $91,690
- Accountant and Auditor — $75,380
- Human Resources Specialist — $67,370
Computer and Mathematical Occupations
- Software Developer — $121,750
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $63,130
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $61,980
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — $26,960
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $77,240
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse — $57,960
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Medical Assistant — $38,880
- Nursing Assistant — $38,000
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $32,710
Protective Service Occupations
- Security Guard — $35,810
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $41,380
- Cooks, Restaurant — $36,520
- Food Preparation Worker — $30,960
- Waiter and Waitress — $28,100
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,720
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker — $36,040
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners — $31,200
- Maid and Housekeeping Cleaner — $29,990
Sales and Related Occupations
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products — $59,430
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel — $59,400
- First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers — $47,970
- Retail Salesperson — $31,150
- Cashier — $29,110
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $63,580
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $47,320
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — $46,000
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks — $45,320
- Customer Service Representative — $38,840
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $38,420
- Office Clerks, General — $37,920
Construction and Extraction Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $66,830
- Construction Laborer — $46,130
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $46,170
Production Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $64,300
- Production Workers, All Other — $39,560
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $39,220
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $59,100
- Light Truck Driver — $39,330
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $37,400
- Stocker and Order Filler — $35,410