The typical owner-occupied home in Knox County is worth about $320,900, 12% above the Tennessee median of $286,700 and 4% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,367 a year in property taxes, about 0.43% of their home's value, lower than the Tennessee rate of 0.50%. The median household earns $74,222 a year, so the median home costs 4.3 times the median income (4.1 times for Tennessee). 65% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 61% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Knox County at a glance
| Knox County | Tennessee | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $320,900 | $286,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,367 | $1,442 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.43% | 0.50% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $74,222 | $69,595 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 65% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 61% | 58% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,589 | $1,566 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 18.4% | 19.6% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,261 | $1,189 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 30.1% | 29.5% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1985 | 1987 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 8.0% | 10.2% | 10.1% |
| Population | 494,148 | 7,066,383 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Knox County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Knox County home of $320,900 with 20% down costs about $1,976 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,510, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $84,672 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 32% of the median Knox County household income of $74,222; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $281,000.
The median rent here is $1,261 a month, so owning the median home costs about $715 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $64,180 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $256,720 |
| Principal and interest | $1,727 |
| Property taxes (0.43% a year) | $115 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $134 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,976 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $11,232 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $315,088 |
| Principal and interest | $2,120 |
| Property taxes (0.43% a year) | $115 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $134 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $142 |
| Total per month | $2,510 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Knox County
What is the median home value in Knox County?
About $320,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Knox County?
Homeowners pay a median $1,367 a year, which is about 0.43% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Knox County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,976 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $84,672 a year.
More about Knox County
- Mortgage Refinance in Knox County
- Debt Relief in Knox County
- Home Equity Loans in Knox County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data