The typical owner-occupied home in Knoxville is worth about $239,700, 16% below the Tennessee median of $286,700 and 28% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,527 a year in property taxes, about 0.64% of their home's value, higher than the Tennessee rate of 0.50%. The median household earns $54,039 a year, so the median home costs 4.4 times the median income (4.1 times for Tennessee). 47% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 61% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Knoxville at a glance
| Knoxville | Tennessee | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $239,700 | $286,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,527 | $1,442 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.64% | 0.50% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $54,039 | $69,595 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 47% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 61% | 58% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,374 | $1,566 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 20.5% | 19.6% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,191 | $1,189 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 31.9% | 29.5% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1974 | 1987 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 10.6% | 10.2% | 10.1% |
| Population | 195,185 | 7,066,383 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Knoxville
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Knoxville home of $239,700 with 20% down costs about $1,518 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,917, 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 $65,044 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 34% of the median Knoxville household income of $54,039; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $199,000.
The median rent here is $1,191 a month, so owning the median home costs about $327 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $47,940 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $191,760 |
| Principal and interest | $1,290 |
| Property taxes (0.64% a year) | $128 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $100 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,518 |
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| Down payment | $8,390 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $235,358 |
| Principal and interest | $1,583 |
| Property taxes (0.64% a year) | $128 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $100 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $106 |
| Total per month | $1,917 |
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Questions about home buying in Knoxville
What is the median home value in Knoxville?
About $239,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Knoxville?
Homeowners pay a median $1,527 a year, which is about 0.64% 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 Knoxville?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,518 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $65,044 a year.
More about Knoxville
- Mortgage Refinance in Knoxville
- Debt Relief in Knoxville
- Home Equity Loans in Knoxville
- 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