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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Knoxville

Tennessee · 165,121 residents · 98.7 sq mi
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The short version

With 165,121 people, Knoxville is a city in Tennessee. Owners hold 50% of the housing stock. Median home value sits at $49,800. The poverty rate is 20.8%, above the 13.2% national rate. Median household income is $19,923, under the $30,130 national median. That trails the Tennessee median by roughly 20%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 32.5
US median: 33.0
Average education
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 16%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
165,121
−5%vs 2000
vs 173,890 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
32.5
−3%vs 2000
vs 33.4 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
98.7 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
162K171K180K189K198K19902000201020202024Knoxville
2024195K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 55.9%(9,808)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 95.5%(9,114)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 145.1%(8,434)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 198%(13,197)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2411.7%(19,345)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3418%(29,700)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4413.1%(21,614)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 548.7%(14,424)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 648.5%(14,049)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 748.6%(14,152)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 845.2%(8,533)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.7%(2,751)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$19,923
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $27,492 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$12,108
−33%vs 2000
vs $18,171 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
20.8%
Unchangedvs 2000
vs 20.8% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$49,800
−16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $77,800 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$332
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $467 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
49.7%
−1.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 51.2% in 2000
50.3% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic79%(137,336)
Black16.1%(28,015)
Hispanic / Latino1.6%(2,751)
Asian1.4%(2,516)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic82.8%(136,789)
Black15.6%(25,770)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(986)
Asian1%(1,653)
Other0.6%(909)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.2%(6,241)
Central American2.3%(4,553)
Guatemalan1.2%(2,386)
Puerto Rican0.7%(1,343)
South American0.7%(1,317)
Honduran0.6%(1,268)
Venezuelan0.3%(492)
Nicaraguan0.2%(443)
Salvadoran0.2%(342)
Spaniard0.2%(323)
Cuban0.2%(312)
Argentine0.2%(295)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Colombian0.1%(268)
Dominican0.1%(154)
Peruvian0.1%(137)
Panamanian0.1%(101)
Uruguayan0%(31)
Chilean0%(29)
Bolivian0%(22)
Asian origin
Chinese0.4%(833)
Asian Indian0.4%(736)
Filipino0.1%(260)
Vietnamese0.1%(200)
Korean0.1%(184)
Japanese0.1%(134)
Nepalese0.1%(123)
Bangladeshi0.1%(122)
Thai0.1%(102)
Laotian0%(70)
Malaysian0%(29)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(11)
Chamorro0%(10)
Guamanian0%(10)
Ancestry
American13.8%(26,906)
English12.3%(24,002)
German9.6%(18,714)
Irish9.2%(18,022)
Scottish2.8%(5,548)
Scotch-Irish2.7%(5,216)
Italian2.5%(4,977)
Polish1.5%(2,971)
French1.4%(2,649)
Dutch1.1%(2,124)
Welsh0.8%(1,471)
+ 47 more ancestry groups with data
Arab0.7%(1,386)
Swedish0.7%(1,297)
Russian0.6%(1,148)
Norwegian0.5%(1,051)
British0.5%(987)
Greek0.5%(961)
Hungarian0.3%(667)
Ukrainian0.3%(500)
Swiss0.2%(414)
West Indian0.2%(404)
Danish0.2%(299)
Iraqi0.1%(285)
Czech0.1%(263)
Iranian0.1%(235)
Lebanese0.1%(226)
Canadian0.1%(200)
Guyanese0.1%(198)
Nigerian0.1%(189)
Austrian0.1%(183)
Palestinian0.1%(160)
Portuguese0.1%(154)
Ethiopian0.1%(149)
Kenyan0.1%(146)
Haitian0.1%(140)
Jamaican0.1%(121)
Finnish0.1%(119)
Ghanaian0.1%(103)
Egyptian0.1%(98)
Syrian0%(86)
Brazilian0%(77)
Jordanian0%(75)
Romanian0%(65)
Croatian0%(57)
Armenian0%(47)
Bulgarian0%(43)
Slovak0%(36)
Belgian0%(31)
Slovene0%(22)
Somali0%(22)
Turkish0%(14)
Israeli0%(11)
Latvian0%(5)
Serbian0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
21.7%
−2.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 24.6% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
70.8%
−7.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 78.4% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
7.9%
−1.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 9.5% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.0 min
+38%vs 2000
vs 12.4 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married49.7%(39,654)
Married35.9%(28,592)
Widowed2.6%(2,097)
Divorced11.8%(9,388)
Women 15+
Never married44.3%(38,473)
Married33%(28,667)
Widowed8.9%(7,729)
Divorced13.8%(11,972)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
11.6%
−1.9 ptssince 2013
from 13.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
51.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 51.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.1%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 14.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
15.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 15.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
20.5%
−1.8 ptssince 2020
from 22.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 2.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
64.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 64.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
34.0%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 35.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)19.4%(1,706)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.1%(1,854)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era31.8%(2,790)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.2%(369)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.9%(79)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 8,773 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Neighborhoods in Knoxville

Fort SandersPark CitySouth KnoxvilleNeighborhoods in Knoxville
Drill deeper

Places similar to Knoxville

Augusta
Pop 201,999
Tallahassee
Pop 204,902
Columbus
Pop 202,171
Sunrise Manor
Pop 200,218
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Head to head

Compare Knoxville to nearby cities

KNOXVILLE VS
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Income$82,434+314%
Home value$299,400+501%
Population13,739−93%
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KNOXVILLE VS
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Income$90,933+356%
Home value$321,300+545%
Population10,272−95%
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KNOXVILLE VS
Alcoa
Income$65,714+230%
Home value$277,100+456%
Population13,689−93%
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KNOXVILLE VS
Seymour
Income$82,855+316%
Home value$308,100+519%
Population16,216−92%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Knoxville, Tennessee?

Knoxville, Tennessee has about 165,121 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Knoxville, Tennessee?

The typical household in Knoxville, Tennessee earns about $19,923 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Knoxville, Tennessee expensive?

In Knoxville, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $49,800, and the typical rent is about $332 a month.

How educated are people in Knoxville, Tennessee?

About 21.7% of adults age 25 and over in Knoxville, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Knoxville, Tennessee?

About 20.8% of people in Knoxville, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →