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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Knoxville

Tennessee · 173,890 residents · 98.7 sq mi
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The short version

With 173,890 people, Knoxville is a city in Tennessee. 51% of homes are owner-occupied. The poverty rate is 20.8%, above the 12.4% national rate. That trails the Tennessee median by roughly 24%. Home values have risen by half since 1990, reaching $77,800. Median household income is $27,492, under the $42,589 national median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 33.4
US median: 35.2
Average education
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
173,890
+5%since 1990
from 165,121 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
33.4
+3%since 1990
from 32.5 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
98.7 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
162K171K180K189K198K19902000201020202024Knoxville
2024195K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.9%(10,296)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 95.5%(9,610)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 145.2%(9,033)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 197.9%(13,652)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2412%(20,800)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3415.7%(27,311)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4413.8%(24,062)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5411.9%(20,702)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 647.7%(13,430)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746.9%(11,977)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.4%(9,393)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2.1%(3,624)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$27,492
+5%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $19,923 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$18,171
+50%since 1990
from $12,108 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
20.8%
Unchangedsince 1990
from 20.8% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$77,800
+19%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $49,800 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$467
+7%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $332 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
51.2%
+1.4 ptssince 1990
from 49.7% in 1990
48.8% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

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

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
24.6%
+2.8 ptssince 1990
from 21.7% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
78.4%
+7.6 ptssince 1990
from 70.8% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
9.5%
+1.6 ptssince 1990
from 7.9% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
12.4 min
−27%since 1990
from 17.0 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married38.7%(26,009)
Married46.3%(31,151)
Widowed3%(2,040)
Divorced11.9%(8,012)
Women 15+
Never married31%(24,024)
Married41.5%(32,150)
Widowed13%(10,069)
Divorced14.4%(11,183)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
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
Explore

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
Places similar to Knoxville
Head to head

Compare Knoxville to nearby cities

KNOXVILLE VS
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Income$82,434+200%
Home value$299,400+285%
Population13,739−93%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KNOXVILLE VS
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Home value$321,300+313%
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KNOXVILLE VS
Alcoa
Income$65,714+139%
Home value$277,100+256%
Population13,689−93%
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KNOXVILLE VS
Seymour
Income$82,855+201%
Home value$308,100+296%
Population16,216−92%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Knoxville, Tennessee?

Knoxville, Tennessee has about 173,890 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Knoxville, Tennessee?

The typical household in Knoxville, Tennessee earns about $27,492 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 $77,800, and the typical rent is about $467 a month.

How educated are people in Knoxville, Tennessee?

About 24.6% 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.

Has Knoxville, Tennessee grown since 1990?

Yes, Knoxville, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 8,769 residents, a change of about 5 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →