Jonesboro vs Knoxville
The short version
- Jonesboro is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 7% lower than in the Knoxville area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $223,200 in Jonesboro and $239,700 in Knoxville.
- Jonesboro has more scorching days: 66 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 37.
- Tennessee has no state income tax on wages; Arkansas's top rate is 3.9%.
Side by side
| Jonesboro, AR | Knoxville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 83,296 | 202,021 |
| Growth since 2020 | +6.1% | +6% |
| People per square mile | 1,039 | 2,046 |
| Median age | 33.9 | 33.5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32% | 35% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $55,424 | $54,039 |
| Median home value | $223,200 | $239,700 |
| Home value to income | 4.0× | 4.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $956 | $1,191 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 85.9 | 92.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 53.8 | 82.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $64,400 | $69,400 |
| Homeowners | 54% | 47% |
| Top state income tax | 3.9% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 9.48% | 9.61% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 18.0 | 20.2 |
| Work from home | 8% | 13% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.3% | 4.5% |
| Poverty rate | 22.8% | 20.2% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 47° / 31° | 48° / 30° |
| July high / low | 91° / 72° | 88° / 69° |
| Precipitation per year | 49 in | 52 in |
| Snowfall per year | 4 in | 5 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 66 | 37 |
| Nights below freezing | 65 | 67 |
| Comfortable months | 2 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 91.8 | 92.1 |
| Good air days, 2025 | n/a | 56% |
| Home prices, past year | -1% | +3.9% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +29.2% | +63.5% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Jonesboro: September to October. Knoxville: May to June and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Jonesboro weather by month and Knoxville weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $64,400 in Jonesboro and $69,400 in Knoxville. Moving from Jonesboro to Knoxville, you would need about $80,800 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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