Knoxville vs Memphis
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $169,000 in Memphis and $239,700 in Knoxville.
- Memphis has more scorching days: 72 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 37.
- Knoxville is growing faster: +6% since 2020 vs -3%.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 202,021 | 609,647 |
| Growth since 2020 | +6% | -3% |
| People per square mile | 2,046 | 2,104 |
| Median age | 33.5 | 34.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35% | 28% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $54,039 | $51,736 |
| Median home value | $239,700 | $169,000 |
| Home value to income | 4.4× | 3.3× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,191 | $1,181 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 92.6 | 92.2 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 82.8 | 79.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $69,400 | $69,100 |
| Homeowners | 47% | 45% |
| Top state income tax | None | None |
| Combined sales tax | 9.61% | 9.61% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 20.2 | 21.1 |
| Work from home | 13% | 9% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.5% | 8.3% |
| Poverty rate | 20.2% | 23.1% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 48° / 30° | 51° / 33° |
| July high / low | 88° / 69° | 92° / 74° |
| Precipitation per year | 52 in | 55 in |
| Snowfall per year | 5 in | 3 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 37 | 72 |
| Nights below freezing | 67 | 44 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 2 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 92.1 | 99.4 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 56% | 56% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.9% | +1.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +63.5% | +33.1% |
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: Knoxville: May to June and September to October. Memphis: September to October.
Full monthly tables: Knoxville weather by month and Memphis weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $69,400 in Knoxville and $69,100 in Memphis. Moving from Knoxville to Memphis, you would need about $74,700 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Knoxville and Memphis
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Knoxville and Memphis.
Which would you pick?
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