Knoxville vs Oklahoma City
The short version
- Oklahoma City is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 2% lower than in the Knoxville area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $231,300 in Oklahoma City and $239,700 in Knoxville.
- Households earn more in Oklahoma City ($68,656 vs $54,039 median).
- Oklahoma City has more scorching days: 74 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 37.
- Tennessee has no state income tax on wages; Oklahoma's top rate is 4.5%.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 202,021 | 719,849 |
| Growth since 2020 | +6% | +5.7% |
| People per square mile | 2,046 | 1,187 |
| Median age | 33.5 | 35.1 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35% | 35% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $54,039 | $68,656 |
| Median home value | $239,700 | $231,300 |
| Home value to income | 4.4× | 3.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,191 | $1,130 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 92.6 | 90.4 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 82.8 | 73.9 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $69,400 | $67,800 |
| Homeowners | 47% | 59% |
| Top state income tax | None | 4.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.61% | 9.06% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 20.2 | 22.2 |
| Work from home | 13% | 11% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.5% | 4.7% |
| Poverty rate | 20.2% | 15.1% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 48° / 30° | 49° / 27° |
| July high / low | 88° / 69° | 93° / 70° |
| Precipitation per year | 52 in | 36 in |
| Snowfall per year | 5 in | 7 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 37 | 74 |
| Nights below freezing | 67 | 72 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 92.1 | 97.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 56% | 44% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.9% | +2.4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +63.5% | +36.4% |
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. Oklahoma City: April and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Knoxville weather by month and Oklahoma City 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 $67,800 in Oklahoma City. Moving from Knoxville to Oklahoma City, you would need about $73,200 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.