Slower Sundays
Find my cities

Cost of living in Knoxville, TN

Compared with New York. Change city

$1,621a month less for the typical home than in New York1,2

That's $19,454 a year, enough to cover 7 months of the mortgage in Knoxville. The average commute is 12 minutes shorter each way, about 2 hours a week back4.

Typical home $447,000 vs $742,000. 2-bedroom rent3 $1,452 vs $1,997. See the math

By Sol Lakein.Checked October 2026.How we compare costs

Downtown Knoxville and World's Fair Park, KnoxvilleStephen Ellis / Unsplash
All cities
  • College townUniversity of Tennessee
  • Mountains and trailsGreat Smoky Mountains National Park nearby

Knoxville at a glance, next to New York

5

What the median home costs each month

1,2
New York metro$4,078/mo
$742,000 typical home
Knoxville$2,456/mo
$447,000 typical home

If you rent: median 2-bedroom

3
New York metro$1,997/mo
Knoxville$1,452/mo
About $545 a month less in rent
Rent by apartment size in Knoxville

Day-to-day costs

  • Housing costs617% cheaper than averageNew York: 49% above
  • Salary that matches $150,000 in New York6$123,356
Knoxville in a paragraph

The median listed home in Knoxville is $447,000 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 7% above the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $2,456 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,452 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 92.6, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $123,356 here.

Weather

8
  • 30°January low
  • 88.4°July high
  • 4.6 inSnow per year

Home prices next to New York

1
Typical home for sale
New York metro$742,000
Knoxville$447,000
40% less, a $295,000 difference
Price per square foot
New York metro$494
Knoxville$234
2.1 times the space for the money

Your New York, in Knoxville

We're matching Knoxville's parks, museums, arenas and food halls to their New York counterparts. Until then, see how it works for Raleigh.

See how Knoxville ranks for your household

Answer a few quick questions and see how Knoxville ranks against 53 other cities for your household.

See how Knoxville ranks for you

Is Knoxville a good place to live?

Knoxville fits families who want prices 7% below the US average and mild winters. The main trade-off is homes list 7% above the US median. Here is what you gain and what you give up.

What you gain

  • Prices 7% below the US averageEveryday prices, rent included, index at 92.6 against a US average of 100.BEA regional price parities, 2024
  • Mild wintersJanuary lows average 30°F with 4.6 inches of snow a year.NOAA 1991-2020 normals
  • Nonstop flights to New YorkFrom TYS to LGA, EWR.Airport route page, accessed October 14, 2026
  • University townUniversity of TennesseeSlower Sundays city profile
  • Mountains and trails close byGreat Smoky Mountains National Park nearbySlower Sundays city profile

What you trade

  • Homes list 7% above the US median$447,000 median listing against $419,250 nationally.Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026

More on Knoxville and Tennessee

Show 7 links

Knoxville cost of living: questions people ask

What is the cost of living in Knoxville, TN?

The median listed home in Knoxville is $447,000 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 7% above the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $2,456 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,452 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 92.6, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $123,356 here.

How much would I save moving from New York to Knoxville?

The median listed home is $447,000 in Knoxville against $742,000 in the New York metro, 40% less. On a mortgage for each median home, that is about $1,621 a month less in principal and interest (20% down, 7.32%, Freddie Mac, October 22, 2026).

How much is rent in Knoxville?

The median gross rent for a 2-bedroom in the Knoxville metro is $1,452 a month, including utilities the renter pays (Census American Community Survey, 2025). In the New York metro it is $1,997, $545 more. The US median is $1,563.

What salary in Knoxville matches $150,000 in New York?

$123,356. That is $150,000 adjusted by the BEA regional price parities for both metros (92.6 in Knoxville, 112.6 in New York, 2024).

Does Knoxville pay you to move there?

None of the relocation incentive programs we track cover Knoxville as of October 2026.

What is the weather like in Knoxville?

January lows average 30°F and July highs 88.4°F, with 4.6 inches of snow a year (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, McGhee Tyson Airport).

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Home prices: the typical home is the median listing price, with price per square foot, from Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. The comparison metro uses the same series and month.
  2. 2Monthly cost: Principal and interest on the median listed home with 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026). Excludes taxes, insurance and HOA. Rate source
  3. 3Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities). Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, not only new leases. Census table
  4. 4Commute: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table S0801, mean travel time to work (one way, workers who do not work from home), 2025. Hours back assume a 5-day round trip. Census table
  5. 5At a glance: a difference within 5% counts as about the same.
  6. 6Everyday prices, housing costs and the matching salary: BEA regional price parities, 2024, US = 100.
  7. 7Flights: airport route pages, October 2026.
  8. 8Weather: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, McGhee Tyson Airport.
Sources for this page