Knoxville, Tennessee Population 2024

200,300

Knoxville is a city located in Knox County Tennessee. Knoxville has a 2024 population of 200,300. It is also the county seat of Knox County. Knoxville is currently growing at a rate of 1.11% annually and its population has increased by 4.61% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 191,478 in 2020.

The average household income in Knoxville is $70,302 with a poverty rate of 20.74%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Knoxville is 33.4 years, 32.2 years for males, and 34.8 years for females.

Knoxville is a city in Tennessee and the third-largest city in the state. The city was geographically isolated for much of its early history, although it quickly grew after the Civil War and is now one of the largest cities in the Appalachian area.

Knoxville Poverty and Health Statistics

Knoxville has a poverty rate of 25%, well above the Tennessee average (16.1%) and the national average (15.1%). A 2009 study found that Knoxville residents have a life expectancy of 76 years.

The study also found that 22% of adults smoked, 11% were binge drinkers, 14% did not have health insurance and 28% were obese.

Knoxville Population Growth

Knoxville experienced its first population decline in the 1950s, when it lost more than 10% of its population, although it more than made up the loss by 1970, posting a 56% increase. Today, Knoxville is among the ten fastest-growing U.S. cities with the best employment outlook in the country. Knoxville also has a low cost of living that is 80% of the national average along with low crime, which is attracting young college graduates.

Knoxville Facts

  • Knoxville was the first capital of Tennessee.
  • According to a 2006 study by the Economic Research Institute, Knoxville is the most affordable U.S. city for new college graduates based on typical salary and cost of living.
  • Knoxville is the base for Jewelry Television, a home shopping channel, as well as Scripps Networks Interactive, which operates HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, and Travel Channel.
  • Quentin Tarantino and Johnny Knoxville were both born in Knoxville.
  • In 2013, there was not a single day of the year that remained at or below freezing. This has also happened in 1990, 1921 and 1915.
  • Mountain Dew was first marketed in Knoxville in 1948 as a whiskey mixer.

Knoxville was first inhabited during the Woodland period (c. 1000 BC to AD 1000), with an ancient burial mound still present on the University of Tennessee campus. The Cherokee people were dominant in the area by the 18th century due to wars with the Shawnee and Creek. The first European-American explorers arrived in the area at the end of the 17th century, although there is evidence Hernando de Soto visited Bussell Island in 1540.

The end of the French and Indian War and the American Revolution led to an increase in the Euro-American population west of the Appalachians, with establishments in the 1780s. In 1785, Congress ordered illegal settlers to leave the area, but it was not successful. More settlers arrived, and tensions between them and the Cherokee grew.

White's Fort was constructed near the mouth of the First Creek in 1786 by James White, a Revolutionary War officer, and it eventually grew into a town. The [Treaty of Holston](https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-09-02-0100) was signed at the fort in 1791 to establish boundaries and resolve issues with the Cherokee. White's Fort was named as the new capital of the area after Revolutionary War general Henry Knox.

Knoxville was the capital of the Southwest Territory and then Tennessee after it became a state in 1796, although the capital was moved to Murfreesboro in 1817. The early history of the city was filled with theft, murder, and hostility from Cherokee attacks, but it eventually became a merchandising center in the region, and its population doubled in the 1850s when the railroad arrived.

The anti-slavery and anti-secession sentiment was high in the area leading up to the Civil War, and East Tennessee and the greater Knox County voted against secession in 1861. The same year, however, Tennessee joined the Confederacy, and martial law was instituted. The Union Army captured Knoxville, and the Confederate army was unsuccessful in its attempt to recapture the city.

Knoxville recovered relatively quickly after the war. In 1869, federal wartime restitution funding expanded the college, which was occupied by both armies during the war, and it changed its name to the University of Tennessee a decade later. Many immigrants came to the city during its manufacturing boom, and its population grew from 5,000 in 1860 to more than 32,600 by 1900.

Knoxville Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Knoxville was:

  • White: 73.9%
  • Black or African American: 16.11%
  • Two or more races: 6.43%
  • Other race: 1.81%
  • Asian: 1.56%
  • Native American: 0.15%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.04%
Land Area (mi²)
98.7 sq mi
Density (mi²)
2,029.10/sq mi
Growth Since 2020
4.61% (8,822)
The current population of Knoxville, Tennessee is 200,300 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 191,478.

Knoxville, Tennessee Population 2024

Population by Race

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Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White141,79173.9%
Black or African American30,90216.11%
Two or more races12,3366.43%
Other race3,4741.81%
Asian2,9901.56%
Native American2870.15%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander770.04%

White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Knoxville Population by Race

Knoxville Population Pyramid 2024

Knoxville Median Age

33.4

Total

32.2

Male

34.8

Female

Knoxville Adults

There are 157,026 adults, (27,287 of whom are seniors) in Knoxville.

Knoxville Age Dependency

47.9

Age Dependency Ratio

21

Old Age Dependency Ratio

26.8

Child Dependency Ratio

Knoxville Sex Ratio

Female98,78851.49%
Male93,06948.51%

Knoxville Population by Age

Knoxville Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All84,1952.1746.253.8
Non Family44,5791.3935.264.8
Married25,3103.0269.930.1
Female10,9943.1236.863.2
Male3,3123.0345.854.2

2.96

Average Family Size

2.17

Average Household Size

46.2%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Knoxville Households and Families

Male

Female

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Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Knoxville Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Knoxville Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 66.05%.

Knoxville Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$39,958

Average Earnings

$43,471

Average Male

$35,539

Average Female

Knoxville Earnings by Educational Attainment

Knoxville Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Knoxville Language

92.26% of Knoxville residents speak only English, while 7.74% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 4.02% of the population.

Knoxville Language

Knoxville Poverty by Race

rate

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Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White131,71223,95918.19%
Black29,9078,69929.09%
Multiple11,8913,07925.89%
Hispanic10,6652,64824.83%
Other3,4561,41941.06%
Asian2,72041515.26%
Native2715118.82%

20.74%

Overall Poverty Rate

20.65%

Male Poverty Rate

20.82%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Knoxville

The race most likely to be in poverty in Knoxville is Other, with 41.06% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Knoxville is Asian, with 15.26% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.93%. Among those working part-time, it was 29.35%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 33.81%.

Knoxville Poverty

rate

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Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade33.31%
High School22.02%
Some College13.36%
Bachelors or Greater5.63%

Knoxville Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed41.13%
Male Unemployed37.62%
Female Employed11.41%
Male Employed9.42%

Knoxville Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Knoxville Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Knoxville Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

33.8%

Overall Marriage Rate

35.3%

Male Marriage Rate

32.5%

Female Marriage Rate

Knoxville Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Knoxville Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

Knoxville Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Knoxville Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

9,386

Number of Veterans

8,567

Male Veterans

819

Female Veterans

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Knoxville Veterans by War

count

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Knoxville Veterans by Age

count

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Knoxville Veterans by Race

Knoxville Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

12.96%

Veteran Poverty Rate

31.87%

Veteran Disability Rate

Knoxville Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

63.4%

Labor Force Participation

60.3%

Employment Rate

4.8%

Unemployment Rate

Knoxville Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Knoxville Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Knoxville Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

58.57%

Born in Knoxville

93.73%

Native Born

6.27%

Foreign Born

4.22%

Non Citizen

2.06%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

93.73% of Knoxville residents were born in the United States, with 58.57% having been born in Tennessee. 4.22% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Knoxville Place of Birth

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change

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Year
Population
Growth
Growth Rate
2029211,3272,2051.05%
2028209,1222,2061.07%
2027206,9162,2051.08%
2026204,7112,2061.09%
2025202,5052,2051.1%
2024200,3002,2061.11%
2023198,0942,2051.13%
2022195,8892,2911.18%
2021193,5982,1201.11%
2020191,4783,9462.1%
2019187,532-42-0.02%
2018187,5745010.27%
2017187,0731,9521.05%
2016185,1219690.53%
2015184,1521,4330.78%
2014182,7198800.48%
2013181,8397030.39%
2012181,1361,1580.64%
2011179,9781,7090.96%
2010178,26900%
2000173,8908,7695.31%
1990165,121-9,924-5.67%
1980175,0454580.26%
1970174,58762,76056.12%
1960111,827-12,942-10.37%
1950124,76913,18911.82%
1940111,5805,7785.46%
1930105,80227,98435.96%
192077,81841,472114.1%
191036,3463,70911.36%
190032,63710,10244.83%
189022,53512,842132.49%
18809,6931,01111.64%
18708,6824,682117.05%
18604,0001,90090.48%
18502,100-209,227-99.01%
showing: 36 rows

Knoxville Population by Year