County profile · Kentucky
Knox County, KY market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Knox County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 29,532
- −2.2% since 2020
- Households
- 11,711
- Median household income
- $32,527
- +7.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $118,700
- Jobs located here
- 8,810
- Highest market score
- 58
- Insurance agencies, #827 of 2,272 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Knox County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Knox County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 29,532 people live in Knox County, in 11,711 households. Population estimates put the population change in Knox County from 2020 to 2025 at −2.2%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in Knox County is $32,527 a year, 60% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 7.8% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Knox County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 110, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (39).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Knox County are for insurance agencies (58), restaurants and cafes (51) and sit-down restaurants (46). Knox County ranks #827 of 2,272 scored counties for insurance agencies.
Knox County is part of the Corbin area. For its number of households, Knox County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for grocery stores (twice the U.S. rate) and the fewest for restaurants and cafes (53% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Knox County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Knox County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance agencies | 58 | #827 of 2,272 | 10 | 8.5 | $2.5M | 202 | 10 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 51 | #1,115 of 2,405 | 61 | 52.1 | $495K | 133 | 36 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 46 | #1,354 of 2,405 | 40 | 34.2 | $754K | 114 | 9 |
| Pet businesses | 34 | #1,746 of 2,200 | 9 | 7.7 | $779K | 89 | Under 3 |
| Auto repair and car care | 32 | #1,966 of 2,401 | 48 | 41.0 | $184K | 68 | 4 |
| Gas stations | 28 | #2,019 of 2,358 | 21 | 17.9 | $1.4M | 60 | 14 |
| Physical therapy | 21 | #1,327 of 1,422 | 5 | 4.3 | $1.9M | 78 | 5 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 21 | #1,534 of 1,656 | 9 | 7.7 | $1M | 59 | 13 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 18 | #2,311 of 2,394 | 73 | 62.3 | $129K | 84 | 32 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 17 | #2,099 of 2,222 | 14 | 12.0 | $2.2M | 71 | 25 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 17 | #2,130 of 2,210 | 26 | 22.2 | $624K | 71 | 9 |
| Hair salons | 17 | #2,258 of 2,339 | 19 | 16.2 | $385K | 89 | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | 15 | #1,268 of 1,356 | 5 | 4.3 | $1.5M | 78 | Under 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 15 | #1,852 of 1,886 | 11 | 9.4 | $854K | 87 | 11 |
| Funeral homes | 14 | #1,451 of 1,472 | 8 | 6.8 | $205K | 30 | 5 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 14 | #2,039 of 2,087 | 23 | 19.6 | $705K | 55 | 9 |
| Auto repair shops | 14 | #2,334 of 2,378 | 25 | 21.3 | $353K | 79 | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | 13 | #1,463 of 1,530 | 6 | 5.1 | $1.5M | 59 | Under 3 |
| Grocery stores | 12 | #1,995 of 2,070 | 16 | 13.7 | $3.5M | 38 | 6 |
| Convenience stores | 12 | #2,168 of 2,261 | 18 | 15.4 | $3.1M | 40 | 6 |
| Nail salons | 11 | #1,294 of 1,328 | 6 | 5.1 | $1.2M | 73 | Under 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 11 | #2,349 of 2,402 | 34 | 29.0 | $1.7M | 49 | 12 |
| Pizza | 10 | #2,080 of 2,090 | 17 | 14.5 | $1.8M | 35 | 25 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 9 | #2,373 of 2,385 | 42 | 35.9 | $174K | 82 | Under 3 |
| Spas and skin care | 7 | #1,765 of 1,769 | 12 | 10.2 | $609K | 70 | Under 3 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 7 | #2,075 of 2,088 | 11 | 9.4 | $404K | 61 | Under 3 |
| Gyms | 4 | #1,786 of 1,792 | 10 | 8.5 | $444K | 34 | Under 3 |
| Child care and preschools | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.4 | $799K | 80 | 15 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.4 | $7.5M | 204 | Under 3 |
| Real estate | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.4 | Index only | 783 | Under 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.4 | Index only | 622 | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.6 | $10.1M | 243 | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.6 | $2.9M | 117 | Under 3 |
| Chiropractors | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.6 | $3.1M | 131 | 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.6 | $2.9M | 95 | Under 3 |
| Home repair trades | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.6 | $7.8M | 321 | 6 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.6 | $4.2M | 248 | 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.6 | $3.1M | 100 | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.6 | $2.3M | 92 | Under 3 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.7 | $11.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.7 | $8.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.7 | $3.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.7 | $3.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $12.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $23.4M | Too few | 6 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $12.5M | Too few | 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $4.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $8.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $12.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $9.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in Knox County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $8.8M | $753 | 79 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $30.1M | $2,571 | 99 |
| Food away from home | $30.2M | $2,576 | 63 |
| Groceries | $56.3M | $4,811 | 76 |
| Personal care products and services | $7.3M | $624 | 62 |
| Child care and other personal services | $3.2M | $273 | 47 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $4.4M | $379 | 39 |
| Medical and dental services | $9.4M | $802 | 62 |
| Pets | $7M | $599 | 66 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $16.2M | $1,385 | 67 |
| Vehicle insurance | $25.3M | $2,161 | 110 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $23.4M | $1,999 | 66 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $12.5M | $1,067 | 75 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $135.7M | $11,590 | 70 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Knox County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 29,532−2.2% since 2020
- Households
- 11,711
- Median age
- 40.6
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 65%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.7
- Land area
- 386 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 77
- Median household income
- $32,527+7.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $50,707
- Median home value
- $118,700
- Jobs located here
- 8,810
- Daytime population
- 28,691Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Knox County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Knox County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Kentucky 8
- Whitley County, KY36,920 people
- Laurel County, KY62,983 people
- Bell County, KY23,509 people
- Clay County, KY19,921 people
- McCreary County, KY16,867 people
- Leslie County, KY10,079 people
- Jackson County, KY13,086 people
- Harlan County, KY25,772 people
Questions
How fast is Knox County, KY growing?
Population estimates put Knox County at 29,532 people in 2025, down 2.2% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 11,711 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 7.8%, before inflation.
How much do households in Knox County, KY spend?
Households in Knox County spend about $135.7M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $56.3M on groceries and $30.2M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Knox County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 110, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (39).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Knox County, KY?
Of the business types scored in Knox County, insurance agencies (58), restaurants and cafes (51) and sit-down restaurants (46) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For insurance agencies, that ranks #827 of 2,272 scored counties.
How does Knox County, KY compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Knox County is $32,527, 60% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 2.2% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $118,700, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for grocery stores (twice the U.S. rate) and lowest for restaurants and cafes (53% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 27 of the 56 business types have a score in Knox County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Knox County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Kentucky · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Knox County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Knox County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.