County profile · Tennessee
Knox County, TN market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Knox County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 511,453
- +6.5% since 2020
- Households
- 201,146
- Median household income
- $74,222
- +29.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $320,900
- Jobs located here
- 270,203
- Highest market score
- 78
- Collision repair and body shops, #86 of 1,327 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 511,453 people live in Knox County, in 201,146 households. Population estimates show Knox County grew 6.5% from 2020 to 2025, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in Knox County is $74,222 a year, 8% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 29.2% 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 128, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (77).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Knox County are for collision repair and body shops (78), electricians (72) and gas stations (72). Knox County ranks #86 of 1,327 scored counties for collision repair and body shops.
Knox County is part of the Knoxville metro area. For its number of households, Knox County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for oil change and quick-lube shops (71% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for collision repair and body shops (45% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collision repair and body shops | 78 | #86 of 1,327 | 35 | 1.7 | $5.3M | 173 | 37 |
| Electricians | 72 | #141 of 1,160 | 47 | 2.3 | $12.5M | 104 | 107 |
| Gas stations | 72 | #345 of 2,358 | 217 | 10.8 | $2.7M | 114 | 200 |
| Grocery stores | 72 | #354 of 2,070 | 105 | 5.2 | $11.6M | 125 | 78 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 72 | #390 of 2,402 | 320 | 15.9 | $3.8M | 112 | 127 |
| Convenience stores | 71 | #408 of 2,261 | 167 | 8.3 | $7.3M | 93 | 49 |
| Laundromats | 67 | #193 of 785 | 30 | 1.5 | $12.8M | 103 | 9 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 67 | #311 of 1,493 | 122 | 6.1 | $2.5M | 84 | 172 |
| Dry cleaners | 66 | #94 of 507 | 21 | 1.0 | $18.3M | 117 | 14 |
| Child care and preschools | 65 | #401 of 1,611 | 104 | 5.2 | $912K | 91 | 101 |
| Funeral homes | 64 | #376 of 1,472 | 32 | 1.6 | $799K | 118 | 25 |
| House cleaning | 63 | #186 of 847 | 48 | 2.4 | $6.3M | 98 | 113 |
| Auto repair shops | 63 | #620 of 2,378 | 375 | 18.6 | $496K | 112 | 179 |
| Pet stores | 62 | #284 of 974 | 37 | 1.8 | $5M | 109 | 22 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 61 | #457 of 1,461 | 83 | 4.1 | $2.2M | 87 | 52 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 60 | #505 of 1,707 | 145 | 7.2 | $4.1M | 85 | 169 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 59 | #589 of 1,889 | 171 | 8.5 | $4.5M | 109 | 131 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 59 | #658 of 2,063 | 197 | 9.8 | $3.9M | 105 | 117 |
| Pet businesses | 58 | #736 of 2,200 | 246 | 12.2 | $745K | 85 | 139 |
| Auto repair and car care | 58 | #849 of 2,401 | 677 | 33.7 | $275K | 102 | 277 |
| Chiropractors | 57 | #550 of 1,490 | 96 | 4.8 | $2.4M | 99 | 53 |
| Home repair trades | 57 | #715 of 2,057 | 296 | 14.7 | $2M | 82 | 310 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 56 | #664 of 1,771 | 218 | 10.8 | $1.4M | 82 | 329 |
| Pizza | 56 | #794 of 2,090 | 169 | 8.4 | $4.6M | 90 | 448 |
| Roofing and gutters | 55 | #491 of 1,177 | 104 | 5.2 | $5.7M | 67 | 34 |
| Tire shops | 55 | #649 of 1,530 | 81 | 4.0 | $2.3M | 92 | 36 |
| Veterinarians | 54 | #650 of 1,485 | 96 | 4.8 | $1.9M | 70 | 65 |
| Nail salons | 52 | #636 of 1,328 | 125 | 6.2 | $1.5M | 87 | 35 |
| Car washes and detailing | 52 | #686 of 1,451 | 82 | 4.1 | $2.3M | 90 | 36 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 51 | #154 of 325 | 11 | 0.5 | $20.6M | 84 | 16 |
| Home inspectors | 51 | #194 of 415 | 21 | 1.0 | Index only | 56 | 9 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 51 | #371 of 777 | 34 | 1.7 | $4.5M | 110 | 76 |
| Insurance agencies | 51 | #1,097 of 2,272 | 415 | 20.6 | $1.2M | 97 | 227 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 51 | #1,143 of 2,405 | 1,196 | 59.5 | $643K | 97 | 383 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 50 | #1,201 of 2,405 | 2,160 | 107.4 | $356K | 96 | 954 |
| Property management | 49 | #462 of 910 | 61 | 3.0 | Index only | 91 | 114 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 48 | #734 of 1,302 | 89 | 4.4 | $2.5M | 81 | 37 |
| Hair salons | 46 | #1,395 of 2,339 | 523 | 26.0 | $349K | 81 | 105 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 45 | #1,357 of 2,222 | 346 | 17.2 | $2.2M | 73 | 448 |
| Pest control | 44 | #428 of 699 | 48 | 2.4 | $6.3M | 61 | 44 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 44 | #1,275 of 2,087 | 372 | 18.5 | $1M | 81 | 206 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 44 | #1,353 of 2,210 | 502 | 25.0 | $767K | 87 | 229 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 43 | #872 of 1,334 | 109 | 5.4 | $1.4M | 69 | 51 |
| Gyms | 43 | #1,166 of 1,792 | 162 | 8.1 | $942K | 72 | 76 |
| Barbershops | 42 | #898 of 1,356 | 118 | 5.9 | $1.5M | 82 | 20 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 42 | #1,497 of 2,176 | 848 | 42.2 | Index only | 66 | 172 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 41 | #1,464 of 2,088 | 305 | 15.2 | $500K | 76 | 127 |
| Real estate | 39 | #1,708 of 2,229 | 1,075 | 53.4 | Index only | 66 | 385 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 38 | #1,831 of 2,385 | 1,074 | 53.4 | $170K | 80 | 228 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 36 | #364 of 479 | 25 | 1.2 | $7.4M | 54 | 22 |
| Physical therapy | 36 | #1,088 of 1,422 | 145 | 7.2 | $1.6M | 65 | 94 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 36 | #1,261 of 1,656 | 184 | 9.1 | $1.2M | 69 | 432 |
| Spas and skin care | 36 | #1,398 of 1,769 | 290 | 14.4 | $629K | 72 | 60 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 36 | #1,468 of 1,886 | 276 | 13.7 | $822K | 84 | 184 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 35 | #716 of 887 | 145 | 7.2 | Index only | 54 | 46 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 33 | #1,996 of 2,394 | 1,880 | 93.5 | $121K | 79 | 816 |
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 | $186.2M | $926 | 97 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $592.2M | $2,944 | 113 |
| Food away from home | $769.5M | $3,826 | 94 |
| Groceries | $1.2B | $6,061 | 96 |
| Personal care products and services | $182.5M | $907 | 90 |
| Child care and other personal services | $94.9M | $472 | 81 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $152.5M | $758 | 77 |
| Medical and dental services | $226.9M | $1,128 | 88 |
| Pets | $183.2M | $911 | 100 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $385M | $1,914 | 93 |
| Vehicle insurance | $505.7M | $2,514 | 128 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $587.8M | $2,922 | 97 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $301.3M | $1,498 | 106 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $3.1B | $15,279 | 92 |
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
- 511,453+6.5% since 2020
- Households
- 201,146
- Median age
- 38.9
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 65%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 508 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 972
- Median household income
- $74,222+29.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $104,460
- Median home value
- $320,900
- Jobs located here
- 270,203
- Daytime population
- 541,810Residents 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 Tennessee 8
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- Blount County, TN139,333 people
- Union County, TN20,431 people
- Loudon County, TN58,580 people
- Sevier County, TN99,652 people
- Campbell County, TN39,761 people
- Roane County, TN55,208 people
- Jefferson County, TN56,864 people
Questions
How fast is Knox County, TN growing?
Population estimates put Knox County at 511,453 people in 2025, up 6.5% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 201,146 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 29.2%, before inflation.
How much do households in Knox County, TN spend?
Households in Knox County spend about $3.1B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $1.2B on groceries and $769.5M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Knox County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 128, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (77).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Knox County, TN?
Of the business types scored in Knox County, collision repair and body shops (78), electricians (72) and gas stations (72) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For collision repair and body shops, that ranks #86 of 1,327 scored counties.
How does Knox County, TN compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Knox County is $74,222, 8% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 6.5% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $320,900, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for oil change and quick-lube shops (71% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for collision repair and body shops (45% 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. All 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.
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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.