Knoxville had an estimated 202,021 people on July 1, 2025, up 5.9% since the 2020 census and 12.9% since 2010, the Census Bureau says. Median age: 33.5.
Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau: the 2010 and 2020 census counts, the Vintage 2025 city population estimates and the 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates.
The Census Bureau estimates that 202,021 people lived in Knoxville on July 1, 2025. That is up 5.9% from the 190,740 counted in the 2020 census and up 12.9% from the 178,874 counted in 2010. The latest year alone added an estimated 2,937 people. Knox County as a whole reached an estimated 511,453.
Where the numbers come from
- Knoxville QuickFacts: census.gov/quickfacts
- Detailed tables: 2020-2024 ACS profile, Knoxville
- Local data: Knoxville-Knox County Planning, Knox County by the Numbers, 865-215-2500
- Census Bureau questions: contact the bureau
Population over time
| Year | Population | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 178,874 | 2010 census |
| 2020 | 190,740 | 2020 census |
| 2021 | 192,154 | Census estimate, July 1 |
| 2022 | 196,198 | Census estimate, July 1 |
| 2023 | 197,496 | Census estimate, July 1 |
| 2024 | 199,084 | Census estimate, July 1 |
| 2025 | 202,021 | Census estimate, July 1 |
Growth has picked up since 2020: the city added about as many people in the five years after the 2020 census (11,281, by the estimates) as in the whole decade before it (11,866).
Who lives in Knoxville
From the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates:
| Measure | Knoxville | Knox County | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.5 | 37.4 | 38.9 |
| Households | 86,263 | 201,146 | 2,824,277 |
| Average household size | 2.14 | 2.39 | 2.45 |
| Median household income | $54,039 | $74,222 | $69,595 |
| People below the poverty line | 20.2% | 12.2% | 13.8% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor’s degree or higher | 34.6% | 41.0% | 31.1% |
| Homes that are owner-occupied | 46.6% | 65.2% | 66.9% |
| Median value of an owner-occupied home | $239,700 | $320,900 | $286,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,191 | $1,261 | $1,189 |
| Housing units | 96,441 | 218,661 | 3,143,670 |
Knoxville is younger, has smaller households and rents more than the county around it: fewer than half of its occupied homes are owner-occupied, against about two-thirds countywide. The University of Tennessee’s main campus is in the city.
Knoxville and its neighbors
| Place | 2020 census | July 2025 estimate | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | 190,740 | 202,021 | +5.9% |
| Knox County | 478,971 | 511,453 | +6.8% |
| Oak Ridge | 31,402 | 35,395 | +12.7% |
| Maryville | 31,907 | 32,442 | +1.7% |
| Farragut | 23,506 | 25,121 | +6.9% |
| Alcoa | 10,978 | 13,689 | +24.7% |
| Clinton | 10,056 | 10,466 | +4.1% |
Alcoa, about 11 miles south, grew fastest. Farragut, about 15 miles west, grew a little faster than Knoxville. Powell and Seymour are unincorporated communities, so the Census Bureau does not publish yearly estimates for them; the 2019-2023 survey put Powell at 13,544 and Seymour at 15,914.
How to read these numbers
- Census counts (2010, 2020) are the official headcounts taken every 10 years.
- Population estimates (2021 to 2025) are the bureau’s yearly estimates for July 1, built from births, deaths and migration. Each year’s release can revise earlier years.
- American Community Survey figures are survey estimates averaged over five years, with margins of error, and describe the period, not a single year.
What this means for you
- Knoxville is adding people faster now than it did in the 2010s, by the bureau’s estimates.
- For neighborhood-level detail, use the census tract tables on data.census.gov or Planning’s Knox County by the Numbers.
Related: Knoxville home prices, schools and history and landmarks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Knoxville, Tennessee?
The Census Bureau estimates 202,021 people lived in Knoxville on July 1, 2025. The 2020 census counted 190,740.
How fast is Knoxville growing?
Knoxville grew from 178,874 people in 2010 to 190,740 in 2020, up 6.6%, and added an estimated 11,281 more by July 2025, up 5.9% since the 2020 count.
What is the median household income in Knoxville?
$54,039, according to the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates, compared with $74,222 for Knox County and $69,595 for Tennessee.
What is the population of Knox County, Tennessee?
An estimated 511,453 on July 1, 2025, up from 478,971 in the 2020 census and 432,226 in 2010. Knoxville holds about two in five county residents.
What is the median age in Knoxville?
33.5 years in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey, younger than Knox County’s 37.4 and Tennessee’s 38.9.
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