Rents are 11% below what Knoxville's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,701 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Knoxville usually run 0.9% below trend in January and 1% above it in August, about $32 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Knoxville is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Knoxville changed +1.1% over the year to September 2026. Across the 51 Tennessee cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.0%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Knoxville rose 60.4% while median household income rose 34% ($40,341 to $54,039). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Knoxville is 59% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($54,039) is $1,351 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($1,363).
The priciest of 14 ZIP codes in Knoxville, 37938 ($2,174/mo), costs 1.7 times the cheapest, 37912 ($1,257/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Knoxville. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Knoxville, TN is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 34.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Knoxville, TN has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Knoxville, TN paid around $1,179 a month. That figure now sits near $1,701, up 44.3% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $54,039 today, compared with $44,308 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Knoxville, TN adding about 5,846 residents over the five-year window, up 3.1% on net. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Knoxville on your salary?
At $1,701/mo, how Knoxville rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Knoxville rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Knoxville. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Knoxville
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Knoxville is $1,701/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,363/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,679/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,371/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,159/mo.
At 38% of local median household income ($54,039/yr), Knoxville ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Knoxville?
At $1,701/mo, rent takes ~38% of Knoxville's median household income ($54,039/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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