Studio Rent · July 2026

Studio Apartment Rent in Knoxville, TN

$1,363/mo

Median asking rent for a studio apartment in Knoxville, Tennessee as of July 2026. That's +21% lower than the citywide median of $1,735 and +5% above the national studio median of $1,295.

Studio median
$1,363
July 2026
vs city overall
-21%
$1,735 city median
vs national
+5%
$1,295 US median
Tennessee rank
#43
of 64 cities

Income needed for a studio in Knoxville

Using the standard 30% rent-to-income guideline (the threshold above which households are considered rent-burdened), here's what you need to earn to comfortably afford a studio at the current median rent.

Annual income
$54,520
Monthly gross
$4,543
Hourly (full-time)
$26.21

Rent by apartment size in Knoxville

Compare Knoxville's median rent across every apartment size.

Studio (current)
$1,363
1-Bedroom
$1,371
2-Bedroom
$1,679
3-Bedroom
$2,159
4+ Bedroom
$2,533

Cheapest cities for a studio in Tennessee

#CityStudio rent
1Morristown$319
2Crossville$328
3Greeneville$414
4Sevierville$545
5Athens$680
6Brownsville$680
7Dyersburg$720
8Kingsport$737
9Bristol$740
10Martin$750
11Cookeville$760
12Tullahoma$760
13Elizabethton$800
14Manchester$810
15Jackson$850

Most expensive cities for a studio in Tennessee

#CityStudio rent
1Mount Juliet$2,030
2Farragut$1,880
3Spring Hill$1,840
4Thompsons Station$1,823
5La Vergne$1,820
6Nashville$1,718
7Brentwood$1,703
8Franklin$1,702
9Hendersonville$1,640
10Ooltewah$1,610
11Germantown$1,570
12Lakeland$1,550
13Goodlettsville$1,520
14White House$1,510
15Murfreesboro$1,505

Nearby cities — studio rent

Considering nearby alternatives? 5 of these cities have cheaper studio rents than Knoxville.

CityDistanceStudio rentvs Knoxville
Powell, TN7.3 mi$1,130$-233 (-17%)
Louisville, TN11.4 mi$970$-393 (-29%)
Alcoa, TN12.5 mi$1,230$-133 (-10%)
Farragut, TN15.2 mi$1,880+$517 (+38%)
Clinton, TN16.1 mi$1,060$-303 (-22%)
Maryville, TN18.5 mi$1,197$-166 (-12%)
Seymour, TN18.8 mi$1,020$-343 (-25%)
Lenoir City, TN20.8 mi$1,440+$77 (+6%)
Oak Ridge, TN21.6 mi$1,150$-213 (-16%)
Sevierville, TN29.4 mi$545$-818 (-60%)
Kingston, TN37 mi$940$-423 (-31%)
Morristown, TN50 mi$319$-1,044 (-77%)

Studio rent in Knoxville — common questions

How much is a studio apartment in Knoxville?

As of July 2026, the median studio apartment rent in Knoxville, Tennessee is $1,363 per month. This is +21% below the citywide median of $1,735.

What income do you need to afford a studio in Knoxville?

Using the standard 30% rent-to-income rule, you would need an annual income of about $54,520 ($4,543/month gross), which works out to roughly $26.21/hour at a full-time job.

Is Knoxville expensive for a studio compared to the rest of the US?

Knoxville's studio median of $1,363 is +5% above the national studio median of $1,295. It ranks in the 55th percentile of US cities tracked.

How does Knoxville rank for studio rent in Tennessee?

Among the 64 cities in Tennessee with studio data, Knoxville ranks #43 from cheapest to most expensive.

Are there cheaper studio options near Knoxville?

Yes — nearby cities with cheaper studio rents include Powell ($1,130), Louisville ($970), Alcoa ($1,230).

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Methodology: Bedroom-level rent medians come from HUD Fair Market Rent data calibrated to the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for Knoxville, which serves as the citywide anchor. When the HUD bedroom values exceed the ZORI city median (a common quirk in luxury markets and small samples), bedroom values are proportionally scaled down to align. Income required uses the standard 30% rent-to-income guideline. Comparison rankings use the same data month across all cities (July 2026) and exclude cities with median rent below $400 or above $20,000.