Jobs, pay and daily life in Knoxville, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Knoxville is a city in Tennessee with 195,185 residents. The median household earns $54,039 a year and the median rent is $1,191 a month, which is 26.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Knoxville, TN metropolitan area, where BLS counts 424,600 jobs.
Federal jobs in Tennessee (395) →State guide: TennesseeCountry guide
There are 395 federal postings open in Tennessee (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Tennessee →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 12,730 | 1.21 | $27,720 | $22,630 | $35,700 | -11% |
| Retail Salespersons | 12,430 | 1.17 | $31,150 | $23,350 | $47,520 | -12% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 10,120 | 1.26 | $37,400 | $29,580 | $48,550 | -7% |
| Registered Nurses | 9,500 | 1.03 | $77,240 | $57,070 | $97,360 | -21% |
| General and Operations Managers | 8,660 | 0.91 | $104,590 | $51,410 | $253,540 | -1% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 8,130 | 1.44 | $59,100 | $39,670 | $79,040 | +1% |
| Cashiers | 8,030 | 0.95 | $29,110 | $21,680 | $34,890 | -11% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 7,730 | 1.00 | $35,410 | $30,010 | $47,360 | -5% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 7,260 | 1.17 | $28,100 | $15,080 | $47,790 | -20% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 7,150 | 1.18 | $31,200 | $25,230 | $43,110 | -15% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 6,640 | 0.94 | $38,840 | $29,650 | $60,300 | -13% |
| Office Clerks, General | 6,460 | 0.96 | $37,920 | $26,120 | $55,400 | -16% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 6,280 | 2.39 | $38,420 | $31,750 | $58,120 | -16% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 6,170 | 1.57 | $63,580 | $43,010 | $102,940 | -9% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 5,940 | 1.55 | $39,220 | $34,450 | $48,460 | -12% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 4,790 | 1.03 | $46,000 | $29,730 | $64,390 | -3% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 4,640 | 1.11 | $46,170 | $33,900 | $65,270 | -7% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 4,610 | 0.39 | $32,710 | $28,430 | $36,290 | -9% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 4,510 | 1.20 | $47,320 | $35,160 | $65,090 | -7% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 4,150 | 1.24 | $41,380 | $30,210 | $63,170 | -6% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | 590 | 1.99 | $460,080 | $189,830 | $621,030 | +88% |
| Physicians, All Other | 690 | 0.74 | $276,370 | $170,090 | $508,910 | +4% |
| Chief Executives | 510 | 0.92 | $198,890 | $66,940 | $444,320 | -7% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 610 | 1.02 | $162,950 | $99,400 | $239,560 | -5% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,380 | 0.75 | $143,650 | $95,610 | $219,970 | -18% |
| Financial Managers | 2,090 | 0.91 | $133,570 | $63,900 | $262,970 | -20% |
| Pharmacists | 990 | 1.12 | $132,460 | $85,160 | $159,200 | -6% |
| Human Resources Managers | 530 | 0.88 | $132,200 | $83,290 | $233,640 | -11% |
| Marketing Managers | 930 | 0.86 | $131,040 | $79,410 | $258,450 | -21% |
| Lawyers | 1,250 | 0.61 | $126,520 | $77,800 | $263,220 | -21% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 990 | 1.37 | $125,470 | $77,030 | $202,810 | +10% |
| Software Developers | 2,390 | 0.52 | $121,750 | $68,880 | $161,870 | -10% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 750 | 1.12 | $120,020 | $76,900 | $202,600 | -5% |
| Sales Managers | 1,410 | 0.81 | $119,380 | $68,510 | $234,160 | -19% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,630 | 1.85 | $109,740 | $85,210 | $135,170 | -17% |
| Electrical Engineers | 630 | 1.16 | $108,590 | $75,120 | $166,210 | -10% |
| General and Operations Managers | 8,660 | 0.91 | $104,590 | $51,410 | $253,540 | -1% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 1,880 | 1.15 | $104,250 | $67,290 | $191,990 | -16% |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | 640 | 1.36 | $102,720 | $59,680 | $153,770 | -1% |
| Managers, All Other | 2,430 | 1.43 | $101,930 | $52,110 | $175,760 | -28% |
These figures are for the whole Knoxville, TN metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,080 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.9% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 13.4% |
| Retail trade | 12.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 12.0% |
| Manufacturing | 7.9% |
| Construction | 6.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.8% |
| Other services | 5.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.6% |
| Public administration | 2.6% |
| Information | 2.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.3% |
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 73.1% |
| Public transit | 1.0% |
| Walk | 3.2% |
| Work from home | 13.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 5.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,039 |
| Income per person | $35,408 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,191 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 26.4% |
| Median home value | $239,700 |
| Homeowners | 46.6% |
| Poverty rate | 20.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.6 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,080 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 33.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 89.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 34.6% |
| Born abroad | 7.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 64.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.4 | 36 | 106 |
| Feb | 4.4 | 40 | 121 |
| Mar | 8.9 | 48 | 110 |
| Apr | 14.2 | 58 | 118 |
| May | 18.9 | 66 | 104 |
| Jun | 23.3 | 74 | 110 |
| Jul | 25.0 | 77 | 140 |
| Aug | 24.9 | 77 | 94 |
| Sep | 21.6 | 71 | 98 |
| Oct | 15.2 | 59 | 83 |
| Nov | 8.7 | 48 | 100 |
| Dec | 4.5 | 40 | 124 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | TN | 96 mi | 185,783 | $64,523 | $1,256 |
| Murfreesboro | TN | 139 mi | 161,445 | $80,108 | $1,481 |
| Athens | GA | 143 mi | 127,345 | $52,974 | $1,219 |
| Lexington | KY | 146 mi | 329,437 | $69,989 | $1,281 |
| Atlanta | GA | 155 mi | 520,066 | $88,165 | $1,765 |
| Nashville | TN | 159 mi | 704,965 | $80,090 | $1,669 |
| Huntsville | AL | 177 mi | 222,791 | $74,714 | $1,171 |
| Louisville | KY | 178 mi | 640,793 | $67,251 | $1,144 |
| Charlotte | NC | 183 mi | 943,474 | $86,416 | $1,720 |
| Clarksville | TN | 194 mi | 176,456 | $69,303 | $1,307 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
195,185 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,191 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 26.4% of the median household income.
$54,039 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.9% (BLS metro area 2026M09).
Tennessee. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.