Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Knoxville
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood
Opportunity
70 · Top 23%
vs78 · Top 13%
Growth
79 · Top 6%
vs76 · Top 10%
Climate
76 · Top 14%
vs68 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 41%
vs69 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
86 · Bottom 29%
vs96 · Top 44%
Access
89 · Top 25%
vs97 · Top 13%
Economic stability
60 · Top 39%
vs84 · Top 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Knoxville | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 932,241 | 2,130,055 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,422 | $79,852 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,856 | $43,743 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 266/sq mi | 521/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $290,200 | $265,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,145 | $1,191 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.4% | 66.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.7% | 38.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 10.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7,902 | 12,830 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.5 | 6.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -0.7% | 5.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.5" | 40.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 27.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.6 | 36.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Knoxville
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Knoxville
75
Your Score
74
Area Score
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood
81
Your Score
79
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Knoxville, TN Metro Area · Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology