Knoxville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Knoxville
Richmond
Opportunity
63 · Top 34%
vs49 · Bottom 33%
Growth
75 · Top 7%
vs61 · Top 32%
Climate
77 · Top 24%
vs75 · Top 31%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 26%
vs82 · Top 17%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 45%
vs58 · Bottom 30%
Access
96 · Bottom 45%
vs97 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 23%
vs52 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Knoxville | Richmond | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 195,185 | 229,359 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,039 | $64,587 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,408 | $45,790 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,977/sq mi | 3,827/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $239,700 | $353,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,191 | $1,372 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.6% | 43.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.6% | 45.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.2% | 18.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,738 | 2,714 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.0 | 11.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -9.9% | -20.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.9" | 45.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.5 | 34.7 | 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.
Richmond
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Knoxville, TN · Richmond, VA · How this is calculated: methodology