BestCityFor

Best city for remote work? Knoxville, TN

D
Score
43/100
Rank #155 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Knoxville may not rank at the top for remote work, but it can be a fit if you care about typical rent (2br) and commute 45+ min share. Overall, it’s a more specialized pick in this set (#155 of 200). A common tradeoff is broadband subscription.

Methodology · Sources · TN rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Knoxville ranks here

  • Typical rent (2BR): $1,161/mo (19% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Commute 45+ min share: 6% (46% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Bachelor’s+ rate: 34% (3% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Broadband subscription: 83% (9% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Median household income: $50,994 (33% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
193,721
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 48%Female 52%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$1,161/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Work-from-home share
11%
National median: 12%
Broadband subscription
83%
National median: 91%
Median household income
$50,994
National median: $75,598
Bachelor’s+ rate
34%
National median: 35%
Commute 45+ min share
6%
National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and housing pressure.
87/100
Connectivity
Broadband availability as a practical remote-work proxy.
83/100
Workforce
Remote-work adoption and human-capital signals.
14/100
Comfort
Commute friction and climate comfort.
94/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

10%
Less than HS
56%
HS / Some college
20%
Bachelor’s
13%
Advanced

Work style

WFH vs not WFH (ACS).

11%
Work from home
89%
Not WFH

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

83%
Broadband
17%
No broadband

Map

Open in OpenStreetMap →

Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,161/mo
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
83%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
11%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$50,994
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
34%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
6%

Similar cities (by score)

#153 Rockford, IL
44/100
#154 Memphis, TN
43/100
#156 Mesquite, TX
43/100
#157 Toledo, OH
43/100

FAQ

›What is Knoxville’s remote work score and rank?
Knoxville, TN scores D (43/100) and ranks #155 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Knoxville city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Knoxville, TN?
Population is about 193,721 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Knoxville, TN?
About 48% male and 52% female (ACS 2023).
›What is a typical monthly rent in Knoxville, TN?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,161/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What share of workers work from home in Knoxville, TN?
Work-from-home share is 11% (national median: 12%).
›How common is broadband internet in Knoxville, TN?
Broadband subscription is 83% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Knoxville, TN?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 10%, HS/some college 56%, bachelor’s 20%, advanced 13%.
›Where does this data come from for Knoxville, TN?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (job, neighborhood, commute, safety, schools, healthcare).