County FMR · HUD FY2026

Knox County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Knox County, TN - 23% above the US average.

$1,184
1-bedroom FMR
$1,471
2-bedroom FMR
-6.3%
YoY change
+23%
vs US avg

The verdict

Knox is the 13th most expensive of 95 counties in Tennessee by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #503 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has fallen 6.3% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#503
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#13
most expensive of 95 in Tennessee (2BR)
+28%
vs the state average
$47,360
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (12.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (51%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Knox County, TN. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Knox County, Tennessee at $1,184 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,471/mo and a studio is $1,177/mo. This is 23% higher than the national average of $959 and 28% above the Tennessee average of $924.

Rent decreased6.3% from FY 2025 ($1,264), declining against the trend. A household needs about $47,360/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Tennessee. Population: 481,406. Population grew 6.8% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Tennessee's statewide growth of +5.0% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area KNOX·COUNTY·TN·TN

Knox County, TN: $1,184/mo 1BR · #503 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA TN
  • 1BR-FMR $1,184
  • 2BR-FMR $1,471
  • RANK-MID #503
  • YOY-DOWN -6.3%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +23%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +28% TN
  • INC-ROOM 20%
  • POP-MAJOR 481K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Shelby County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,066–$1,302
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Shelby ($30 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $882 · US avg: $893
$1,177/mo
↓ 6.3% YoY +33% vs state +32% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $924 · US avg: $959
$1,184/mo
↓ 6.3% YoY +28% vs state +23% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,118 · US avg: $1,175
$1,471/mo
↓ 5.0% YoY +32% vs state +25% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,445 · US avg: $1,525
$1,864/mo
↓ 6.3% YoY +29% vs state +22% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,644 · US avg: $1,756
$2,172/mo
↓ 7.0% YoY +32% vs state +24% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,256
$1,177
$-79 (-6.3%)
1 Bedroom $1,264
$1,184
$-80 (-6.3%)
2 Bedroom $1,548
$1,471
$-77 (-5.0%)
3 Bedroom $1,989
$1,864
$-125 (-6.3%)
4 Bedroom $2,335
$2,172
$-163 (-7.0%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Knox County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
19.7%
Affordable
Need $47,080/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
19.8%
Affordable
Need $47,360/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
24.6%
Affordable
Need $58,840/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
31.2%
Burdened
Need $74,560/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
36.4%
Burdened
Need $86,880/yr for 30% rule
How we calculate this

Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.

0%100%National avg22%24.6%
Knox County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $71,662 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Tennessee rent burden →

Where Knox sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,471 Top 16% higher than 84% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). This entry sits in this band. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

How Knox compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Tennessee counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Knox is highlighted. Nearby Tennessee counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Davidson County ($1,578), Rutherford County ($1,578), Williamson County ($1,578), Hamilton County ($1,263), Knox County (this county) ($1,184), Shelby County ($1,154), Montgomery County ($1,094).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,184/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Tennessee BLS wages?

Occupation TN Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $117,340 12.1% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $102,850 13.8% Affordable
Registered Nurses $79,030 18% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $75,500 18.8% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $59,410 23.9% Affordable
Electricians $59,190 24% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $55,610 25.5% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $55,270 25.7% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $52,690 27% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $40,130 35.4% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $38,130 37.3% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $31,220 45.5% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $30,770 46.2% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $28,030 50.7% Unaffordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $27,840 51% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Tennessee) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Knox County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Knox (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 59.6% overall, from $742 to $1,184. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 26.4% (FY 2025), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$600$800$1,000$1,200$1,400 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,184
Knox County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓6.3% $1,177 $1,184 $1,471
FY 2025 ↑26.4% $1,256 $1,264 $1,548
FY 2024 ↑5.0% $985 $1,000 $1,221
FY 2023 ↑19.0% $887 $952 $1,156
FY 2022 ↑9.7% $717 $800 $980
FY 2021 ↓1.8% $624 $729 $896
FY 2020 $624 $742 $915
Total change (6yr): +59.6%
Annualized: +8.1%/yr
1 BR: $742 → $1,184

Part of the Knoxville, TN Metro Area

Knox County is a central county of the Knoxville, TN metropolitan statistical area, alongside 8 other metro-area counties.

Knox County ranks #5 of 9 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Blount County ($1,184), Anderson County ($1,184), Loudon County ($1,184), Union County ($1,184), Knox County (this county) ($1,184), Roane County ($918), Morgan County ($753), Campbell County ($722), Grainger County ($717).

Blount County
1 BR: $1,184/mo
Anderson County
1 BR: $1,184/mo
Loudon County
1 BR: $1,184/mo
Union County
1 BR: $1,184/mo
Knox County (this county)
1 BR: $1,184/mo
Roane County
1 BR: $918/mo
Morgan County
1 BR: $753/mo
Campbell County
1 BR: $722/mo
Grainger County
1 BR: $717/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Knox County, both outside Tennessee so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.

Similar 2-bedroom FMR

Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside TN (FY2026).

Escambia County
FL · 2 BR $1,471/mo
Santa Rosa County
FL · 2 BR $1,471/mo
Charlotte County
FL · 2 BR $1,470/mo
Kent County
DE · 2 BR $1,470/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside TN).

Halifax County
NC · 24.6% of income · 2 BR $925/mo
San Miguel County
CO · 24.6% of income · 2 BR $1,645/mo
Stokes County
NC · 24.6% of income · 2 BR $1,232/mo
Tyler County
TX · 24.6% of income · 2 BR $1,040/mo

Nearby Counties in Tennessee

Largest counties by population in Tennessee

Showing the 8 largest of 94 other counties in Tennessee.

Shelby County
1 BR: $1,154/mo Pop: 926,440
Davidson County
1 BR: $1,578/mo Pop: 709,786
Hamilton County
1 BR: $1,263/mo Pop: 367,193
Rutherford County
1 BR: $1,578/mo Pop: 343,727
Williamson County
1 BR: $1,578/mo Pop: 248,897
Montgomery County
1 BR: $1,094/mo Pop: 222,305
Sumner County
1 BR: $1,578/mo Pop: 196,845
Sullivan County
1 BR: $818/mo Pop: 158,722
View all counties in Tennessee →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Knox County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Knox County is $1,184 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,471 and a studio is $1,177.
How does Knox County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Knox County is 23% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,184 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Knox County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Knox County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,471 ranks #503 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Knox County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $47,360 ($3,947/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Knox County.
Is rent going up or down in Knox County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Knox County decreased by 6.3% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,264 to $1,184.
Which jobs can afford rent in Knox County? ▼
Based on Tennessee BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,184/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Knox County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Knox County went from $742 in FY 2020 to $1,184 in FY 2026, a total change of +59.6% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Knox County? ▼
In Knox County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,184/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Knox County? ▼
For Knox County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,184/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.