CostIndexUSA

Knoxville, TN vs Louisville, KY Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostTN
Knoxville
92.6
overall index
$1,725/mo rent
KY
Louisville
93.1
overall index
$1,350/mo rent

Knoxville and Louisville have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing5.1%
Knoxville
82.8
Louisville
78.6
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Knoxville
96.2
Louisville
96.2
🚗 Transportation+1.7%
Knoxville
99.9
Louisville
101.6
🏥 Healthcare+1.8%
Knoxville
90.4
Louisville
92
Utilities+4.3%
Knoxville
71.9
Louisville
75

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Knoxville to see what you'd need to earn in Louisville to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Louisville, KY
$80,400
$400 more needed in Louisville

Formula: salary × (93.1 ÷ 92.6) = salary × 1.0054. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Knoxville, TN

Median Home Price
$352,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,725
Housing Index
82.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.0×

Louisville, KY

Median Home Price
$270,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,350
Housing Index
78.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
16.7×

Knoxville has 5.1% lower housing costs compared to Louisville.

Income & Job Market

Knoxville, TN

Median Household Income
$69,900
Per Capita Income
$39,800
Unemployment Rate
3.2%
Population
190,740
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingTourismGovernment

Louisville, KY

Median Household Income
$68,900
Per Capita Income
$39,300
Unemployment Rate
4%
Population
633,045
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingLogisticsEducationAgriculture

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Knoxville, TN
3.4×income-to-rent ratio

70% of income left after rent (median)

Louisville, KY
4.3×income-to-rent ratio

76% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.