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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Knoxville, TN

Population: 191,857 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

C
51/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$3.4B
Per Capita
$17,926
Total Revenue
$9.3B
Total Debt
$350.2M

Spending Breakdown

Other
40.5%$1.4B
Housing & Community Development
20.5%$703.6M
Utilities
14.2%$490.0M
Parks & Recreation
9.5%$327.6M
Interest on Debt
6.0%$207.1M
Hospitals
3.4%$116.4M
Public Welfare
3.2%$109.9M
Fire Protection
1.4%$49.6M
Sewerage
1.3%$43.1M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
1.5%$143.5M
Income Tax
0.2%$22.0M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$9.3B
Charges & Fees
7.9%$738.8M
Other
12.8%$1.2B

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$258/person
Parks & Recreation$1,708/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)77/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)74/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$350.2M
Long-Term Debt$0
Debt Per Capita$1,825
Cash & Securities$56.4M

Compare Cities

See how Knoxville stacks up against another city.

vs Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TNvs Memphis, TNvs Chattanooga, TN
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Tennessee

Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN

Pop. 684K

D
Total Spending
$33.5B
Per Capita
$48,948

Memphis, TN

Pop. 630K

B
Total Spending
$13.9B
Per Capita
$22,111

Chattanooga, TN

Pop. 181K

B
Total Spending
$4.4B
Per Capita
$24,150

Clarksville, TN

Pop. 168K

A
Total Spending
$1.4B
Per Capita
$8,523

Compare Knoxville With

Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN

Spending: $48,948/person · Grade: D

Memphis, TN

Spending: $22,111/person · Grade: B

Chattanooga, TN

Spending: $24,150/person · Grade: B

Clarksville, TN

Spending: $8,523/person · Grade: A

Frequently Asked Questions

Knoxville, TN spends $17,926 per resident, based on total expenditures of $3.4B for a population of 191,857. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (51/100).

Knoxville, TN has total expenditures of $3.4B and total revenue of $9.3B. The city carries $350.2M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Knoxville, TN employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Knoxville, TN has a Fiscal Health Score of C (51/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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