Clarksville, TN vs Knoxville, TN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Knoxville, TN outspends Clarksville, TN by a wide margin per resident — $17,926 versus $8,523, a 110% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Clarksville, TN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 80/100 (grade A) against 51/100 (grade C) for Knoxville, TN — a 29-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Clarksville, TN carries the lighter load at $833 per resident versus $1,825 for Knoxville, TN. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Clarksville, TN at $611 per resident and in Knoxville, TN at $1,708.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Clarksville, TN at 9% of total revenue, whereas Knoxville, TN relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Knoxville spends 52.5% more per capita than Clarksville ($9,403/person difference). Clarksville, TN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 80/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $118 | $748 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $115 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,799 | $48,542 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,073 | $3,851 |
| Other | $3,159 | $6,214 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $299 | $258 |
| Highways & Roads | $45 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,038 | $573 |
| Hospitals | $137 | $607 |
| Parks & Recreation | $611 | $1,708 |
| Housing | $2,349 | $3,667 |
| Sewerage | $219 | $224 |
| Utilities | $1,345 | $2,554 |
| Interest on Debt | $444 | $1,080 |
| Other | $2,036 | $7,255 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.