Memphis, TN vs Knoxville, TN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Memphis, TN spends 23% more per resident than Knoxville, TN: $22,111 against $17,926. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Memphis, TN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 65/100 (grade B) against 51/100 (grade C) for Knoxville, TN — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Memphis, TN carries the lighter load at $303 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 Memphis, TN at $1,397 per resident and in Knoxville, TN at $1,708.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Memphis, TN and 100% in Knoxville, TN.
Summary
Memphis spends 23.3% more per capita than Knoxville ($4,185/person difference). Memphis, TN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 65/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $496 | $748 |
| Income Tax | $1,218 | $115 |
| Intergovernmental | $34,065 | $48,542 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,077 | $3,851 |
| Other | $3,994 | $6,214 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $469 | $258 |
| Highways & Roads | $277 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $630 | $573 |
| Health | $391 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $1,677 | $607 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,397 | $1,708 |
| Housing | $4,683 | $3,667 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $224 |
| Utilities | $2,578 | $2,554 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,158 | $1,080 |
| Other | $8,850 | $7,255 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.