Murfreesboro, TN vs Knoxville, TN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Murfreesboro, TN and Knoxville, TN spend within 4.9% of each other per resident — $18,812 versus $17,926 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Knoxville, TN edges Murfreesboro, TN on the Fiscal Health Score by 7 points — 51/100 (grade C) to 44/100 (grade D). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Knoxville, TN carries the lighter load at $1,825 per resident versus $2,467 for Murfreesboro, TN. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Murfreesboro, TN leads with education at $7,574 per resident, while Knoxville, TN leads with parks and recreation at $1,708.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Murfreesboro, TN and 100% in Knoxville, TN.
Summary
Murfreesboro spends 4.9% more per capita than Knoxville ($886/person difference). Knoxville, TN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 51/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $355 | $748 |
| Income Tax | $349 | $115 |
| Intergovernmental | $27,007 | $48,542 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,562 | $3,851 |
| Other | $40 | $6,214 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $558 | $258 |
| Highways & Roads | $87 | $0 |
| Education | $7,574 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $752 | $573 |
| Health | $86 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $300 | $607 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,074 | $1,708 |
| Housing | $2,655 | $3,667 |
| Sewerage | $133 | $224 |
| Utilities | $2,530 | $2,554 |
| Interest on Debt | $203 | $1,080 |
| Other | $2,861 | $7,255 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.