Side by side

Knoxville vs Austin

Austin wins on more metrics — 1–4 on the 8 core metrics we track. Detail below.

Metric

Knoxville

Austin

Cost of living

B vs A: -16%

74✓

Rent · 1BR center

B vs A: +35%

$1,300✓

$1,750

Effective tax (remote)

B vs A: -9%

22%

20%✓

Healthcare

B vs A: ≈ same

Safety

B vs A: ≈ same

Internet

B vs A: +22%

230

280✓

Climate

B vs A: ≈ same

Freedom

B vs A: +13%

88✓

No state income tax, Smoky Mountain access, and a college-town energy at a fraction of Nashville's cost.

No-state-income-tax tech hub. Rents have cooled from 2022 peak but live music, BBQ, and outdoor culture endure.