Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Concord, NC
VS
Knoxville, TN
🏆 Concord leads 16 of 22 categories
Concord
North Carolina
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0
Median Household Income
$83,480 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
42 ✓ Safer
Population
105,335
Knoxville
Tennessee
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$48,309
Violent Crime Index
195⚠ High
Population
191,857 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Concord, NC
Pros
Households earn $35,171 more per year on average
79% less violent crime than Knoxville
Violent crime is well below the national average (159.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 40.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Knoxville
Knoxville, TN
Pros
Homes cost $104k less ($184,200 vs $288,100)
Rent averages $216/mo less ($1,043 vs $1,259)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.8)
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Concord
Cons
Median income trails Concord by $35,171/yr
Violent crime (740.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2721.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Concord
Median Income
$35,171
$83,480 vs $48,309/yr
Concord
Violent Crime
79% lower
159.0 vs 740.3 per 100k
Concord
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 91.8°F vs 88.3°F
Knoxville
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 92.8 vs 97.0 (100 = US avg)
Knoxville
Median Home Value
$104k less
$184,200 vs $288,100
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Concord, NC | Knoxville, TN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 | 92.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $288,100 | $184,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,259 | $1,043 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,480 ✓ Higher | $48,309 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min | 20.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.2% ✓ Higher | 9.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 46 ✓ Safer | 169⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 195⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.4:1 | — |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.8% ✓ Higher | 33.1% |
| High School or Higher | 91.2% ✓ Higher | 90.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cabarrus County Schools | Knox County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.8°F ✓ Warmer | 47.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer | 88.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.0" ✓ Drier | 55.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.3" ✓ Less | 4.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,335 | 191,857 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.3 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.4% ✓ Higher | 46.2% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 18.2% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 14.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Concord's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Knoxville's 92.8 (US average = 100).
Knoxville is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Concord leads 16 of 22 categories. Concord wins 16 and Knoxville wins 6. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Concord to Knoxville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($288,100 vs $184,200 median home), income ($83,480 vs $48,309), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Concord, NC and Knoxville, TN are about 190 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.