Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Knoxville, TN
VS
Little Rock, AR
🏆 Little Rock leads 17 of 22 categories
Knoxville
Tennessee
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.8
Median Household Income
$48,309
Violent Crime Index
195⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
191,857
Little Rock
Arkansas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,697 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
440⚠ High
Population
202,218 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Knoxville, TN
Pros
56% less violent crime than Little Rock
Homes cost $22k less ($184,200 vs $205,800)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.8)
Cons
Violent crime (740.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Little Rock by $10,388/yr
Property crime (2721.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Little Rock
Little Rock, AR
Pros
Households earn $10,388 more per year on average
More college-educated — 44.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.1)
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Knoxville
Cons
Violent crime (1672.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5214.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Knoxville
Violent Crime
56% lower
740.3 vs 1672.0 per 100k
Knoxville
Median Home Value
$22k less
$184,200 vs $205,800
Little Rock
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 89.1 vs 92.8 (100 = US avg)
Little Rock
Median Income
$10,388
$58,697 vs $48,309/yr
Little Rock
Summer Heat
3.4°F warmer
July avg high 91.7°F vs 88.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Knoxville, TN | Little Rock, AR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.8 | 89.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $184,200 ✓ Lower | $205,800 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,043 | $1,006 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $48,309 | $58,697 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.5 min | 18.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.1% ✓ Higher | 8.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 169⚠ High ✓ Safer | 363⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 195⚠ High ✓ Safer | 440⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (103) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 15.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.1% | 44.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.2% | 92.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Knox County | LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.9°F | 50.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.3°F | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.8" | 52.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.6" | 3.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 191,857 | 202,218 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.4 | 36.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 46.2% | 54.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.2% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Knoxville's cost of living index is 92.8 vs Little Rock's 89.1 (US average = 100).
Little Rock is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Little Rock leads 17 of 22 categories. Knoxville wins 5 and Little Rock wins 17. 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 Knoxville to Little Rock or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($184,200 vs $205,800 median home), income ($48,309 vs $58,697), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Knoxville, TN and Little Rock, AR are about 482 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.