Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Knoxville, TN
VS
Oklahoma City, OK
🏆 Oklahoma City leads 14 of 22 categories
Knoxville
Tennessee
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.8
Median Household Income
$48,309
Violent Crime Index
195⚠ High
Population
191,857
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$64,251 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
681,088 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Knoxville, TN
Pros
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 Oklahoma City by $15,942/yr
Property crime (2721.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Oklahoma City, OK
Pros
Households earn $15,942 more per year on average
9% less violent crime than Knoxville
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cons
Violent crime (676.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2893.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Knoxville
Median Home Value
$13k less
$184,200 vs $196,700
Oklahoma City
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 92.8 (100 = US avg)
Oklahoma City
Median Income
$15,942
$64,251 vs $48,309/yr
Oklahoma City
Violent Crime
9% lower
676.0 vs 740.3 per 100k
Oklahoma City
Summer Heat
4.8°F warmer
July avg high 93.1°F vs 88.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Knoxville, TN | Oklahoma City, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.8 | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $184,200 ✓ Lower | $196,700 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,043 | $1,012 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $48,309 | $64,251 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.5 min ✓ Shorter | 22.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 9.1% ✓ Higher | 8.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 169⚠ High | 162⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 195⚠ High | 178⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (103) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 16.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.1% | 33.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.2% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Knox County | OKLAHOMA CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.9°F | 49.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.3°F | 93.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.8" | 37.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.6" ✓ Less | 6.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 191,857 | 681,088 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.4 | 34.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 46.2% | 59.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.2% ✓ More | 13.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Knoxville's cost of living index is 92.8 vs Oklahoma City's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Oklahoma City is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Oklahoma City leads 14 of 22 categories. Knoxville wins 8 and Oklahoma City wins 14. 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 Oklahoma City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($184,200 vs $196,700 median home), income ($48,309 vs $64,251), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Knoxville, TN and Oklahoma City, OK are about 761 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.