Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Knoxville, TN
VS
Portsmouth, VA
🏆 Knoxville leads 14 of 22 categories
Knoxville
Tennessee
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$48,309
Violent Crime Index
195⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
191,857 ✓ Larger
Portsmouth
Virginia
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$57,154 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
97,384
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Knoxville, TN
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (4.8%)
Rent averages $182/mo less ($1,043 vs $1,225)
Homes cost $29k less ($184,200 vs $213,300)
More college-educated — 33.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.8)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Portsmouth
Cons
Violent crime (740.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Portsmouth by $8,845/yr
Property crime (2721.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Portsmouth, VA
Pros
Households earn $8,845 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (752.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3860.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 4.8%)
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Knoxville
Key Differences at a Glance
Knoxville
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 92.8 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Knoxville
Violent Crime
2% lower
740.3 vs 752.4 per 100k
Knoxville
Median Home Value
$29k less
$184,200 vs $213,300
Knoxville
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
4.8% vs 6.6% unemployment
Portsmouth
Median Income
$8,845
$57,154 vs $48,309/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Knoxville, TN | Portsmouth, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.8 ✓ Cheaper | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $184,200 ✓ Lower | $213,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,043 ✓ Lower | $1,225 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $48,309 | $57,154 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.5 min ✓ Shorter | 23.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 9.1% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 169⚠ High ✓ Safer | 192⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 195⚠ High ✓ Safer | 198⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer | 184⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (103) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 13.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.1% ✓ Higher | 21.2% |
| High School or Higher | 90.2% ✓ Higher | 89.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Knox County | Portsmouth City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.9°F | 48.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.8" | 50.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.6" | 3.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 191,857 ✓ Larger | 97,384 |
| Median Age | 33.4 | 35.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 46.2% | 56.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.2% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Knoxville's cost of living index is 92.8 vs Portsmouth's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Knoxville is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Knoxville leads 14 of 22 categories. Knoxville wins 14 and Portsmouth wins 8. 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 Portsmouth or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($184,200 vs $213,300 median home), income ($48,309 vs $57,154), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Knoxville, TN and Portsmouth, VA are about 426 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.