Colorado Springs CO vs Knoxville TN — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Colorado Springs, CO

Colorado · Population: 483,099

  • Median HH Income$83,198
  • Median Home Price$451,202
  • Unemployment5.5%
  • Bachelor's+41.9%

Knoxville, TN

Tennessee · Population: 193,721

  • Median HH Income$50,994
  • Median Home Price$371,202
  • Unemployment4.4%
  • Bachelor's+33.7%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Colorado Springs
483,099
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
193,721
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Colorado Springs
N/A
Knoxville
N/A
Median Age
Colorado Springs
35.6
Knoxville
33.3
Knoxville +
Foreign Born
Colorado Springs
7.4%
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
7.0%
White
Colorado Springs
72.3%
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
72.2%
Black
Colorado Springs
5.8%
Knoxville
15.7%
Knoxville +
Asian
Colorado Springs
3.0%
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
1.6%
Hispanic
Colorado Springs
18.7%
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
7.5%
Spanish at Home
Colorado Springs
N/A
Knoxville
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Colorado Springs
$83,198
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
$50,994
Per Capita Income
Colorado Springs
$44,893
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
$33,171
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Colorado Springs
$76,653
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
$59,097
Unemployment Rate
Colorado Springs
5.5%
Knoxville
4.4%
Knoxville +
Poverty Rate
Colorado Springs
9.3%
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
20.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
Colorado Springs
41.9%
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
33.7%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Colorado Springs
$451,202
Knoxville
$371,202
Knoxville +
Homeownership Rate
Colorado Springs
61.3%
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
46.6%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Colorado Springs
512
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
639
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Colorado Springs
3234
Knoxville
2350
Knoxville +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
28.4%
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
36.0%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
9.0%
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
12.6%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Colorado Springs
18.0%
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
22.0%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
9.9%
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
12.9%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
16.5%
Knoxville
15.8%
Knoxville +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
11.0%
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
17.8%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Colorado Springs
49.0°F
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
57.8°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Colorado Springs
16.5 in
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
51.9 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Colorado Springs
6.2 µg/m³
Colorado Springs +
Knoxville
8.9 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Colorado Springs
75.0%
Knoxville
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Colorado Springs
24.1 min
Knoxville
22.0 min
Knoxville +

Which City is Right for You?

Colorado Springs leads in median household income at $83,198, while knoxville offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $371,202. On public safety, Colorado Springs is safer with a violent crime rate of 512 per 100,000 residents, compared to 639 in Knoxville. Knoxville has a lower unemployment rate at 4.4%, and Colorado Springs has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 6.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Colorado Springs scores better with a lower obesity rate of 28.4%.

Compare More Cities

About Colorado Springs & Knoxville