Home Insurance in Knox County, Tennessee
Homes in Knox County carry a median value of $320,900 - 12% higher than the Tennessee median.
Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. The typical home in Knox County was built around 1985. About 20% of homes were built before 1960, about 2 points above Tennessee's 18%.
The housing stock in Knox County is 71% single-family homes, 20% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 4% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
In Knox County, about 61% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
The vacancy rate is 8%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 65% of occupied homes in Knox County are owner-occupied.
66% of homes in Knox County are primarily heated with electricity.
Per FEMA's National Risk Index, Knox County's top hazards are earthquake (Relatively Moderate), tornado (Relatively High) and winter weather (Relatively High). Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Knox County has 977 active NFIP flood policies on file.
In Tennessee, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $1,649 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $320,900 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1985 |
| Owner-occupied share | 65% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 61% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Earthquake (Relatively Moderate), Tornado (Relatively High), Winter Weather (Relatively High) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 977 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,649 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)