Neighborhood · Knoxville, TN

Downtown Knoxville Eviction Risk: Elevated

8 census tracts · pop 26,258 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 6.3/10 · range 2.9–6.8

Downtown Knoxville is a white (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Knoxville with 8 census tracts and a population of 26,258 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 6.3/10 (Elevated tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 57% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 43% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $1,113/month sits 7% lower than the Knoxville citywide average ($1,191).

Risk score

6.3

Elevated

8 tracts · population-weighted

Downtown Knoxville vs Knoxville How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

57.4% +80%

Knoxville: 31.9%

Average gross rent

$1,113 -7%

Knoxville: $1,191

Average HH income

$22,587 -56%

Knoxville: $50,994

Poverty rate

53.6% +162%

Knoxville: 20.5%

Renter share

90.1% +69%

Knoxville: 53.4%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Downtown Knoxville and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 8 tracts span score 2.9–6.8

Why Downtown Knoxville scores 6.3

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 1.9–1.9 across tracts

1.9

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 4.2–4.2 across tracts

4.2

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 2.5–2.5 across tracts

2.5

Rent control risk

57% of income on rent · Range 1.0–1.0 across tracts

1.0

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 2.0–2.0 across tracts

2.0

Tenant organizing strength

90% renter households · Range 2.0–2.0 across tracts

2.0

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 2.5–2.5 across tracts

2.5

Economic stress

53.6% below poverty line · Range 1.0–10.0 across tracts

8.8

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 1.0–6.3 across tracts

3.6

Risk score comparison

Downtown Knoxville vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Variance across tracts

How uniformly does eviction risk play out in Downtown Knoxville?

Left: distribution of constituent tract scores. Right: every tract as a heat square. Click any square to drill in.

Score distribution

0246810

Spread of 3.9 points from 2.9 to 6.8. This neighborhood crosses multiple risk tiers, so block-by-block conditions vary substantially.

Tracts as heat grid

6.8 6.8 6.7 6.7 6.7 6.6 5.2 2.9

Each square = one census tract. Color tracks the same green→red ramp as the chloropleth map above.

Census tracts

8 tracts in Downtown Knoxville

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
47093006800	6.8	4,432	45%	$423
47093006901	6.8	4,181	77%	$1,571
47093000800	6.7	4,400	60%	$1,528
47093000902	6.7	3,061	90%	$1,750
47093006902	6.7	3,034	55%	$1,031
47093006903	6.6	2,412	66%	$896
47093000100	5.2	2,562	46%	$1,332
47093000901	2.9	2,176	0%	—

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 50

Pop-weighted across 8 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 72%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 10%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 38%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 74%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

Frequently asked

About Downtown Knoxville

What is the eviction-risk score for Downtown Knoxville?

Downtown Knoxville scores 6.3/10 (Elevated tier) across 8 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does Downtown Knoxville compare to Knoxville overall?

Downtown Knoxville scores 4.0 points higher than Knoxville overall (2.3/10). Renters spend 57% of income on rent vs 32% citywide. Average rent: $1,113 vs $1,191.

What is the average rent in Downtown Knoxville?

Average gross rent in Downtown Knoxville eviction risk is $1,113/month (pop-weighted across 8 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 57% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Downtown Knoxville residents are renters?

90% of Downtown Knoxville households are renter-occupied (vs 53% in Knoxville). The neighborhood has 26,258 residents.

Is Downtown Knoxville a high social-vulnerability area?

Downtown Knoxville sits in the 50th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (moderately vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

Which tracts in Downtown Knoxville have the highest eviction risk?

The highest-risk constituent tract in Downtown Knoxville is census tract 47093006800 (score 6.8/10). Across the 8 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 2.9 to 6.8, a spread of 3.9 points.

How safe is Downtown Knoxville for landlords?

Downtown Knoxville eviction risk carries a elevated-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (6.3/10). Pop-weighted across 8 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Knoxville as a whole (2.3/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of Downtown Knoxville?

Downtown Knoxville has 26,840 residents (White (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (74.6%), Black (non-Hispanic) (15.4%), Other / Multiracial (4.3%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Downtown Knoxville

6.2 Happy Holler 3 tracts · pop 8,378 5.9 Old North Knoxville 2 tracts · pop 5,425 5.1 Whites Village 3 tracts · pop 11,003 6.2 West Haven 2 tracts · pop 6,923 5.9 Arlington 2 tracts · pop 6,898 4.5 Forest Heights 2 tracts · pop 6,885

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Knoxville

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to Downtown Knoxville.

6.2 Happy Holler 3 tracts · pop 8,378 6.4 Crestwood Hills 1 tracts · pop 4,284 6.4 Sutherland Heights 1 tracts · pop 2,532 6.5 Parkridge 1 tracts · pop 2,920 6.1 West Haven 2 tracts · pop 6,923 5.9 Greenway 1 tracts · pop 4,869

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