Knox County

Knox County, Tennessee — key demographics

Population size

• 2020 Census: 478,971
• 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimate: approximately 494,000

Age

• Median age: about 38 years
• Age distribution (ACS 2019–2023):
  • Under 18: ~21%
  • 18–24: ~12%
  • 25–44: ~28%
  • 45–64: ~24%
  • 65 and over: ~15–16%

Gender

• Female: ~51–52%
• Male: ~48–49%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023; non-Hispanic unless noted)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~77%
• Black or African American: ~8–9%
• Asian: ~3%
• Two or more races: ~5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, and other races combined: ~1%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~6%

Households and families

• Households: approximately 208,000
• Average household size: ~2.35–2.40
• Family households: ~58–60% of households
• Married-couple households: ~44–46% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~27–28%
• One-person households: ~32–34%
• Homeownership rate: ~60% (renters ~40%)

Insights

• Knox County’s age profile skews slightly younger than the state overall due to the University of Tennessee presence (higher 18–24 share).
• Population growth since 2020 has been steady, with modest increases in racial/ethnic diversity led by Hispanic and Asian populations.
• A relatively high renter share reflects a large student and young-professional population.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Email users (adults): about 384,000 of roughly 402,000 adults (95%) in a county population near 497,000. Gender: about 51% female (196k), 49% male (188k). Age mix of adult email users: 18–24 ~16% (61k), 25–34 ~18% (70k), 35–44 ~17% (66k), 45–64 ~31% (118k), 65+ ~18% (69k).

Digital access: 93% of households have a computer and 88% have a broadband subscription (ACS 2022). About 12% are smartphone‑only internet households. Fixed broadband availability is extensive; roughly 96% of locations have access to at least 100/20 Mbps service (FCC 2023), and gigabit service is widely available in Knoxville and surrounding suburbs. Broadband subscription rates have risen about 3 percentage points since 2018.

Local density and connectivity: Population density is about 980 residents per square mile (well above the Tennessee average near 170), supporting strong network build‑out. Email adoption is effectively universal among adults under 65 and high among seniors, with lower subscription pockets in some northern/eastern tracts and near‑universal connectivity in student‑dense areas around the University of Tennessee.

Knox County, TN mobile phone usage summary (with county-specific contrasts to Tennessee statewide)

Headline adoption and user estimates

• Population base: About 500,000 residents and roughly 210,000 households (2023).
• Smartphone access (household level): Approximately 93% of Knox County households have at least one smartphone, above the Tennessee statewide rate of about 90%. That equates to roughly 195,000 households in Knox with a smartphone.
• Home broadband vs mobile-only internet: About 89% of Knox County households have a fixed broadband subscription (cable, fiber, or DSL), versus about 83% statewide. Households relying solely on a cellular data plan for home internet are lower in Knox (about 15%) than the statewide share (about 21%). In count terms, that’s on the order of 31,000 Knox households that are mobile-only for home internet, versus a higher proportion across Tennessee.
• Individual users: Given the county’s age mix and adoption rates, an estimated 390,000–410,000 residents aged 13+ use a smartphone in Knox County in 2023–2024. Adult adoption is in the low-90% range and teen adoption is near universal.

Demographic patterns (what stands out locally)

• Age: Knox County skews younger than Tennessee overall due to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) presence. Residents 18–34 form a larger share of the adult population than the state average. This drives:
  • Higher overall smartphone adoption and heavier app-based usage (payments, ride-hailing, streaming) than the state average.
  • A concentrated pocket of mobile-only home internet among students and young renters in campus-adjacent ZIPs (e.g., 37916 and nearby), even while countywide mobile-only rates are below the state average.
• Income: The county’s stronger fixed broadband footprint reduces the need for cellular-only home internet among middle- and higher-income households relative to statewide patterns. Mobile-only home internet in Knox is more closely tied to lower-income renters and students, whereas in many parts of Tennessee it also reflects infrastructure gaps in rural areas.
• Race/ethnicity: Knox County’s urban core and campus-driven network investments help narrow racial/ethnic gaps in smartphone access relative to statewide gaps. Adoption differences persist by income, but they are smaller across racial/ethnic groups in Knox than in rural Tennessee.
• Seniors: Adults 65+ in Knox have higher smartphone adoption than the statewide average for seniors, aided by better device support ecosystems (carrier retail, libraries, senior centers) and robust in-home broadband to complement mobile.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• 5G availability: All three national carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) provide countywide 5G, with near-ubiquitous mid-band 5G coverage in the Knoxville urbanized area. Compared with many Tennessee counties, Knox has:
  • Denser macro sites and more small cells, producing stronger indoor 5G coverage in downtown, UTK campus areas, and major commercial corridors.
  • More consistent mid-band 5G performance (typical outdoor speeds in the 100–300 Mbps range in the urban core), with low-band 5G and LTE filling gaps in outlying and hilly northern/eastern edges of the county.
• Fixed broadband backstop for mobile offload: Knox’s high fixed broadband availability (Comcast/Xfinity cable; AT&T fiber in select areas; and the ongoing KUB Fiber build) lowers mobile-only reliance relative to the state and supports heavy Wi‑Fi offload at home and on campus. This mix is a key divergence from many Tennessee counties where fixed broadband options are limited and cellular carries more of the load.
• Dense venue and campus networks: Neutral-host and carrier DAS/small-cell systems at UTK, major hospitals, Downtown Knoxville, McGhee Tyson Airport, and sports venues reduce congestion and improve peak-event capacity. This level of venue investment is above typical Tennessee county norms and reflects the county’s event and student traffic profile.
• Transportation corridors: Interstates I‑40 and I‑75, plus high-traffic arterials, are well-covered and upgraded to mid-band 5G. Coverage constraints mainly appear in low-density, hilly peripheries; compared to the state overall, Knox has fewer such dead zones due to its largely urban/suburban land use.

Trends that differ from Tennessee statewide

• Higher adoption, lower mobile-only: Knox simultaneously posts higher smartphone and fixed-broadband adoption with a lower share of cellular-only home internet users than the state. Statewide, mobile-only often reflects infrastructure scarcity; in Knox it’s more a cost/convenience choice for students and some renters.
• Stronger 5G capacity: Knox’s mid-band 5G footprint and venue densification exceed typical Tennessee county levels, translating into better median and peak speeds and more reliable indoor service in the core.
• Faster substitution toward fixed-wireless where it makes sense: Fixed Wireless Access (5G home internet) from T-Mobile and Verizon is broadly available and is used as a cable alternative in outer suburbs. In Tennessee’s rural counties, FWA often fills a basic-availability gap; in Knox it is more often a price/performance competitor to cable.
• Smaller digital divide by race/ethnicity, but persistent income effects: With robust urban infrastructure, remaining disparities in Knox are concentrated by income and housing status more than by geography or race, unlike many parts of the state where rural infrastructure shortfalls dominate outcomes.

Implications

• For carriers: Knox’s young, events-heavy market and strong fixed broadband backstop mean capacity and indoor coverage are the differentiators, not just footprint. Continued small-cell densification and campus/venue partnerships pay outsized dividends.
• For local policymakers and institutions: The KUB Fiber build and continued public Wi‑Fi expansion will further suppress mobile-only reliance, particularly if paired with device affordability programs for students and lower-income households.
• For businesses: Expect high mobile engagement and app conversion among 18–34s, strong 5G performance in the core, and dependable coverage along major corridors; plan for congestion spikes during UTK and stadium events.

Social media usage in Knox County, TN (best-available estimates, 2024–2025)

Overall penetration

• Adults using at least one major social platform: ~80–85% (includes YouTube; aligns with TN and U.S. patterns)
• Daily users (any platform): ~70%

Most-used platforms (share of adults)

• YouTube: ~80–85%
• Facebook: ~65–70%
• Instagram: ~45–50%
• Pinterest: ~30–35%
• LinkedIn: ~25–30%
• TikTok: ~30–35% (skews younger)
• Snapchat: ~25–30% (heavily 18–29)
• X (Twitter): ~20–25%
• WhatsApp: ~20–25% (varies by community)

Age-group patterns (share of adults in each group using platform; rounded ranges)

• 18–29: YouTube 90%+, Instagram ~75%, Snapchat ~65%, TikTok ~60%, Facebook ~30–40%
• 30–49: YouTube ~85–90%, Facebook ~70%, Instagram ~55%, TikTok ~30–35%, LinkedIn ~35–40%, Snapchat ~25–30%
• 50–64: YouTube ~70–80%, Facebook ~65–70%, Instagram ~25–30%, TikTok ~15–20%, Pinterest ~30%+
• 65+: Facebook ~50%, YouTube ~40–50%, Instagram ~10–15%, TikTok ~5–10%

Gender breakdown (directional)

• Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, and especially Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X.
• Pinterest usage is notably higher among women than men; Reddit skews male.
• Platform time-on-site tends to be higher for women on Facebook/Instagram and higher for men on YouTube/Reddit.

Behavioral trends in Knox County

• Strong “community-first” behavior: heavy use of Facebook Groups and neighborhood platforms for school updates, local services, county government notices, road closures, lost/found pets, and event information.
• Events drive spikes: UT Volunteers athletics, festivals (e.g., Big Ears, Dogwood Arts), and seasonal tourism content produce noticeable surges across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.
• Short-form video dominance: Instagram Reels and TikTok outperform static posts for food, fitness, outdoors, and campus life; local businesses benefit from creator-style, behind-the-scenes content and geo-tagged UGC.
• News and alerts: X and Facebook are primary for breaking local news, weather, and emergency updates; YouTube used for deeper explainers and meeting replays.
• Shopping and services: Facebook Marketplace and Groups are widely used for secondhand goods; Pinterest and Instagram influence home, DIY, and decor; Google/YouTube search + video reviews inform contractor and healthcare choices.
• Timing: Engagement is highest evenings (roughly 7–10 p.m. ET) and weekends; lunchtime bumps are common on mobile; school-year rhythms shape weekday peaks.
• Cross-platform habits: Residents often discover via Reels/TikTok, vet on Google/YouTube, and convert via Facebook/Instagram DMs or website; email/SMS follows for repeat purchases.

Notes on data

• County-level, platform-by-platform public statistics are not formally published. Figures above are modeled for Knox County using 2023–2024 Pew Research Center social media adoption rates, Tennessee/Knoxville urban demographics, and observed regional usage patterns. Treat percentages as directional but decision-grade for planning.