Property Taxes in Knoxville
Property taxes in Knoxville are genuinely low by national standards -- the base Knoxville record computes an effective rate of approximately 0.93% (combining Knox County's $1.5540 and the City of Knoxville's $2.1556 nominal rates per $100 of assessed value, applied against Tennessee's uniform 25% residential assessment ratio), modestly below the roughly 1.02% national median -- and Tennessee layers real, state-funded relief programs on top for qualifying seniors, disabled residents, and disabled veterans.
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Learn moreThe Combined Rate, Restated From the Base Record
As detailed in the base Knoxville record, Knox County's 2026 nominal rate is $1.5540 per $100 of assessed value and the City of Knoxville adds $2.1556 per $100, for a combined $3.7096 per $100 of assessed value on property inside city limits. Applying Tennessee's statewide 25% residential assessment ratio yields a computed effective rate of approximately 0.93% of appraised market value -- broadly consistent with, though not identical to, Ownwell's separately reported Knox-County-only figure of 0.39% (which describes county taxes alone, not the combined city-plus-county bill an in-city homeowner actually pays).
The Property Tax Freeze: Locking In a Bill at 65
Tennessee's Property Tax Freeze program lets qualifying homeowners age 65 or older 'freeze' their property tax bill at the amount owed when they first enroll, so the dollar amount doesn't rise even if the home's assessed value increases afterward, per 2026 state and county program guidance. Enrolled participants must submit an annual voucher (by April 5 in the 2026 cycle) to stay enrolled -- a real, recurring administrative step, not a one-time filing.
Property Tax Relief: State-Paid Assistance for Qualifying Seniors and Disabled Residents
Separately, Tennessee's Property Tax Relief program provides state-paid assistance to homeowners age 65-plus or totally and permanently disabled, with combined household income at or below $37,530, applied to the tax owed on the first $30,000 of the home's market value, per 2026 program sourcing. This pass found the specific dollar-cap language describing this benefit (a commonly cited 'up to $27,000' figure) genuinely confusing across sources and does not repeat it as a confirmed number here -- what's clear is that the relief applies against the first $30,000 of market value for qualifying applicants; confirm the actual reimbursement math directly with the Knox County Trustee's office.
A Separate, More Generous Track for 100% Disabled Veterans
Disabled veterans with a 100% service-connected disability rating, and surviving spouses of veterans or servicemembers killed in action, qualify for property tax relief on the first $175,000 of market value with no income test at all, per 2026 sourcing -- a meaningfully larger benefit than the standard elderly/disabled track, and one that doesn't require meeting the $37,530 income threshold.
Application Deadlines and Where to File
Both the Property Tax Freeze and Property Tax Relief programs are administered through the Knox County Trustee's office, with new applications and annual renewal vouchers due in early April (the 2026 cycle cited an April 4-5 window) -- a real, recurring deadline distinct from the closing-time filings covered on the buying-a-home topic page. Confirm current-year deadlines and required documentation directly with the Trustee's office before relying on this summary.
Key takeaways
- The computed effective property tax rate inside Knoxville city limits is approximately 0.93% (combined $3.7096 per $100 assessed value x Tennessee's 25% assessment ratio) -- modestly below the roughly 1.02% national median, per the base Knoxville record.
- Tennessee's Property Tax Freeze lets qualifying homeowners 65-plus lock their tax bill at its enrollment-year amount, with an annual voucher due by early April to stay enrolled.
- The separate Property Tax Relief program provides state-paid assistance for qualifying seniors/disabled homeowners (household income at or below $37,530) on the tax owed on the first $30,000 of market value -- the specific reimbursement-cap figure varied confusingly by source and isn't repeated here as a firm number; confirm directly with the Knox County Trustee.
- 100% service-connected disabled veterans (and qualifying surviving spouses) get relief on the first $175,000 of market value with no income test -- a meaningfully larger, separate benefit track.
- Both programs are administered by the Knox County Trustee's office with an early-April annual deadline (April 4-5 in the 2026 cycle) -- confirm current-year specifics directly.
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