🇺🇸 North America

FIRE Number for Knoxville, United States

Name: Knoxville, United States
Address: Knoxville, United States

United States

Gateway to the Smokies, University Town Energy, and No State Income Tax

FIRE Score Based on safety, healthcare, infrastructure & expat friendliness

Knoxville is a hidden gem for FIRE seekers who want affordable living, stunning natural beauty, and the cultural energy of a major university town. Nestled at the doorstep of Great Smoky Mountains National Park -- America's most visited national park -- Knoxville offers four distinct seasons, a revitalized downtown with excellent restaurants and breweries, and Tennessee's zero state income tax on earned income. Housing costs remain remarkably low for a city of its quality, making your nest egg stretch further than almost anywhere in the eastern United States.

Lean FIRE, FIRE, and Fat FIRE for Knoxville

Needed to retire here is the portfolio that, in a historical backtest, would have lasted your retirement at your chosen confidence and length. Status is the verdict for your portfolio. The 4% rule benchmark is shown underneath each figure for reference only. Cost estimates are for a one-person household — adjust household size below.

Household size

Costs scale by category, not a flat multiple — housing is largely shared; food and healthcare scale per person.

Use my own healthcare cost

Lifestyle	Needed to retire here	Monthly Cost
Lean FIRE	$744K	$2,480/mo
FIRE	$1.32M	$4,390/mo
Fat FIRE	$4.72M	$15,750/mo

Cost data: Q3 2026 · Medium confidence

Cost of Living Breakdown for Knoxville

Cost and FIRE figures are for a one-person household — adjust household size in the controls above.Showing costs for 2 adults.

Lean FIRE Lifestyle

$744K

A cheapest-acceptable studio or older one-bedroom in North Knoxville or a value pocket near the university, with home cooking the norm and casual Market Square meat-and-threes a few times a week. Great Smoky Mountains National Park charges no entrance fee, so weekend hiking costs little beyond gas, and a paid-off car handles the drive. The ACA Silver premium stays affordable only if annual income is managed under the 2026 ~$62,600 subsidy cutoff, and healthcare plus the car form a hard cost floor. Tennessee's zero income tax on withdrawals stretches every dollar in one of the more affordable cities in the eastern US.

FIRE Lifestyle

$1.32M

A high-quality one-bedroom or small home in Sequoyah Hills or Farragut, some near Fort Loudoun Lake, with regular dinners at J.C. Holdway and The Lonesome Dove. A late-model SUV handles mountain roads, healthcare is a Gold plan padded near the ~$62,600 ACA subsidy cutoff, and there is room for premium UT football tickets, guided fly-fishing, and a Big Ears Festival weekend each spring. Knoxville's low costs leave genuine margin each month for travel and giving.

Fat FIRE Lifestyle

$4.72M

A trophy lakefront estate on Tellico or Fort Loudoun Lake, housekeeping several days a week with dock and grounds service, and a private chef several days a week, with concierge medicine and specialist access at Vanderbilt a short drive away. Travel is first class, a premium vehicle and car service handle the roads, boat-club outings cover the lake, and club-level UT season tickets keep fall Saturdays at Neyland Stadium. In a metro this affordable, roughly $189k a year funds an uncapped, well-supported life with room for major university and Smokies-conservation philanthropy.

Retirement Confidence

The 4% rule is a great starting point. Here we go a step further and test your plan against real market history.

Enter your portfolio on the homepage to backtest a retirement in Knoxville against market history.

How this is calculated

This is a real historical backtest. We run your plan through every retirement-length window in US market history (1871–2022): a 75% stock / 25% bond portfolio, rebalanced annually, with withdrawals raised each year for that period's actual inflation. The success rate is the share of those historical start years in which the money lasted the full length without running out.

Your confidence level sets the bar: at Balanced (90%), a survival rate of 90% or more reads "You can retire here", within 10 points below is "Close - worth a closer look", and lower is "Not quite yet". The same level sizes the "Needed to retire here" target. Retirement length also drives it - early retirees planning 40–50+ years see lower survival than the 30-year baseline.

Healthcare, Visa & City Overview

climate Warm

healthcare Excellent

english Widely spoken

safety Exercise caution

visa Easy

Timezone

EST (UTC-5)

Currency

USD

Language

English

Avg. Temperature

58°F / 14°C

Internet

150+ Mbps average

Airport

McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS)

Frequently Asked Questions About Retiring in Knoxville

What is the FIRE Number for Knoxville, United States?

The FIRE Number for Knoxville ranges from $744K (Lean FIRE lifestyle) to $4.72M (Fat FIRE lifestyle). A FIRE retirement requires a portfolio of approximately $1.32M, based on estimated monthly costs of $4,390 and a 4% safe withdrawal rate.

How much does it cost to retire in Knoxville?

Monthly living costs in Knoxville range from $2,480 (Lean FIRE) to $4,390 (FIRE), covering housing (market rent), dining, groceries, healthcare, transportation, entertainment, and utilities.

What is healthcare like in Knoxville for retirees?

Healthcare in Knoxville costs approximately $450 to $600/month depending on coverage level. Typical coverage at the Lean FIRE budget: A subsidized Silver plan on Tennessee's ACA marketplace, assuming annual income stays under the 2026 subsidy cutoff of about $62,600 for a single person; above that, the full price climbs toward $1,000 a month. Priced for an early retiree aged 45-55; older retirees should budget more.

What is the weather like in Knoxville?

Humid subtropical with warm summers and cool, mild winters. The average temperature is 58°F / 14°C.

How safe is Knoxville for retirees?

Retirees should exercise normal caution in Knoxville, scoring 5 out of 10 in our safety ratings.