Real Estate Investing in Knoxville, Tennessee (37921)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Knox County • Population: 29,064 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 37921 (Knoxville, TN)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (67/100)

Mixed — home prices are stretched relative to local incomes. Run the math on your specific situation.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (52/100)

Rare combination of both appreciation and cash flow. These markets don't last long — worth serious consideration.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • Elevated vacancy: 10.0% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

What’s happening in Knoxville, TN (37921)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

4.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $293,863
Avg Monthly Rent $1,710
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $55,517
% Renters 38.3%

Market Analysis: 37921 Knoxville

ZIP 37921 inside Knox County looks affordable on the surface — median value of $294K — but the discount exists for reasons that a careful buyer should understand before committing.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 37921 reports the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

Statewide comparisons place 37921 among TN's softer markets. That context does not make the ZIP uninvestable, but it does raise the bar for due diligence.

In practical terms, 29,064 residents fill the ZIP, renter turnover runs higher than neighboring postal codes and delinquency risk is a real line item rather than a theoretical one.

Experienced landlords with local relationships tend to find 37921 workable. Turnkey investors from out of state usually find the numbers do not hold up in practice.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Knoxville:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 73/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
25/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 5.3× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+3.8%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,710/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
54 days
Average time to sell
Average
11.7%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Knoxville, TN metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 37921

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
5.9% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
1BR
+13.7% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$80,849/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $150,393 $1,230 5.9% +13.7% $150,393
2BR $192,024 $1,530 5.7% +13.3% $96,012
3BR $299,606 $1,940 4.7% +12.1% $99,869
4BR $348,717 $2,260 4.7% +10.9% $87,179
5BR $404,243 +10.7% $80,849

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$314K$266K$219K$171K$124K$76KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,882$1,797$1,712$1,626$1,541$1,456Jan 2023Oct 2024Jul 2026

📊 How Does 37921 Compare?

Metric 37921 Knoxville Knoxville, TN Tennessee
Home Value $293,863 $207,092 N/A $327,001
5-Year CAGR 9.6% 8.7% N/A 7.7%
Avg Rent $1,710 $1,756 N/A -
Cap Rate 4.5% 3.8% - -
💡 Why Invest in 37921? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

A healthy rental market with 38% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 37921 (Knoxville, TN). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Knox County

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Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
4.5%
Fair
5yr Growth
+9.6%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Knoxville, TN metro

2/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
1/3
59%
Days Pending
1/2
54 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $293,863
Monthly Rent $1,710
Price-to-Rent 14.3:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 7.0%
Cap Rate 4.5%
5-Year IRR 14.2%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +3.8% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.8% ▲
5-Year CAGR +9.6% ▲
10-Year CAGR +10.5% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +0.5% ▲
3-Year CAGR +1.8% ▲
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 4.5%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (4.5%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
10.0%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+9.6%
Growing
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 37921

Population: 29,064

💰 Median Household Income
$55,517
This area
$55,517
State
$60,881
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
38.3%
This area
38.3%
State
25.6%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.7%
This area
2.7%
State
-22.2%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
26.8%
This area
26.8%
State
-6.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
34.8 years
This area
34.8 years
State
9.9 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
10.0%
This area
10.0%
State
15.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 67.0%
Black/African American 20.8%
Other/Mixed 11.5%
Hispanic/Latino 7.1%
Asian 0.8%
👶 Under 18
24.6%
This area
24.6%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
13.3%
This area
13.3%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
13.9%
This area
13.9%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 37921

B Avg School Grade
8 Schools
12.2:1 Avg Class Size
$11,040 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

B+ Above Average

Pleasant Ridge Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
297 Students
👨‍🏫
11.8:1 Class Size
💰
$11,040 Per Student
B+ Above Average

West View Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
202 Students
👨‍🏫
11.7:1 Class Size
💰
$11,040 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Lonsdale Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
517 Students
👨‍🏫
13.2:1 Class Size
💰
$11,040 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Maynard Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
124 Students
👨‍🏫
6.8:1 Class Size
💰
$11,040 Per Student
B Good

Beaumont Elementary/Magnet

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
539 Students
👨‍🏫
15.5:1 Class Size
💰
$11,040 Per Student
B Good

West Haven Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
353 Students
👨‍🏫
17.5:1 Class Size
💰
$11,040 Per Student
B Good

Emerald Academy

📚 K – 08 School Charter
👥
458 Students
👨‍🏫
17.6:1 Class Size
💰
$11,040 Per Student
C+ Average

Ridgedale Alternative School

📚 06 – 12 High School
👥
75 Students
👨‍🏫
3.2:1 Class Size
💰
$11,040 Per Student

Nearby Schools (5 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

B+ Above Average

Inskip Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 4701 High School ST, Knoxville
👥
467 Students
👨‍🏫
12.1:1 Class Size
💰
$11,040 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Norwood Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 1909 Merchant DR, Knoxville
👥
489 Students
👨‍🏫
13.9:1 Class Size
💰
$11,040 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Pond Gap Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 4530 Papermill DR, Knoxville
👥
383 Students
👨‍🏫
13.6:1 Class Size
💰
$11,040 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Sterchi Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
📍 900 Oaklett DR, Knoxville
👥
364 Students
👨‍🏫
13.3:1 Class Size
💰
$11,040 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Northwest Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 5301 Pleasant Ridge RD, Knoxville
👥
808 Students
👨‍🏫
12.6:1 Class Size
💰
$11,040 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby 2,984 Off-Campus Students
C
Tennessee School of Beauty of Knoxville Inc
337 students · 0.4 mi
C
South College
8,234 students · 2.1 mi
C+
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville
1,206 students · 2.5 mi
D
The University of Tennessee System Office
0 students · 4.5 mi
B+
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
36,304 students · 4.6 mi
D
Paul Mitchell the School-Knoxville
113 students · 5.0 mi
C
Ross Medical Education Center-Knoxville
75 students · 7.1 mi
C
Pellissippi State Community College
8,710 students · 9.5 mi

Investor Insight: With 2,984 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is rental property easy to operate in Knoxville, TN?

TN law landlord-friendly for landlords, and Knoxville inherits those rules. Investors should still review local ordinances for rental licensing.

What does house hacking look like in Knoxville, TN?

House hacking in Knoxville, TN is reasonable to execute. Prices around $294K and rents of $1,710/mo solid owner-occupant economics.

How much should I expect to pay for a home in Knoxville, TN?

Knoxville, TN median home values land near $294K. That is reasonable territory for investors looking at $1,710/mo-per-month rentals.

Is real estate in Knoxville, TN a good investment right now?

Investors tracking Knoxville, TN will find a 3.0/5 rating supported by $294K median home values and $1,710/mo rents. That profile suits long-term holders targeting measured returns.

Are renters plentiful in Knoxville, TN?

The tenant pool in Knoxville, TN is solid, supported by local employment and population fundamentals. Rents of $1,710/mo are well-absorbed by the market.

You know 37921 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 37921 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 37921 ranks in Knoxville, TN

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