Crime & Safety in Knoxville, TN
Violent and property crime rates, clearance data, and trends — 2024 Data
Crime Overview
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024)Violent Crime Rate
7.40
per 1,000 residents
+65% vs national
Property Crime Rate
27.21
per 1,000 residents
+25% vs national
Total Crimes
6,939
2024
Violent Clearance
49%
cases solved
+16% vs national
Property Clearance
28%
cases solved
vs Similar Cities
+64%
vs 100K-250K avg
+64% vs 100K-250K
YoY Change
-9.4%
violent crime rate
improving vs 2023
How Knoxville Compares
Source: FBI (2024)Knoxville vs Similar Cities
Source: FBI (2024)Compared to cities with 100,000 - 250,000 residents. Knoxville is highlighted in green.
Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)
Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)
Murder Rate (per 1,000)
Violent Crime Clearance Rate
Crime Rate Trends
Source: FBICrime Composition
Source: FBI (2024)Violent Crime Breakdown
Property Crime Breakdown
Crime Clearance (Solve) Rates
Source: FBI (2024)Knoxville police solve 114% of murder cases but only 27% of burglary cases. The national violent crime clearance rate is 42%.
Weapon Used in Violent Crime
Source: FBI (2024)Crime Breakdown
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024)| Crime Type | Category | Count | Rate per 1K | Clearance % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murder | Violent | 22 | 0.11 | 113.6% |
| Rape | Violent | 130 | 0.65 | 50.8% |
| Robbery | Violent | 164 | 0.82 | 31.7% |
| Aggravated Assault | Violent | 1,168 | 5.83 | 50.3% |
| Burglary | Property | 659 | 3.29 | 26.6% |
| Larceny/Theft | Property | 4,037 | 20.14 | 27.9% |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | Property | 759 | 3.79 | 29.0% |
Knoxville, TN reported 1,484 violent crimes and 5,455 property crimes in 2024. The violent crime rate of 7.40 per 1,000 residents is 65.2% above the national average of 4.48 per 1,000. Law enforcement cleared 49% of violent crimes. Larceny/theft accounts for 4,037 of the property crime reports. Firearms were involved in 35.3% of aggravated assaults. Compared to similarly sized cities (100,000 - 250,000 population), Knoxville's violent crime rate is 64% higher. Violent crime has been trending downward.
Crime History
Source: FBI| Year | Violent | Property | Violent Rate | Property Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,484 | 5,455 | 7.40 | 27.21 |
| 2023 | 1,619 | 6,197 | 8.17 | 31.28 |
| 2022 | 1,645 | 7,621 | 8.45 | 39.14 |
| 2021 | 1,601 | 7,711 | 8.36 | 40.27 |
| 2020 | 1,539 | 8,009 | 8.16 | 42.45 |
| 2019 | 1,259 | 8,207 | 6.67 | 43.50 |
| 2018 | 1,522 | 8,854 | 8.07 | 46.93 |
| 2017 | 1,673 | 10,223 | 8.92 | 54.51 |
| 2016 | 1,674 | 10,339 | 8.97 | 55.41 |
| 2015 | 1,718 | 11,166 | 9.25 | 60.15 |
School Shootings
Source: The Washington PostTotal Incidents
3
Total Killed
1
Total Injured
2
| Date | School | Killed | Injured | Type | Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 2023 | West High School | 0 | 1 | accidental | handgun |
| Apr 12, 2021 | Austin-East Magnet High | 0 | 1 | unclear | Glock 45 handgun |
| Aug 21, 2008 | Central High School | 1 | 0 | targeted | small-caliber, semiautomatic pistol |
Data from The Washington Post, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.