The Town FilesKarns, Tennessee
Community in Knox County · population 3,536 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $328,600
- Household income
- $100,043
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 33.6
Karns is a community of 3,536 people in Knox County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $328,600, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for young professionals than 94% of Tennessee towns, more of a college town than 90% of Tennessee towns, more upscale than 90% of Tennessee towns.
How Karns ranks
Percentile among Tennessee towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Tennessee towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Karns is worth $328,600, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $100,043, which is more affordable than 68% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $1,765 a month. 77.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Karns | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $328,600 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $1,765 | $863 |
| Median household income | $100,043 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 77.4% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Karns
| People | Karns | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.6 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.4% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 30.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.5% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.8% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 20.7% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.6% | 88.2% |
Weather in Karns
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 30.0°F. About 55.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.4 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 44 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 68 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Karns since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on February 21, 1993 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 101 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 28, 1959.
Severe weather in Knox County since 1996
Knox County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 27, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4742: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| March 8, 2023 | Winter Storm | DR-4691: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Knox County
Knox County had 260,373 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,043 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Karns itself the ACS puts it at 9.5%.
Towns near Karns
- Powell, TN6.0 mi · 13,802 people · home $299,400
- Farragut, TN8.1 mi · 23,506 people · home $583,400
- Clinton, TN8.3 mi · 10,056 people · home $225,000
- Knoxville, TN9.0 mi · 190,740 people · home $239,700
- Oak Ridge, TN10.2 mi · 31,402 people · home $270,200
- Louisville, TN11.2 mi · 4,384 people · home $379,900
- Halls, TN12.1 mi · 10,341 people · home $321,300
- Oliver Springs, TN13.0 mi · 3,297 people · home $180,900
Karns questions
Is Karns, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Karns scores better for retirees than 51% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 5%. 19.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.6).
How much does a house cost in Karns?
The median owner-occupied home in Karns is valued at $328,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $100,043, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,765 a month.
What is the weather like in Karns?
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 30.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 55.5 inches of precipitation a year and 4.4 inches of snow.
Does Karns get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Karns since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on February 21, 1993. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)