Crime

Knoxville's crime rate by year

Police in Knoxville, TN reported about 685 violent crimes per 100,000 people they serve in 2025 (U.S.: 329), down from a high of 1,849 in 1995, and 8.0 murders in 2025 (U.S.: 4.3), down from a high of 20.9 in 1991. Rates count only crimes police reported to the FBI.

Violent crime rate, 2025

685

per 100,000 people (U.S.: 329)

Murder rate, 2025

8.0

per 100,000 people (U.S.: 4.3)

Violent crime rate in Knoxville and the U.S., each year

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Murder rate in Knoxville and the U.S., each year

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Property crime rate in Knoxville and the U.S., each year

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Car theft rate in Knoxville and the U.S., each year

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Burglary rate in Knoxville and the U.S., each year

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Robbery rate in Knoxville and the U.S., each year

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Violent crime and murder each year

Crimes per 100,000 people, as police reported them to the FBI, newest first.

Violent crimes and murders per 100,000 people in Knoxville, TN and the U.S., each year
Year Violent, Knoxville Violent, U.S. Murder, Knoxville Murder, U.S.
2025 684.8 329.3 8.0 4.3
2024 742.8 363.4 11.5 5.2
2023 819.7 385.6 12.1 6.1
2022 845.3 398.2 17.5 6.9
2021 835.7 360.9 20.9 6.9
2020 813.1 399.3 19.6 6.8
2019 662.5 381.0 12.2 5.2
2018 806.8 384.8 10.6 5.2
2017 893.1 397.5 17.6 5.4
2016 897.2 399.5 9.6 5.4
2015 925.5 384.6 11.9 5.0
2014 875.5 373.7 6.5 4.5
2013 843.1 378.2 9.8 4.6
2012 971.7 390.7 9.9 4.8
2011 944.7 390.1 10.0 4.8
2010 988.4 408.1 8.4 4.8
2009 1,059.5 436.8 11.8 5.1
2008 1,081.0 463.7 15.7 5.5
2007 1,127.0 477.9 14.7 5.8
2006 1,041.5 486.9 9.9 5.9
2005 967.8 483.0 13.3 5.9
2004 945.5 478.6 12.6 5.7
2003 972.6 493.7 10.3 5.9
2002 1,116.3 512.9 12.4 5.9
2001 1,142.8 529.5 8.5 5.9
2000 1,069.6 534.4 13.2 5.8
1999 832.8 545.8 12.0 5.9
1998 866.2 603.8 20.0 6.6
1997 856.9 644.9 10.8 7.2
1996 877.3 658.8 13.2 7.8
1995 1,849.3 720.6 11.0 8.7
1994 1,759.3 740.4 13.9 9.2
1993 1,715.5 764.1 8.2 9.8
1992 1,826.7 785.4 20.6 9.7
1991 1,648.3 798.1 20.9 10.3
1990 1,194.9 749.8 15.1 9.7
1989 925.4 680.5 15.0 8.9
1988 718.2 630.2 12.0 8.5
1987 785.9 624.9 11.4 8.4
1986 811.2 633.6 16.4 8.7
1985 613.7 570.3 9.1 8.1

Property crime, car theft, burglary and robbery each year

Crimes per 100,000 people in Knoxville, with the U.S. rate after each, newest first.

Property crime, car theft, burglary and robbery per 100,000 people in Knoxville, TN and the U.S., each year
Year Property crime, Knoxville Property crime, U.S. Car theft, Knoxville Car theft, U.S. Burglary, Knoxville Burglary, U.S. Robbery, Knoxville Robbery, U.S.
2025 2,359 1,552 285 200 329 195 56 50
2024 2,734 1,767 385 258 329 232 82 62
2023 3,139 1,951 445 326 401 254 88 68
2022 3,917 1,999 492 290 450 276 91 70
2021 4,035 1,762 590 240 480 264 90 54
2020 4,255 1,955 601 247 572 309 127 74
2019 4,366 2,109 521 221 615 334 123 83
2018 4,701 2,207 574 231 732 373 134 87
2017 5,458 2,372 554 239 887 427 196 99
2016 5,551 2,469 464 240 987 467 217 104
2015 6,024 2,495 408 223 1,029 490 205 103
2014 6,538 2,592 454 217 1,072 538 224 103
2013 6,266 2,759 405 224 1,242 611 227 111
2012 6,702 2,881 502 232 1,584 673 290 115
2011 7,173 2,926 464 232 1,411 702 311 115
2010 6,960 2,963 453 241 1,525 702 349 121
2009 6,425 3,077 364 264 1,396 722 356 136
2008 6,687 3,252 620 321 1,446 738 362 149
2007 7,087 3,316 746 372 1,368 731 372 152
2006 6,149 3,397 602 410 1,258 740 295 154
2005 6,292 3,518 681 434 1,380 741 306 147
2004 6,607 3,599 782 437 1,439 741 298 142
2003 6,362 3,704 805 455 1,337 757 255 150
2002 5,761 3,738 687 453 1,209 762 314 154
2001 5,181 3,802 720 456 984 766 348 159
2000 5,161 3,752 803 437 910 751 332 156
1999 4,893 3,873 814 446 826 790 339 160
1998 5,203 4,213 750 493 966 895 317 180
1997 5,589 4,495 875 542 1,161 952 310 203
1996 5,370 4,553 916 554 1,345 954 341 219
1995 6,172 4,797 1,035 596 1,634 1,025 416 239
1994 6,025 4,752 939 615 1,560 1,053 367 251
1993 6,260 4,814 948 628 1,660 1,108 351 269
1992 7,227 5,089 1,106 661 1,964 1,200 466 279
1991 7,715 5,388 1,277 699 2,376 1,297 398 292
1990 6,880 5,227 1,116 677 2,203 1,253 364 267
1989 6,347 5,212 1,118 649 2,297 1,298 255 243
1988 5,670 5,046 897 596 2,109 1,283 205 222
1987 5,994 5,090 851 544 2,289 1,356 251 221
1986 5,981 5,015 819 522 2,303 1,373 280 234
1985 5,618 4,780 855 473 1,880 1,310 239 216

Source and notes

FBI Crime Data Explorer, Uniform Crime Reporting Program (Public domain (U.S. government work); source FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program).

These are the crimes the Knoxville police reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program, per 100,000 people the department serves. Violent crime is murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; murder includes nonnegligent manslaughter. Property crime is burglary, theft and car theft. A year counts only when the department reported violent crimes in all 12 months, and not when its rate is far out of line with the years either side (under a quarter, or over 1.75 times, of both), which means it sent only part of its reports or some twice. In 2021 the FBI took only reports from its newer system (NIBRS), and many departments hadn't switched yet, so that year is often missing or less certain. NIBRS counts every crime in an incident, not just the most serious, so a jump or drop when a department switched can come from the change in counting rather than in crime. The FBI widened its definition of rape in 2013. A city's rate depends on where its borders fall, so compare cities with care. The U.S. rates count only the agencies that reported, so they differ a little from the FBI's national estimates.