If you own a home in Knox County, you probably opened a reappraisal notice this spring and felt your stomach drop. Your home's value jumped, maybe by a lot. And now that tax bills are about to hit mailboxes, everyone I talk to is asking the same thing: is my property tax bill about to jump too?
I've lived in Knoxville for 21 years and I've been selling homes here for over 11, and I've never had my phone light up about taxes the way it has this year. So let's walk through how property taxes actually work in Tennessee, what the 2026 reappraisal really means for you, and what buyers and sellers should be doing about it right now.
How Are Property Taxes Calculated in Tennessee?
Tennessee doesn't tax your wages, and the property tax formula is pretty simple once you see it. Residential property is assessed at 25% of its appraised value. Then the tax rate is applied to every $100 of that assessed value.
Here's a real example. Say the county appraises your home at $400,000. Your assessed value is 25% of that, or $100,000. At last Knox County's rate of $1.5540 per $100, your county tax comes out to about $1,554 a year.
Where it gets interesting is location. If your home sits inside Knoxville city limits, you pay the county tax plus a separate city tax, and you'll get two separate bills. If you live in the Town of Farragut, you only pay the county tax, because Farragut doesn't have a town property tax at all. Same goes for unincorporated areas like Hardin Valley, Karns, and a big chunk of Northshore. I always check the exact parcel before a client falls in love with a house. Two homes with the same 37934 or 37922 ZIP code can have very different tax bills.
What Did the 2026 Knox County Reappraisal Change?
Knox County reappraised every property this year, and values rose roughly 60% overall since the last reappraisal in 2022. No wonder people panicked when those notices showed up in May.
But here's what a lot of folks don't realize. Tennessee has a law that requires cities and counties to set a "certified tax rate" after every reappraisal. The rate gets rolled back so the government collects about the same total amount of money as before. Rising values alone aren't supposed to hand the county a windfall. If leaders want more revenue than that, they have to hold public hearings and vote on it in the open.
Knoxville City Council has been considering a new city rate of $1.3956 per $100 of assessed value, down from $2.1556. The county rate is being reset through the same process, and the county assessor has publicly talked about a rate somewhere near $1.00, down from $1.5540. So yes, your value went up. But the rate is coming way down to match.
Will My Tax Bill Go Up After the Reappraisal?
Honest answer? It depends on how your home's value changed compared to everyone else's.
If your home's value went up about the same as the county average, your bill should look pretty similar to last year. If your value went up a lot more than average, say you're in a pocket of West Knoxville or South Knoxville that got really hot, you'll likely pay more. If your value went up less than average, you might actually pay a little less.
Let me show you with the city numbers. Last year, a home in Knoxville city limits appraised at $400,000 paid about $2,156 in city tax. If that same home went up 60% to $640,000, its assessed value is now $160,000. At the proposed $1.3956 rate, the city tax is about $2,233. That's a small bump, not a 60% jump.
One thing I tell my sellers: your reappraisal number is not your market value. The county uses mass valuation models across thousands of homes. It can't see your updated kitchen. If you want to know what your home would actually sell for, that's a totally different conversation.
What Buyers Should Know Right Now
If you're house hunting this fall, please don't trust the tax line on a listing sheet right now. Most are quoting old rates, old values, or a mix of both.
When I'm working with buyers, we look up the exact parcel, confirm whether it's inside city limits, and run the numbers at the new rates so your lender can escrow correctly. I'd much rather you know your real monthly payment before you write an offer than get surprised later.
Questions I Hear All the Time
When are property taxes due in Knox County?
Property tax bills go out in the fall, and both the Knox County and City of Knoxville taxes are due starting October 1. You have until the end of February to pay without penalty. After that, interest and penalties start adding up on March 1. If you live inside Knoxville city limits, you can knock 1% off your city bill by paying it in full by the end of October.
Does Farragut have a city property tax?
No. The Town of Farragut doesn't levy its own property tax, so Farragut homeowners only pay the Knox County tax. The town funds itself mostly through sales tax. That's a real advantage over a similar home just inside Knoxville city limits.
Can I appeal my Knox County property assessment?
Yes. If you think your appraised value is off, start with the Knox County Property Assessor's office, which handles informal reviews. If you're still not satisfied, you can file a formal appeal with the County Board of Equalization, which meets in the summer. Bring recent sales of comparable homes and any errors in the county's record of your home, like wrong square footage or a bedroom count that doesn't match. Watch for the deadlines printed on your notice, because the window to appeal is short.
Is there property tax relief for seniors in Tennessee?
Yes. Tennessee has a state property tax relief program for homeowners who are 65 or older, disabled, or disabled veterans, with income limits for some groups. Both Knox County and the City of Knoxville take part. Call the Knox County Trustee's office or the City Revenue Office to see if you qualify, because the application isn't automatic.
Let's Talk
I get it. Taxes aren't the fun part of buying or owning a home. But I'd rather you feel confident and clear than lie awake wondering what that envelope in the mailbox is going to say. Between raising my twin boys here and helping so many families buy and sell across Knox County, I've learned that the people who ask these questions early always end up in a better spot. If you want me to pull your parcel and walk through the numbers with you, I'm happy to do it, no strings attached.
You can search available homes right now at myknoxvilleliving.com, or find out what your current home is worth at myknoxvilleliving.com/home-valuation. I also share a lot of local content on Instagram at @wafatheknoxvillerealtor and neighborhood tours on YouTube at @myknoxvilleliving. Or just call or text me at (865) 335-7498. I'm always happy to talk.
