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Johnson City vs Knoxville Crime Comparison

Side-by-side crime rates, safety scores, and trends based on FBI data.

Full report: Johnson City crime rate · Knoxville crime rate

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Is Johnson City or Knoxville Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Johnson City is safer than Knoxville (Safety Score 24/100 vs 13/100), with a total crime rate of 2,707 per 100,000 versus 3,462 for Knoxville — 22% lower. Johnson City has lower rates in 7 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in robbery, where Johnson City has a 59% lower rate.

Note: Knoxville is 2.7x larger by coverage, which can affect crime rate comparisons. Larger cities tend to report higher rates due to density and more comprehensive reporting.

Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Johnson City, TN?

Johnson City — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Knoxville — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Johnson City, TN

Johnson City, TN
Safety Score 24/100
Coverage 74,093
Total Crime Rate 2,707.4
Category Wins 7/7

Knoxville, TN

Knoxville, TN
Safety Score 13/100
Coverage 200,457
Total Crime Rate 3,461.6
Category Wins 0/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Johnson City Knoxville Difference
Total Crime Rate 2,707.4 3,461.6 -754.2
Violent Crime Rate 404.9 740.3 -335.4
Murder Rate 5.4 11.0 -5.6
Rape Rate 75.6 64.9 +10.7
Robbery Rate 33.7 81.8 -48.1
Aggravated Assault Rate 287.5 582.7 -295.2
Property Crime Rate 2,302.5 2,721.3 -418.8
Burglary Rate 203.8 328.8 -125.0
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,924.6 2,013.9 -89.3
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 174.1 378.6 -204.5

All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.

Moving from Johnson City, TN to Knoxville, TN?

The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Johnson City or Knoxville safer?

Johnson City is safer with a total crime rate of 2,707 per 100K vs 3,462 for Knoxville — a 22% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Johnson City has a violent crime rate of 404.9 per 100K while Knoxville has 740.3. Johnson City has lower violent crime.

About Johnson City, TN

Nestled in the Appalachian Mountains, Johnson City is a regional hub with a vibrant downtown, home to East Tennessee State University. It's known for its role in the early country music scene. With a safety score of 24/100 and a population coverage of 74,093, Johnson City has a total crime rate of 2,707.4 per 100,000 residents.

About Knoxville, TN

Knoxville, nestled in the Appalachian foothills, is a city of just under 200,000 residents. It boasts a rich musical heritage, notably as the birthplace of the Everly Brothers. The Tennessee River flows along its downtown, a reminder of its historical role in trade and industry. With a safety score of 13/100 and a population coverage of 200,457, Knoxville has a total crime rate of 3,461.6 per 100,000 residents.

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