How Much Are Property Taxes on a $400,000 Home in Knox County Versus Blount County in 2026

Tennessee does not tax property on its full market value. The state uses an assessment ratio, which means you first multiply the market value of the home by a set percentage to arrive at the assessed value, and then you apply the county tax rate to that assessed value. For residential property in Tennessee, the assessment ratio is 25 percent. That single fact is the foundation of every calculation in this article.

So on a $400,000 home, you are not taxed on $400,000. You are taxed on $100,000 (which is 25 percent of $400,000). That $100,000 figure is your assessed value, and it is the number you multiply by the county tax rate to find your annual bill. This matters enormously when comparing counties, because even a small difference in the rate produces a meaningful dollar difference when applied to a $400,000 purchase.

Assessment Ratios: The Number That Changes Everything

The 25 percent residential assessment ratio is set by Tennessee state law and applies uniformly in Knox County and Blount County alike. It is not something either county can change. What each county does control is the tax rate, expressed in dollars per $100 of assessed value, which is sometimes written as a millage rate. When you see a rate listed as, say, $2.12 per $100 of assessed value, that means for every $100 of your assessed value, you owe $2.12 in county property tax per year.

Rates are set by county commissions and can change when local budgets are adopted. The figures used in this article reflect the rates in effect as of September 2026. For the most current and authoritative numbers, always verify directly with the county. You can check Knox County's official property tax information at Knox County Finance and Blount County's official page at Blount County Property Tax.

How Rates Are Set in Each County

Both Knox County and Blount County set their own base county rates through their respective county commissions. On top of the base county rate, incorporated municipalities within each county, such as the City of Knoxville inside Knox County or the City of Maryville inside Blount County, levy an additional city tax. If your $400,000 home sits inside city limits, you pay both the county rate and the city rate. If it sits in an unincorporated part of the county, you pay only the county rate. That distinction can swing your annual tax bill by several hundred dollars.

2. Knox County Property Taxes on a $400,000 Home in 2026

In Knox County in 2026, the county property tax rate is approximately $2.12 per $100 of assessed value. On a $400,000 home, the assessed value is $100,000. Applying the $2.12 rate to that assessed value produces a county-only annual tax bill of roughly $2,120. That is the baseline number for any residential property sitting in the unincorporated portions of Knox County.

The Knox County Tax Rate in 2026

Knox County covers a large geographic area that includes not just the City of Knoxville but also communities like Farragut, Powell, Halls, Karns, and Corryton, many of which are unincorporated. Farragut is an incorporated town within Knox County and levies its own additional town tax, which as of September 2026 is approximately $0.29 per $100 of assessed value. That brings the combined rate for a Farragut address to roughly $2.41 per $100, or about $2,410 per year on a $400,000 home.

The housing stock in Knox County at the $400,000 price point includes a wide range: newer construction subdivisions in Powell and Hardin Valley, brick ranches and split-levels in established neighborhoods closer to Knoxville, and larger lots in the rural eastern and northern edges of the county. The tax bill stays the same regardless of the home's style or age; only the assessed market value matters.

City of Knoxville Versus Unincorporated Knox County

If your $400,000 home is inside the City of Knoxville limits, you pay both the Knox County rate and the City of Knoxville rate. The city rate as of September 2026 is approximately $2.46 per $100 of assessed value. Combined with the county rate of $2.12, a home inside Knoxville city limits carries a combined rate of roughly $4.58 per $100. On a $400,000 home with a $100,000 assessed value, that comes to approximately $4,580 per year in property taxes.

That is a significant difference from the $2,120 a buyer pays in unincorporated Knox County. Buyers weighing a home near the University of Tennessee campus, the Old City, or the South Knoxville riverfront should factor the city tax layer into their monthly budget calculations. A $400,000 purchase inside Knoxville city limits costs roughly $208 more per month in property taxes than the same purchase price in an unincorporated Knox County address.

3. Blount County Property Taxes on a $400,000 Home in 2026

Blount County's base county property tax rate in 2026 is approximately $1.69 per $100 of assessed value. On a $400,000 home, the 25 percent assessment ratio produces a $100,000 assessed value. Applying the $1.69 rate gives a county-only annual tax bill of roughly $1,690 for a home in the unincorporated portions of Blount County. That is meaningfully lower than the Knox County county-only rate of $2.12.

The Blount County Tax Rate in 2026

Blount County sits just south of Knox County, with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park forming its southern boundary. The county seat is Maryville, and the county also includes Alcoa, Friendsville, Townsend, and Louisville, among other communities. Unincorporated Blount County stretches across rolling terrain with views toward the Smokies foothills. At the $400,000 price point, buyers here often find newer construction on larger lots, craftsman-style homes in established subdivisions near Maryville, and properties closer to Cades Cove Road with mountain views.

If you want a deeper look at what daily life and housing options look like across that county line, the article What Is It Actually Like to Live in Maryville Tennessee Versus Living Closer to Downtown Knoxville covers the physical differences in detail and is worth reading alongside this tax comparison.

Maryville and Alcoa City Taxes Inside Blount County

Like Knox County, Blount County has incorporated cities that add a layer of municipal tax on top of the county rate. The City of Maryville's property tax rate as of September 2026 is approximately $1.02 per $100 of assessed value. Combined with the county rate, a $400,000 home inside Maryville city limits carries a combined rate of roughly $2.71 per $100, producing an annual tax bill of approximately $2,710.

The City of Alcoa, which is its own separate municipality within Blount County, has a city tax rate of approximately $1.59 per $100 as of September 2026. Combined with the county rate, a $400,000 home in Alcoa carries a combined rate of roughly $3.28 per $100, or about $3,280 per year. Alcoa is a compact, historically industrial city with a distinct character from Maryville, and its higher city rate reflects its municipal budget structure. Buyers comparing specific addresses in Blount County should confirm which municipality, if any, their target property falls within.

4. Knox County Versus Blount County: Side by Side Tax Comparison

When you line up the numbers for a $400,000 home, the county-only rate in Blount County is lower than in Knox County, but city taxes inside each county can shift that relationship depending on the specific address. Here is a clear summary of the annual property tax estimates for a $400,000 home across the key scenarios in both counties as of September 2026.

• Unincorporated Knox County: Assessed value $100,000 at $2.12 per $100 = approximately $2,120 per year.
• Town of Farragut (Knox County): County plus town rate of approximately $2.41 per $100 = approximately $2,410 per year.
• City of Knoxville (Knox County): County plus city rate of approximately $4.58 per $100 = approximately $4,580 per year.
• Unincorporated Blount County: Assessed value $100,000 at $1.69 per $100 = approximately $1,690 per year.
• City of Maryville (Blount County): County plus city rate of approximately $2.71 per $100 = approximately $2,710 per year.
• City of Alcoa (Blount County): County plus city rate of approximately $3.28 per $100 = approximately $3,280 per year.

The widest gap in this comparison sits between unincorporated Blount County at roughly $1,690 per year and the City of Knoxville at roughly $4,580 per year. That is a difference of about $2,890 annually, or roughly $241 per month, on the same $400,000 purchase price. For buyers using a conventional mortgage, that gap shows up directly in the escrow portion of their monthly payment.

What the Difference Means for Your Monthly Budget

Lenders include property taxes in your monthly mortgage payment through an escrow account. That means the tax difference between counties is not an abstract annual number; it changes your quoted monthly payment at the time of loan approval. A buyer approved for a certain payment amount in Knox County may find that the same approval stretches further in unincorporated Blount County, simply because the escrow portion of the payment is lower.

This is one reason buyers relocating to East Tennessee benefit from working with someone who knows both markets well. Understanding how the tax layer interacts with your loan preapproval, your target price range, and your preferred location takes local knowledge. If you are tracking what the broader market is doing right now, the article What Are Home Prices Doing in Knoxville Right Now in September 2026 Compared to Last Year gives useful context on where values are sitting this fall.

Other Costs That Travel With Property Taxes

Property taxes are not the only recurring cost tied to your home's location. Homeowners insurance rates can vary based on proximity to fire stations, which matters in rural areas of both counties. Some unincorporated areas of Knox and Blount counties are served by volunteer fire departments rather than full-time municipal departments, and insurance underwriters factor that in. Buyers purchasing on larger rural lots in either county should get an insurance quote specific to that property address before finalizing their budget.

Homeowners association fees, where applicable, are another layer. Newer subdivisions in both counties, particularly in areas like Hardin Valley in Knox County or the subdivisions along Sevierville Road in Blount County, often carry HOA fees that cover common area maintenance. These are separate from property taxes but affect total monthly housing cost in the same way.

5. What Else Affects Your Tax Bill Beyond the Rate

The tax rate and the assessed value are the two main levers, but Tennessee law offers a few programs that can reduce what certain homeowners actually owe. These programs do not change the rate; they reduce the taxable assessed value or provide a tax freeze, which has the same practical effect of lowering the bill.

Tennessee's Homeowner Benefit Program

Tennessee offers a property tax relief program for qualifying homeowners who are elderly (age 65 or older), disabled, or surviving spouses of disabled veterans. The program provides a tax credit based on the first $175,000 of market value of the primary residence. Eligibility is income-based, and the application is filed with the county trustee's office in either Knox or Blount County. This program is administered at the state level but applied locally, so the process is similar in both counties.

There is also a separate property tax freeze program available to qualifying homeowners age 65 or older who meet income limits. Once approved, the freeze locks your property tax bill at the amount owed in the year you qualify, even if your assessed value increases in future reappraisals. Both Knox County and Blount County participate in this program. Contact the respective county trustee's office to confirm current income thresholds and application deadlines.

How Assessed Value Can Shift After a Sale

Tennessee conducts county-wide property reappraisals on a cycle, typically every four to six years. Knox County and Blount County are on different reappraisal schedules. After a reappraisal, assessed values across the county are updated to reflect current market conditions, and tax rates are often adjusted downward to prevent a windfall revenue increase. However, individual properties that have sold recently at prices above their prior assessed value may see their assessed value rise more sharply at the next reappraisal.

This means a buyer paying $400,000 for a home that was previously assessed at a lower value should anticipate that the next reappraisal cycle could increase the assessed value closer to the purchase price, which would raise the annual tax bill even if the rate stays flat. Asking your real estate agent when the county's next scheduled reappraisal is expected gives you a clearer picture of what your tax bill might look like two or three years out.

Appealing Your Assessment in Either County

If you believe your property has been assessed above its actual market value, you have the right to appeal. In both Knox and Blount counties, the process starts with an informal review by the county assessor's office. If that does not resolve the dispute, you can appeal to the county Board of Equalization, and further to the Tennessee Assessment Appeals Commission. Appeals must be filed within a specific window after reappraisal notices are mailed, so timing matters. The assessor's office in each county can walk you through the current calendar and the documentation you will need.

Successful appeals typically require evidence that comparable properties in the area were assessed at lower values, or that the assessor used incorrect data about the property's size, condition, or features. Recent sales of similar homes in the same area are the most persuasive evidence. A local real estate agent with access to the MLS can help you pull that comparable sales data quickly.