Cities near Knoxville, TN
Quick answer
The nearest major metro to Knoxville is Chattanooga, TN, 101 miles southwest — roughly 1 hr 57 min by road. Its combined sales tax rate is 9.25% against 9.25% in Knoxville.
Distance to nearby metros
Great-circle distance from the Knoxville centroid (35.961, -83.919).
| Metro | Straight line | Est. drive | Direction | Combined rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga, TN | 100.5 mi | 1 hr 57 min | southwest | 9.25% |
| Atlanta, GA | 154.4 mi | 2 hr 59 min | south | 8.9% |
| Nashville, TN | 160.3 mi | 3 hr 6 min | west | 9.25% |
| Charlotte, NC | 180.1 mi | 3 hr 29 min | east | 7.25% |
| Louisville, KY | 187.6 mi | 3 hr 38 min | northwest | 6% |
| Charleston, WV | 207.6 mi | 4 hr 1 min | northeast | 7% |
| Cincinnati, OH | 217.2 mi | 4 hr 12 min | north | 7.85% |
| Greensboro, NC | 230.7 mi | 4 hr 28 min | east | 7% |
| Birmingham, AL | 235.0 mi | 4 hr 33 min | southwest | 10% |
Source: Place centroids: USGS/Census public-domain coordinates · rates as published for 2026
How these distances are calculated
Straight-line figures are great-circle distances between incorporated-place centroids using the haversine formula on a 3,958.76-mile mean-radius sphere — exact to within a few metres for this purpose. Drive time is an estimate: road distance is modelled at 1.2× the straight line (the standard North American circuity factor) at 62 mph for trips over 60 miles and 35 mph below that. It is not a routed itinerary and ignores traffic, terrain and tolls.