Town guide

Knoxville, Iowa

Knoxville is a city in Marion County, Iowa, home to about 7,473 people across 4.6 square miles. Its ZIP code is 50138.

Homes sold for a median of $159 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.

Population7,4731,618 per sq mi
Median home value$160,300Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$159Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking20%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Knoxville

1 ZIP code

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Knoxville. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

The Knoxville guide is on the way

We’re writing up Knoxville’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

Are you a local agent who knows Knoxville well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked

Around Knoxville

Distances

Nearest major airportDes Moines International Airport (DSM)33 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Omaha, NE154 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL282 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Knoxville; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Knoxville

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Knoxville had 7,595 residents in the 2020 census, down 2% since 2000.

It’s the 54th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.

Marion County grew from 24,159 residents in 1900 to 33,414 in 2020.

Knoxville population by census2000: 7,731, 2010: 7,313, 2020: 7,5957,73120007,31320107,5952020

Marion County, 1900–2020

Marion County population, 1900 to 20201900: 24,159, 1910: 22,995, 1920: 24,957, 1930: 25,727, 1940: 27,019, 1950: 25,930, 1960: 25,886, 1970: 26,352, 1980: 29,669, 1990: 30,001, 2000: 32,052, 2010: 33,309, 2020: 33,41424K’00’1025K’20’3027K’40’5026K’60’7030K’80’9032K’00’1033K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 85°F in summer, and winter lows average 13°F. About 37.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near KnoxvilleJan: high 30°F, low 13°F, 1.2 in; Feb: high 35°F, low 17°F, 1.7 in; Mar: high 48°F, low 28°F, 1.9 in; Apr: high 61°F, low 39°F, 3.9 in; May: high 71°F, low 51°F, 5 in; Jun: high 81°F, low 61°F, 5.6 in; Jul: high 85°F, low 66°F, 4.3 in; Aug: high 83°F, low 63°F, 3.9 in; Sep: high 76°F, low 54°F, 3.7 in; Oct: high 63°F, low 42°F, 3.1 in; Nov: high 48°F, low 30°F, 1.8 in; Dec: high 36°F, low 19°F, 1.6 in30°13°Jan1.235°17°Feb1.748°28°Mar1.961°39°Apr3.971°51°May5.081°61°Jun5.685°66°Jul4.383°63°Aug3.976°54°Sep3.763°42°Oct3.148°30°Nov1.836°19°Dec1.6Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Knoxville, IA weather station (about a mile away).

Jobs in Marion County

17,934 jobs at 859 businesses in Marion County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Marion CountyManufacturing: 8,739 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 2,215 jobs; Retail trade: 1,687 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 1,155 jobs; Educational services: 1,031 jobs; Wholesale trade: 654 jobs; Construction: 490 jobs; Other services: 440 jobsManufacturing 49% Health care and social assistance 12% Retail trade 9% Hotels and restaurants 6% Educational services 6% Wholesale trade 4% Construction 3% Other services 3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

92 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Knoxville.

Nearest hospitals

  • Knoxville Hospital & ClinicsCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · KnoxvilleUnder a mile
  • Pella Regional Health CenterCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Pella11.6 miles
  • Lucas County Health CenterCritical access hospital · emergency room · Chariton22.6 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors16
Specialist doctors4
Dentists7
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants19
Mental health providers26
Physical and occupational therapists13
Optometrists3
Chiropractors4
Pharmacies6

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around Knoxville

Parks (6 nearby)

  • Marion County Park · 119 acres1.5 mi
  • Auld Park · 13 acres0.5 mi
  • Edwards City Park · 13 acres1.6 mi
  • Youngs Park · 12 acres1.0 mi
  • Veterans Park · 3 acres1.2 mi

Grocery stores (3 nearby)

  • Hy-Vee0.9 mi
  • Walmart Supercenter1.0 mi
  • Fareway1.0 mi

Pharmacies (1 nearby)

  • Hy-Vee Pharmacy0.9 mi

Libraries (1 nearby)

  • Knoxville Public Library0.1 mi

Museums (1 nearby)

  • National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum1.1 mi

Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Colleges, teams and notable people

Notable people born here

  • Edward C. Stone (1936) · American space scientist (1936–2024)
  • George Kruck Cherrie (1865) · American zoologist (1865–1948)

Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.

Schools in Knoxville

Public schools here are run by Knoxville Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (4)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
West ElementaryKnoxvillePre-K–2485Public1.0 mi
Northstar Elementary SchoolKnoxville3–5348Public0.9 mi
Knoxville Middle SchoolKnoxville6–8323Public1.1 mi
Knoxville High SchoolKnoxville9–12508Public1.1 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Where Knoxville is

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Towns near Knoxville

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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.