VoucherMatch

Section 8 in Knoxville, TN, TN: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities

Knoxville, TN metro area. FY2026 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, the housing authorities that run the program here, and whether landlords can legally refuse a voucher. Every figure comes straight from HUD data.

2-bedroom FMR (FY2026)
$1,092
HUD
Active vouchers
6,106
75% utilized
Housing authorities
12
serving this metro
Voucher protection
State preempts
Tennessee has no source-of-income protection

Fair Market Rent by bedroom count

HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026. Payment standards, the amount a PHA actually pays, are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at each PHA's discretion.

BedroomsFMRPayment standard (90 to 110%)
Efficiency (studio)$912$821 to $1,003
1-bedroom$918$826 to $1,010
2-bedroom$1,092$983 to $1,201
3-bedroom$1,432$1,289 to $1,575
4-bedroom$1,832$1,649 to $2,015

Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Knoxville covers up to $1,092 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $983 to $1,201.

Voucher demand in this metro

Active vouchers
6,106
Occupied
4,586
Utilization
75%

Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means most vouchers issued here are already placed in a unit, so landlords who accept vouchers fill vacancies from a deep, reliable applicant pool.

Housing authorities serving Knoxville

12 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.

  • Knoxville'S Community Development Corp.

    Knoxville , TN · TN003 · 4,251 HCV units

    Status unknown
    8654031100

  • East Tennessee Human Resource Agency

    Knoxville , TN · TN113 · 847 HCV units

    Status unknown
    8656912551

  • Maryville Housing Authority

    Maryville , TN · TN065 · 356 HCV units

    Status unknown
    8659834958

  • Lafollette Housing Authority

    La Follette , TN · TN012 · 333 HCV units

    Status unknown
    4235622261

  • Oak Ridge Housing Authority

    Oak Ridge , TN · TN088 · 319 HCV units

    Status unknown
    8654821006

  • Clinton Housing Authority

    Clinton , TN · TN022

    Status unknown
    8654579692

  • Loudon Housing Authority

    Loudon , TN · TN064

    Status unknown
    8654582061

  • Harriman Housing Authority

    Harriman , TN · TN055

    Status unknown
    8658829636

  • Lenoir City Housing Authority

    Lenoir City , TN · TN061

    Status unknown
    8659868707

  • Jellico Housing Authority

    Jellico , TN · TN034

    Status unknown
    4237848809

  • Rockwood Housing Authority

    Rockwood , TN · TN018

    Status unknown
    8653549841

  • Oliver Springs Housing Authority

    Oliver Springs , TN · TN078

    Status unknown
    8654351711

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Knoxville, TN?

Yes. Tennessee law blocks local governments from requiring voucher acceptance, so landlords in Knoxville, TN can legally decline Section 8 applicants. Listing on a voucher-friendly marketplace is the fastest way to find the landlords who do accept.

Tennessee has no source-of-income protection

Tennessee has NO statewide source-of-income protection. The state legislature has been aggressive about preempting local anti-discrimination measures. Landlords can legally decline voucher applicants. Voucher tenants remain a solid financial option — guaranteed monthly rent, often above local market — but the choice is voluntary.

View statute →

Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.

Counties in the Knoxville metro

County pages show the local voucher count, the housing authorities that serve it, and ZIP-level rent limits where HUD publishes them.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Knoxville?
In the Knoxville, TN metro, the FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,092 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $983 to $1,201 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in Knoxville?
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Knoxville, TN metro, by bedroom size: studio $912, 1-bedroom $918, 2-bedroom $1,092, 3-bedroom $1,432, 4-bedroom $1,832. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
How do I apply for Section 8 in Knoxville?
Section 8 in Knoxville is administered by Knoxville'S Community Development Corp., East Tennessee Human Resource Agency, Maryville Housing Authority and other local housing authorities. Apply through the authority whose jurisdiction covers the address, as each runs its own waitlist. Once you have a voucher, search voucher-friendly units and apply on VoucherMatch.

Find Section 8 apartments in Knoxville

VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. Landlords: listings here reach applicants whose voucher already covers the rent above.

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Other Section 8 markets in TN

Rent limits from HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.