Knoxville Senior AdvisorHow much senior care is licensed in Knoxville and Knox County?
Knox County had about 90,835 residents aged 65 and older (17.8%) and 9,714 aged 85 and older on July 1, 2025, and the state licenses 33 ACLFs (2,521 beds, 750 secured), 3 homes for the aged and 14 nursing homes there.
| License type | Licenses | Licensed beds |
|---|---|---|
| Assisted-care living facilities | 33 | 2521 |
| ACLF secured (memory care) beds | — | 750 |
| Homes for the aged | 3 | 200 |
| Nursing homes | 14 | 1758 |
| Home health agencies (office here) | 22 | — |
| Hospices (office here) | 9 | — |
Population: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 county population estimates by age (July 1, 2025).
How is senior care spread across Knoxville's neighborhoods?
Assisted living clusters in West Knoxville, Farragut and the northern suburbs, while nursing homes and transitional care units concentrate near the Fort Sanders and UT Medical Center hospitals and in West Hills.
| Part of Knox County | ZIP codes | ACLFs | Secured beds | Nursing homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Knoxville, Bearden & Cedar Bluff | 37909, 37919, 37923 | 8 | 123 | 4 |
| Farragut, Concord & Turkey Creek | 37922, 37934 | 9 | 139 | 2 |
| Hardin Valley, Karns & Northwest Knox | 37921, 37931, 37932 | 3 | 90 | 1 |
| North Knoxville, Fountain City & Halls | 37912, 37917, 37918, 37938 | 7 | 224 | 3 |
| Downtown, East & South Knoxville | 37902, 37914, 37915, 37916, 37920, 37924 | 2 | 42 | 4 |
| Powell | 37849 | 4 | 132 | 0 |
Which Knoxville hospitals do families deal with most?
The University of Tennessee Medical Center in South Knoxville, Fort Sanders Regional near campus, Parkwest in West Knoxville, Turkey Creek in Farragut and Tennova North Knoxville in Powell are the acute-care hospitals in Knox County on the state's report.
For inpatient rehabilitation, Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Hospital and Knoxville Rehabilitation Hospital are both in West Knox County. Discharge planners at each hospital keep lists of rehab nursing homes with open beds.
Who provides free help for older adults in Knoxville?
In Knox County, the CAC Office on Aging ((865) 546-3500, Ross Building, 2247 Western Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37921) coordinates services and delivers noontime meals to homebound residents, and ETHRA's Area Agency on Aging and Disability (1-866-836-6678) screens for TennCare CHOICES and OPTIONS.
The East Tennessee District Long-Term Care Ombudsman, also at ETHRA (865-691-2551 ext. 4223), advocates for residents of nursing homes and assisted living.
How do Knoxville families narrow the search?
Pick the part of town closest to the family member who will visit most, choose the care type, then compare the state record and written prices for three or four licensed options.
Side by side
| In Knoxville you will find | In Knoxville you will not find | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing | A single state license for each setting, from HFC | City or county care licenses |
| Memory care | Several buildings licensed entirely as secured units | A separate memory care license |
| Data | Public bed counts, survey dates and enforcement | Online ACLF survey reports |
| Programs | CHOICES, OPTIONS, CAC Office on Aging meals | A PACE program (none serves Knox County) |
