Knox County, TN
Get paid to care for your family member in Knox County, Tennessee
About 84,700 people in Knox County are 65 or older — 17% of everyone who lives here. That tracks with Tennessee as a whole. Roughly 7,930 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. Agencies operate in Knox County, though families still run into gaps: no weekend coverage, a new aide every few weeks, hours that don't match real life.
Who needs care in Knox
- People 65 and older
- 84,700
- People 85 and older
- 7,930
- Median age
- 37.4
- Rank in Tennessee
- 3rd
17% of Knox residents
the age daily help usually starts
close to the national average
of 95 counties, by residents 65+
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Knox County is a metro county (USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Code 2). Tennessee as a whole is 18% aged 65 or older.
What Tennessee pays family caregivers
$11–$19.16/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Tennessee Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Tennessee's programs at a glance
- TennCare CHOICES consumer direction
- ECF CHOICES
- Katie Beckett (children)
- Spouse paid?
- Not right now
- Parent paid for a child?
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- Some programs have no waitlist.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full Tennessee guide →
Towns and cities in Knox County
Tennessee sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Knoxville and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Knox County:
- Knoxville198,722
- Farragut25,242
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Knox apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Knox County start with Tennessee's program:
Current TennCare members contact their managed care organization (health plan); everyone else calls their local Area Agency on Aging and Disability at 1-866-836-6678 to start CHOICES screening.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Tennessee program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Knox questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Knox County?
Yes. Tennessee runs real Medicaid programs — like TennCare CHOICES consumer direction — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Knox County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Knox County?
Reported figures in Tennessee are around $11–$19.16/hr, but rates vary — the program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Knox County apply?
Families in Knox County start with the state, not the county. Current TennCare members contact their managed care organization (health plan); everyone else calls their local Area Agency on Aging and Disability at 1-866-836-6678 to start CHOICES screening.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Knox County?
Not right now — but other family members often can be. The fine print for Tennessee: no — spouses, legal guardians, and powers of attorney cannot be hired; adult children and other relatives can
How many people in Knox County might need this?
84,700 residents of Knox County are 65 or older and about 7,930 are 85 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 population estimates. Most of them are cared for at home by a relative rather than in a facility. Tennessee's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Knox do you cover?
All of Knox County — including Knoxville and Farragut. Eligibility is set by Tennessee, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Tennessee's published Medicaid program rules · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
More Tennessee counties
The programs are the same statewide — pick your county:
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.