Knoxville Senior Advisor
What is Knoxville Senior Advisor?
Knoxville Senior Advisor is a free senior care referral and advisory service for families in Knoxville and six neighboring East Tennessee counties: Blount, Anderson, Loudon, Sevier, Roane and Union.
We publish what Tennessee's rules require, what the published cost data says, and every licensed facility on the state's own records; then a local advisor helps you narrow the list. Partner communities pay us a referral fee when a family moves in, which is how the service stays free for you. We would rather you hear that from us first.
How many older adults and licensed care options are in the Knoxville region?
The seven counties had about 201,221 residents aged 65 and older on July 1, 2025, by Census Bureau estimates, and the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission licenses 57 assisted-care living facilities, 5 homes for the aged and 31 nursing homes there.
| County | Residents 65+ | Share 65+ | Licensed ACLFs | ACLFs with secured units | Nursing homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County | 90,835 | 17.8% | 33 | 21 | 14 |
| Blount County | 32,517 | 22.6% | 6 | 4 | 6 |
| Anderson County | 17,491 | 21.3% | 7 | 5 | 5 |
| Loudon County | 19,237 | 30.2% | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| Sevier County | 22,700 | 22.4% | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Roane County | 14,126 | 24.6% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Union County | 4,315 | 20.1% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Population: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 county population estimates by age (July 1, 2025). Licenses: Tennessee HFC, October 2026.
Loudon County stands out: 30.2% of its residents are 65 or older and its median age is 50.8, the result of decades of retirees settling around Tellico Village and the lakes.
How does Tennessee license assisted living and memory care?
The Health Facilities Commission licenses assisted living as Assisted-Care Living Facilities (ACLFs) under rule 0720-26, and memory care is a secured unit inside a licensed ACLF or nursing home, reported to the state as secured beds.
Every secured unit must keep an awake attendant on the unit at all hours and evaluate each resident with a physician, a registered nurse and a family member before admission. Read how ACLFs are licensed or the secured-unit rules.
What does senior care cost in East Tennessee?
CareScout's 2025 Tennessee medians are about $5,595 a month for assisted living, $9,429 for a semi-private nursing home room and about $31 an hour for home care; no Knoxville-specific or memory care median is published.
TennCare CHOICES can pay assisted living care services but not room and board, so how you will pay matters as much as the monthly price. See costs and payment options.
Where should a Knoxville family begin?
Begin with what just happened, not with a care type: a hospital discharge, a parent struggling alone, wandering from dementia, a worn-out caregiver or savings running low each call for a different first step.
What we are, and what we are not
| Knoxville Senior Advisor is | Knoxville Senior Advisor is not | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to families | Free; partner communities pay a referral fee | Billed to you, now or later |
| Data | Tennessee HFC records and CMS Care Compare | Aggregator listings or paid placement |
| Ratings | CMS star ratings, labelled as CMS's | Our own scores or rankings |
| Affiliation | An independent referral service | A government agency, ETHRA or the CAC |
