Adult Disability Care in Knoxville, TN: In-Home Support

Local figures

Disability Care for Adults in Knoxville, TN: the local picture

11%

of residents aged 18 to 64 have a disability (9.6% in Knox County)

5,404

residents aged 18 to 64 have difficulty doing errands alone

9.1%

of households have no vehicle (5.3% in Knox County)

16

Medicare-certified home health agencies list Knoxville ZIP codes in their service area

About 14,549 Knoxville residents aged 18 to 64 report a disability (11%; 9.6% in Knox County).

5,404 of them have difficulty doing errands such as shopping or visiting a doctor alone, the kind of help a support caregiver gives.

9.1% of Knoxville households have no vehicle (5.3% in Knox County); say in your posting if you need a caregiver who drives.

Knoxville compared with Knox County and Tennessee

Census figure	Knoxville	Knox County	Tennessee
Residents 18 to 64 with a disability	11%	9.6%	13%
Residents 18 to 64 with difficulty doing errands alone	4.1%	3.7%	4.5%
Households with no vehicle	9.1%	5.3%	5.2%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	9.3%	8.7%	8.6%
Residents 65+ with a disability	36%	32%	36%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	14%	9.5%	11%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$40,720	$56,033	—

Older residents in towns around Knoxville

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Disability (18 to 64)
Powell, TN	6.4 mi	2,329	10%
Halls, TN	7.7 mi	2,785	7.8%
Karns, TN	9.0 mi	798	3.9%
Alcoa, TN	11 mi	2,276	11%
Louisville, TN	12 mi	1,059	5.5%
Seymour, TN	12 mi	2,935	11%

Home health agencies serving Knoxville

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Centerwell Home Health	Knoxville, TN	5.7 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(865) 450-1160
Centerwell Home Health	Knoxville, TN	12 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(865) 584-3133
Nhc Homecare Knoxville	Knoxville, TN	7.6 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work	(865) 539-0242
Covenant Homecare	Knoxville, TN	4.5 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(865) 374-0600
Amedisys Home Health Care	Knoxville, TN	4.5 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(865) 584-2510

Straight-line miles from the center of Knoxville. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a disability support caregiver can help with

Personal care, on the person’s terms
Cooking, shopping and housekeeping
Getting to work, school, appointments and activities
Keeping routines the person sets

Cost

What disability care for adults costs in Knoxville

At the Tennessee median aide wage of $15.45 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,339 a month in wages, which is 39% of the $3,393 monthly median income of Knoxville households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Tennessee has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

Hiring directly, you agree the rate with the caregiver and usually become the household employer (U.S. Department of Labor rules). Some families qualify for programs that pay for care at home; see TennCare CHOICES: how to get paid to care for a family member in Tennessee.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a disability support caregiver

Many state Medicaid programs let adults with disabilities direct their own care: they, or a representative, hire and supervise the caregiver.

Questions worth asking: Have you supported adults with a disability like mine (or my family member’s)? How do you support someone to do things themselves? Can you drive to work, school or day programs? More in our disability care for adults guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

Disability Care for Adults in Knoxville: common questions

How much does disability care for adults cost in Knoxville?

At the Tennessee median aide wage of $15.45 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,339 a month in wages, which is 39% of the $3,393 monthly median income of Knoxville households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Tennessee has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

Can an adult with a disability hire their own caregiver?

Yes. Many state Medicaid programs offer self-direction, where the person or a representative hires and supervises the caregiver. Our guide TennCare CHOICES: how to get paid to care for a family member in Tennessee covers Tennessee.

More near Knoxville

More senior care near Knoxville

Disability Care for Adults in nearby cities

Other care in Knoxville

More for Knoxville families

Sources

Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year; CMS provider data (October 25, 2026); U.S. DOL state minimum wages (July 1, 2026); BLS OEWS May 2025 aide wages, which cover employed aides rather than private rates.

In-Home Support for Adults With Disabilities in Knoxville, TN