Gas Prices in Knoxville, TN Today

Knoxville drivers are paying around $3.20 per gallon for regular unleaded as of March 2026, running well below the national average and among the lowest prices in the Southeast. Two factors explain why: Tennessee charges one of the lowest state gas taxes in the country, and Knoxville's position at the junction of two major interstates creates fierce competition between fuel retailers.

Tennessee's Gas Tax Advantage

Tennessee's state gas tax is 26.4 cents per gallon, compared to a national average of roughly 38.7 cents. That 12-cent difference doesn't sound dramatic, but it's consistent and permanent. Every time you fill up a 15-gallon tank in Knoxville instead of, say, North Carolina (38.5 cents/gal tax) or Kentucky (26 cents + fees), you're saving real money that adds up to $50–$100 per year for a typical driver.

Tennessee also doesn't have an income tax on wages, which keeps the state's overall revenue pressure lower and reduces political pressure to raise fuel taxes to fund general budget shortfalls, a dynamic that has pushed gas taxes up in several neighboring states over the past decade.

The I-40/I-75 Competition Effect

Knoxville sits at one of the more strategically significant interstate junctions in the eastern US, I-40 (the main east-west route connecting the Carolinas to Memphis and beyond) crosses I-75 (the north-south corridor from Michigan to Florida) right through the city. That means Knoxville is a constant fuel stop for long-haul truckers, seasonal snowbird traffic, and travelers heading to the Smoky Mountains.

High-volume traffic creates high-volume stations, and high-volume stations operate on thinner margins. The areas along Chapman Highway, Clinton Highway, and the I-40/I-75 interchange corridors have some of the most competitive fuel pricing in the metro for exactly this reason. Stations that count on pass-through traffic can't afford to price themselves out of a sale.

Pilot Flying J: Home Turf Prices

Pilot Flying J, the country's largest truck stop operator, is headquartered in Knoxville. While that doesn't necessarily mean Knoxville sees special pricing, it does mean the city has a dense concentration of Pilot and Flying J locations that compete with each other and with independent operators. Pilot runs a myRewards+ loyalty program that returns real cents per gallon through points on fuel purchases, worth using if you fill up frequently.

Where to Find the Best Prices in Knoxville

• Downtown / University area, 37902, 37916, urban pricing, slightly higher than outlying areas, but still reasonable
• West Knoxville, 37909, 37919, suburban corridors with strong competition from multiple major brands and independent stations
• North Knoxville, 37912, Clinton Highway corridor has multiple high-volume stations competing directly
• East Knoxville, 37914, I-40 access keeps pricing honest, good mix of brands

Practical Tips

• Pilot myRewards+, if you fill up more than once a week, the loyalty points add up to meaningful discounts. Knoxville's concentration of Pilot locations makes redemption easy
• Avoid tourist corridor stations, stations along Chapman Highway heading toward Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains entrance know their captive audience and price accordingly. Fill up before you leave the city
• Mid-week is typically cheapest, Tuesday and Wednesday tend to see the lowest retail prices before weekend demand from Smoky Mountain tourism drives them back up

Knoxville doesn't have the same seasonal volatility as northern markets, but spring and summer do bring increased tourism traffic that can nudge prices up slightly near the mountain access corridors.

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