Tennessee

    Can You Live in Tennessee on $50K a Year?

    Can You Live in Tennessee on $50K a Year: median home values, rent and household income from the app, with a simple income check you can run yourself.

    Updated October 2026 · Smart Movers Club research desk

    Quick answer

    Across Tennessee's top-scoring places the median home value is $446,800, rent $1,726/month and household income $111,424. A rough rule: buying the median home with 20% down needs roughly $117,000 a year in household income — so $50,000 is tight. Renting at the median needs about $69,040.

    Median home value

    $446,800

    Top-scoring places

    Median rent

    $1,726/mo

    Household income

    $111,424

    Violent crime / 100k

    499

    Tennessee, 2025

    Population change

    +2.2%

    Tracked places + counties

    Home value change

    +11.0%

    State wage income tax

    None

    Home value ÷ income

    4.0×

    Top-scoring Tennessee cities in the app
    PlaceScoreHome valueRentIncomePop. change
    Spring Hill, TN81$452,400$1,738$106,658+4.4%
    Farragut, TN79$513,100$1,691$142,402+2.2%
    Mount Juliet, TN71$423,000$1,875$107,847+3.3%
    Germantown, TN67$441,200$1,760$144,799-0.7%
    Franklin, TN66$646,300$1,861$115,000+2.3%
    Brentwood, TN63$926,700$2,497$184,720+1.0%
    Top-scoring Tennessee counties
    PlaceScoreHome valueRentIncomePop. change
    Loudon County78$292,600$995$80,296+2.7%
    Van Buren County75$149,200$705$60,281+1.8%
    Williamson County75$673,700$1,895$131,202+2.3%
    Sumner County72$364,000$1,339$86,005+1.9%
    Wilson County72$397,000$1,370$94,048+3.0%
    Maury County68$307,500$1,206$74,162+2.8%

    Verdict factors to check before you decide

    1. 1Price the whole address: taxes, insurance, utilities and HOA, not just the listing.
    2. 2Confirm the exact city, county and school assignment for the address.
    3. 3Drive the commute at the hours you will actually travel.
    4. 4Check flood, heat and storm exposure on official maps.
    5. 5Compare crime at the jurisdiction level, then visit at night.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can You Live in Tennessee on $50K a Year?

    Across Tennessee's top-scoring places the median home value is $446,800, rent $1,726/month and household income $111,424. A rough rule: buying the median home with 20% down needs roughly $117,000 a year in household income — so $50,000 is tight. Renting at the median needs about $69,040.

    What are the best places to live in Tennessee?

    In the Smart Movers Club app, the top-scoring Tennessee cities are Spring Hill, Farragut, Mount Juliet, Germantown, Franklin, and the top counties are Loudon County, Van Buren County, Williamson County, Sumner County. Scores combine income, housing, growth, employment and education.

    Does Tennessee have a state income tax?

    Tennessee does not tax wage income at the state level. Property, sales and other local taxes still apply, so compare the full cost.

    Where does this data come from?

    Figures come from the Smart Movers Club app, which compiles U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates and FBI state crime rates. Census figures are survey estimates, not live listing prices.

    Go deeper

    See every number for Tennessee.

    Neighborhood heat maps, homes for sale, crime, schools, taxes and side-by-side comparisons for 50 states and 270+ cities — all in the Smart Movers Club app.

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    More in Can you afford it?

    Sources and method

    Figures are medians across the top-scoring places the Smart Movers Club app tracks in each state, compiled from public data. Census values are survey estimates, not current listings; crime rates are state-level. This is research, not financial or legal advice.

    Photo: Wikimedia Commons.