Davidson County vs Rutherford County
Davidson County, Tennessee versus Rutherford County, Tennessee: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Davidson County and Rutherford County score about the same overall (45 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Davidson County | Rutherford County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $72k | $78k |
| Cost of Living | $60k | $60k |
| Home Value | $355k | $305k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.63% | 0.54% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.55% | 9.55% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 6.26% | 5.26% |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | 3.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 39°F | 39°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.1 in | 55.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.7 in | 2.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 183 days | 183 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 70 days | 73 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 97.2 | 91.7 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | — |
| School Quality | 60.7 | 34.5 |
| Violent Crime | 3233/100k | 1968/100k |
| Property Crime | 3949/100k | 1585/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 709,786 | 343,727 |
| Median Age | 34.7 | 34.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.57 | 0.46 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+33 | R+16 |
| White (%) | 55.6% | 67.5% |
| Black (%) | 26.0% | 15.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 10.6% | 9.1% |
| Asian (%) | 3.6% | 3.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.2% | 4.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 10.3/20 | 6.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 7 mi | 23 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.0% | 93.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 9.09 | 8.58 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Davidson County or Rutherford County more affordable?
- Davidson County has the lower cost of living: its index is $60k, compared with Davidson County's $60k and Rutherford County's $60k. Median rent is $1k in Davidson County versus $1k in Rutherford County.
- Is Davidson County or Rutherford County safer?
- Rutherford County has the lower violent crime rate. Davidson County reports 3233/100k and Rutherford County reports 1968/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Davidson County or Rutherford County?
- The median home value is $355k in Davidson County and $305k in Rutherford County, so homes are more affordable in Rutherford County.