Hamilton County vs Rutherford County
Hamilton 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.
Hamilton County and Rutherford County score about the same overall (43 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hamilton County | Rutherford County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $69k | $78k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $60k |
| Home Value | $251k | $305k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.73% | 0.54% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.55% | 9.55% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 5.81% | 5.26% |
| Unemployment | 4.4% | 3.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 39°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.2 in | 55.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.9 in | 2.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 221 days | 183 days |
| Summer Humidity | 69°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 79 days | 73 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 93.3 | 91.7 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | — |
| School Quality | 38.0 | 34.5 |
| Violent Crime | 1813/100k | 1968/100k |
| Property Crime | 3083/100k | 1585/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 367,193 | 343,727 |
| Median Age | 39.7 | 34.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.44 | 0.46 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+16 |
| White (%) | 70.1% | 67.5% |
| Black (%) | 17.7% | 15.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.2% | 9.1% |
| Asian (%) | 1.9% | 3.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 7.8/20 | 6.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 103 mi | 23 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.7% | 93.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.93 | 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 Hamilton County or Rutherford County more affordable?
- Hamilton County has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Hamilton County's $53k and Rutherford County's $60k. Median rent is $1k in Hamilton County versus $1k in Rutherford County.
- Is Hamilton County or Rutherford County safer?
- Hamilton County has the lower violent crime rate. Hamilton County reports 1813/100k and Rutherford County reports 1968/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hamilton County or Rutherford County?
- The median home value is $251k in Hamilton County and $305k in Rutherford County, so homes are more affordable in Hamilton County.