Rutherford County, Tennessee
Among the top 1% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 20% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 7% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 1% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 69% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A+, better than 99% of US counties
- top 3% for broadband access
- top 6% for airport distance
- bottom 4% for sales tax
Rutherford County is a county in Tennessee with about 344,000 residents. It grades A+ for lifestyle & connectivity and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include broadband access, airport distance, and income tax. It rates lower on cost of living and sales tax.
Official websiterutherfordcountytn.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet · Light snow
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63%39%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.2 in3.8 in
muggy 97%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$78k86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$60kbetter than 6% of US counties
Home Value$305k88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 8% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 19% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.54%better than 82% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax9.55%better than 4% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden5.26%better than 90% of US counties
Unemployment3.9%better than 66% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)39°F63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation55.2 in86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall2.1 inbetter than 71% of US counties
Sunny Days183 daysbetter than 7% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 31% of US counties
Comfortable Days73 daysbetter than 33% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk91.7better than 8% of US counties
School Quality34.5better than 7% of US counties
Violent Crime1968/100kbetter than 7% of US counties
Property Crime1585/100kbetter than 23% of US counties
Community
Population343,72793rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age34.07th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4674th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9832nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1627th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)67.5%32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)15.0%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)9.1%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)3.6%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.7%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time28 minbetter than 25% of US counties
Walkability6.5/20better than 64% of US counties
Airport Distance23 mibetter than 94% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access93.1%better than 97% of US counties
Amenities Nearby8.58better than 82% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 79% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Rutherford County an affordable place to live?
- Rutherford County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $60k, better than 6% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Rutherford County?
- The median home value in Rutherford County is $305k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Rutherford County?
- Median household income in Rutherford County is $78k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Rutherford County?
- Median gross rent in Rutherford County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Rutherford County safe?
- Rutherford County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1968/100k (better than 7%). Property crime is 1585/100k.
- What is the weather like in Rutherford County?
- Rutherford County averages 79°F in July and 39°F in January, with 55.2 in of annual precipitation and about 183 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Rutherford County?
- Public-school quality in Rutherford County is below average, scoring better than 7% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Rutherford County?
- The average one-way commute in Rutherford County is 28 min.
Other counties in Tennessee
Explore Tennessee
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)