Oak Ridge, Tennessee
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 29% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 22% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 38% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 38% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 35% of US places
- top 8% for income tax
- top 10% for estimated total tax burden
- bottom 2% for sales tax
Oak Ridge is a mid-size city in Tennessee with about 32,000 residents. It grades C for getting around and D for weather. Standout strengths include income tax, estimated total tax burden, and natural disaster risk. It rates lower on amenities nearby and sales tax.
Official websitecortn.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet · Light snow
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68%47%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.8 in4.1 in
muggy 98%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$67k57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$49kbetter than 38% of US places
Home Value$212k63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 38% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 41% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.88%better than 58% of US places
Income Tax0.00%better than 92% of US places
Sales Tax9.55%better than 2% of US places
Estimated total tax burden5.92%better than 90% of US places
Unemployment5.6%better than 35% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)38°F67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)78°F63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation59.7 in95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall4.4 inbetter than 68% of US places
Sunny Days211 daysbetter than 27% of US places
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 26% of US places
Comfortable Days78 daysbetter than 40% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk41.6better than 80% of US places
Air Quality46 AQIbetter than 50% of US places
School Quality55.0better than 45% of US places
Violent Crime1225/100kbetter than 26% of US places
Property Crime1774/100kbetter than 24% of US places
Community
Population31,53596th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.945th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3265th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9440th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3358th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)80.5%42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)6.4%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.6%60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.4%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.1%71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 67% of US places
Walkability5.8/20better than 33% of US places
Airport Distance133 mibetter than 23% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access93.0%better than 76% of US places
Amenities Nearby16.49better than 19% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 36% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Oak Ridge an affordable place to live?
- Oak Ridge is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $49k, better than 38% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Oak Ridge?
- The median home value in Oak Ridge is $212k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Oak Ridge?
- Median household income in Oak Ridge is $67k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Oak Ridge?
- Median gross rent in Oak Ridge is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Oak Ridge safe?
- Oak Ridge is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1225/100k (better than 26%). Property crime is 1774/100k.
- What is the weather like in Oak Ridge?
- Oak Ridge averages 78°F in July and 38°F in January, with 59.7 in of annual precipitation and about 211 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Oak Ridge?
- Public-school quality in Oak Ridge is about average, scoring better than 45% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Oak Ridge?
- The average one-way commute in Oak Ridge is 23 min.
Places near Oak Ridge
Compare Oak Ridge
Explore Tennessee
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- 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)