Tennessee
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 61% of US states
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 16% of US states
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 14% of US states
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 15% of US states
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 43% of US states
- top 4% for estimated total tax burden
- top 8% for income tax
- bottom 2% for sales tax
Tennessee is a U.S. state with about 6,924,000 residents. It grades B for affordability and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include estimated total tax burden, income tax, and park & nature access. It rates lower on violent crime and sales tax.
Official websitetn.gov (opens in new tab)
- The median home value in Tennessee is $244k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Tennessee is $66k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Tennessee is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Tennessee has a violent crime rate of 2011/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Tennessee is 26 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$66k20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$51kbetter than 56% of US states
Home Value$244k41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 57% of US states
Monthly Owner Costs$76kbetter than 55% of US states
Property Tax Rate0.64%better than 71% of US states
Income Tax0.04%better than 92% of US states
Sales Tax9.55%better than 2% of US states
Estimated total tax burden5.48%better than 96% of US states
Unemployment5.1%better than 55% of US states
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)39°F69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation55.1 in90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall3.8 inbetter than 76% of US states
Sunny Days206 daysbetter than 27% of US states
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 20% of US states
Comfortable Days75 daysbetter than 32% of US states
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk77.7better than 63% of US states
Air Quality47 AQIbetter than 50% of US states
School Quality39.2better than 12% of US states
Violent Crime2011/100kbetter than 6% of US states
Property Crime2340/100kbetter than 18% of US states
Community
Population6,923,77271st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.357th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3439th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9727th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2382nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)72.6%57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)16.1%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.0%29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.8%31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.5%20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time26 minbetter than 45% of US states
Walkability7.0/20better than 10% of US states
Airport Distance68 mibetter than 37% of US states
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.8%better than 20% of US states
Amenities Nearby4.45better than 59% of US states
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 82% of US states
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)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Tennessee an affordable place to live?
- Tennessee is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $51k, better than 56% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Tennessee safe?
- Tennessee is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2011/100k (better than 6%). Property crime is 2340/100k.
- What is the weather like in Tennessee?
- Tennessee averages 79°F in July and 39°F in January, with 55.1 in of annual precipitation and about 206 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Tennessee?
- Public-school quality in Tennessee is below average, scoring better than 12% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Tennessee?
- The average one-way commute in Tennessee is 26 min.