Tennessee

Can You Live in Tennessee on $50K a Year?

Can You Live in Tennessee on $50K a Year: median home values, rent and household income from the app, with a simple income check you can run yourself.

Updated October 2026 · Smart Movers Club research desk

Quick answer

Across Tennessee's top-scoring places the median home value is $446,800, rent $1,726/month and household income $111,424. A rough rule: buying the median home with 20% down needs roughly $117,000 a year in household income — so $50,000 is tight. Renting at the median needs about $69,040.

Median home value

$446,800

Top-scoring places

Median rent

$1,726/mo

Household income

$111,424

Violent crime / 100k

499

Tennessee, 2025

Population change

+2.2%

Tracked places + counties

Home value change

+11.0%

State wage income tax

None

Home value ÷ income

4.0×

Top-scoring Tennessee cities in the app
PlaceScoreHome valueRentIncomePop. change
Spring Hill, TN81$452,400$1,738$106,658+4.4%
Farragut, TN79$513,100$1,691$142,402+2.2%
Mount Juliet, TN71$423,000$1,875$107,847+3.3%
Germantown, TN67$441,200$1,760$144,799-0.7%
Franklin, TN66$646,300$1,861$115,000+2.3%
Brentwood, TN63$926,700$2,497$184,720+1.0%
Top-scoring Tennessee counties
PlaceScoreHome valueRentIncomePop. change
Loudon County78$292,600$995$80,296+2.7%
Van Buren County75$149,200$705$60,281+1.8%
Williamson County75$673,700$1,895$131,202+2.3%
Sumner County72$364,000$1,339$86,005+1.9%
Wilson County72$397,000$1,370$94,048+3.0%
Maury County68$307,500$1,206$74,162+2.8%

Verdict factors to check before you decide

  1. 1Price the whole address: taxes, insurance, utilities and HOA, not just the listing.
  2. 2Confirm the exact city, county and school assignment for the address.
  3. 3Drive the commute at the hours you will actually travel.
  4. 4Check flood, heat and storm exposure on official maps.
  5. 5Compare crime at the jurisdiction level, then visit at night.

Frequently asked questions

Can You Live in Tennessee on $50K a Year?

Across Tennessee's top-scoring places the median home value is $446,800, rent $1,726/month and household income $111,424. A rough rule: buying the median home with 20% down needs roughly $117,000 a year in household income — so $50,000 is tight. Renting at the median needs about $69,040.

What are the best places to live in Tennessee?

In the Smart Movers Club app, the top-scoring Tennessee cities are Spring Hill, Farragut, Mount Juliet, Germantown, Franklin, and the top counties are Loudon County, Van Buren County, Williamson County, Sumner County. Scores combine income, housing, growth, employment and education.

Does Tennessee have a state income tax?

Tennessee does not tax wage income at the state level. Property, sales and other local taxes still apply, so compare the full cost.

Where does this data come from?

Figures come from the Smart Movers Club app, which compiles U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates and FBI state crime rates. Census figures are survey estimates, not live listing prices.

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Sources and method

Figures are medians across the top-scoring places the Smart Movers Club app tracks in each state, compiled from public data. Census values are survey estimates, not current listings; crime rates are state-level. This is research, not financial or legal advice.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons.