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Tennessee

R+24  ·  Low tax burden  ·  COL index 92

A

0%

Income Tax

668

Violent Crime / 100K

74.2

Life Expectancy

$350K

Median Home

$1,000

Childcare / Mo

State Profile

43/100
255075100TAXES79SAFETY19HEALTH22SCHOOLS18AFFORDABLE83LONGEVITY35

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Get notified when Tennessee tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Taxes

Income Tax

Hall income tax on dividends/interest repealed 2021

None

Property Tax

~$1,575/yr on median home

0.45% / yr

Sales Tax

9.55% avg

Social Security

Exempt

Pension / IRA

Fully Exempt

Estate Tax

None

Inheritance Tax

None

Capital Gains

Not taxed

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

92

Median Home Price

$350,000

Median Rent (2BR)

$1,400/mo

Home Insurance

Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)

$2,000/yr

Flood Insurance

$700/yr

Homestead Exemption

Home equity protected from creditors

$25,000

Asset Protection

Weak

Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate

Well above national avg

668 / 100K

Property Crime Rate

Near national avg

2,752 / 100K

Traffic Fatality Rate

14.2 / 100K

Healthcare

State Healthcare Rank

#39 of 50

Life Expectancy

74.2 yrs

Medicaid Expansion

Not Expanded

Uninsured Rate

10.4%

Education

K-12 Quality Rank

Bottom 10 nationally

#41 of 50

School Choice / Vouchers

Available

Childcare

Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)

$1,000/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

Avg Monthly Energy Bill

$130/mo

Avg Monthly Groceries

2-person household, moderate spending

$420/mo

Road Quality Rank

#10 of 50

Airports & Travel

Nonstop Destinations

From state's primary airport

135+ routes

Major Hub Airport

Top-25 US airport by passengers

Yes

Culture & Lifestyle

Urban Population

Mix of urban and rural

66% urban

Restaurant Density

490/100K

Religious Congregations

Strong religious community

265/100K

Pro Sports Teams

NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS

4 teams

Major Venues

Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)

8 venues

Craft Breweries

1.9/100K residents — Growing

130 breweries

Craft Distilleries

Strong spirits scene

90 distilleries

Live Music

Nashville country + everything; Memphis blues; Jack Daniel's + George Dickel; Bonnaroo 90 min from Nashville

World-class

Transportation

Car Insurance (Avg Annual)

$1,530

Traffic Fatality Rate

14.2 / 100K

Broadband Access

81% of households

Social & Legal

Abortion Access

Near-total ban; trigger law took effect after Dobbs

Banned

LGBTQ+ Protections

Hostile

Marijuana

Illegal

Minimum Wage

$7.25/hr

Right to Work

Yes

Sports Betting

Legal

Casino Gambling

No casinos

Online Gambling

Illegal

State Lottery

No casinos but sports betting legal since 2020 (mobile only). Lottery funds education (HOPE scholarships).

Yes

Age of Consent

18

Sex Education

Sex ed required by state

Abstinence-only

Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs

Rock Haven Lodge · Tennessee Naturists

Clubs only

Environment & Climate

Air Quality (Annual AQI)

Near national avg

36

Natural Disaster Risk

Moderate

Primary Hazards

tornadofloodice-storm

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

R+24

Gun Laws

Gun ControlF
2A LibertyA+

Carry Permit

No permit required

Purchase Permit Required

No

Gambling

Not Legal

Hunting & Outdoors

Public Land6% of state
Resident Deer License$34
Deer Archery SeasonSep 28 – Nov 3
CrossbowFull season

Strong deer and turkey hunting culture. 628,000 acres of Wildlife Management Areas open to public hunting.

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency — Official Season Dates ↗

Finding nearby venues...

From r/hunting

Best state to live in for a hunter? : r/Hunting

Other states offer deer elk and Antelope. Plus they have many roads that you can travel on and have access to hunting. Deer season was shoul...

reddit.com ↗

Cheapest OTC out of state deer tags : r/Hunting

Bow season starts as early as Oct. 1st. TOTAL cost with adjustment is $399.50. Licenses for 25'-26' go on sale starting 8/25/25. October is ...

reddit.com ↗

Any of yall hunt eastern TN public land?

If there's elk in that spot, does that mean there won't be deer? When is the peak Rut? I've heard late November/early December?...

reddit.com ↗

Best state to hunt deer/elk/hog in with a rifle (assuming you ...

Tennessee has decent amount of hogs, and a few opportunities for hunting elk. Season length, bag limit, and sex limits vary wildly across .....

reddit.com ↗

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Jobs & Economy

Job Market

+2.2% job growth · 3.4% unemployment

Strong

Top Industries

HealthcareAutomotiveLogistics

Tech Jobs

#23 of 50

Healthcare Jobs

#11 of 50

Remote Work

18% of workers

Median Household Income

$64,035

Business Climate

Corporate Income Tax

6.5%

LLC Formation Fee

$300 one-time

LLC Annual Fee

$300/yr

Business Climate Rank

#24 of 50

Franchise and excise taxes apply; $300 LLC minimum franchise tax

Daily Life

Gas Price (Regular)

Well below avg (-0.33 vs national avg)

$2.97/gal

Consumer Fireworks

Consumer fireworks broadly legal; local option to restrict

Legal

Weather & Natural Risks

Winter Severity

Avg January high: 48°F

Mild

Summer Heat

Hot summers

91°F avg July

Annual Rainfall

54" / yr

Tornado Risk

Moderate

Hurricane Risk

Very Low

Wildfire Risk

Low

Flood Risk

Moderate

Natural Hazards

50HIGH danger
Brown recluse zoneNew Madrid fault zoneCopperhead density HIGHTornado Dixie Alley

Venomous Snakes

High

Spider Hazard

Brown Recluse Zone

Hurricane Risk

Low

Tornado Risk

High

Wildfire Risk

Moderate

Earthquake Risk

High

Armadillo Leprosy Risk

Moderate

Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗

Veteran Benefits

Veteran-Friendly Score

8.3% of state population are veterans

79/100

Property Tax Exemption

100% disabled: up to $175K exemption

Partial

Military Retirement Pay

Tax Exempt

Active Duty Pay

Tax Exempt

VA Facilities Access

Good

Notable Benefits

No income tax. Military retirement fully exempt.

Explore Tennessee counties

Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county

Explore Counties

See your full cost of living in Tennessee

Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.

Calculate

Compare Similar States

TN vs GA

Tennessee vs Georgia

COL 92 vs 91 · No vs 5.49% income tax

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TN vs LA

Tennessee vs Louisiana

COL 92 vs 91 · No vs 3% income tax

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TN vs NE

Tennessee vs Nebraska

COL 92 vs 91 · No vs 3.99% income tax

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TN vs SC

Tennessee vs South Carolina

COL 92 vs 93 · No vs 6.2% income tax

Full comparison →

Trending in Tennessee

PAC ad tries to paint John Rose as former Democrat - Nashville Banner

Nashville Banner · Jul 24

Tennessee GOP governor candidates on education, public safety and immigration - WVLT

WVLT · Jul 24

Tennessee governor candidates weigh in on data center growth and new technology - Local 3 News

Local 3 News · Jul 24

PAC accuses Rose of being a Democrat as Tennessee governor’s race intensifies - Chattanooga Times Free Press

Chattanooga Times Free Press · Jul 24

Sen. Bill Hagerty endorses Marsha Blackburn for Tennessee governor - WJHL

WJHL · Jul 23

What Residents Say

How is living in the state of Tennessee? : r/howislivingthere

Tennessee has no state income tax and property taxes are low . Real estate prices are up because of the surge of people moving in . It's called ......

reddit.com ↗

something i keep seeing with people who moved here ...

the no income tax helps and the overall cost of living is lower. the cost of living is less, food is cheaper and not to mention the sales tax ......

reddit.com ↗

Moving for tax reasons : r/SameGrassButGreener

Property taxes are actually pretty low in TN, it's ranked the 15th lowest in the US. Sales tax however is very high....

reddit.com ↗

r/Moving_To_Tennessee

Depending on the taxing district, the annual property tax on a $600,000 home is approximately $2,349 to $3,095....

reddit.com ↗

Georgia vs Tennessee Side - Genuine Question

Same situation in TN will cost you 2k in property taxes annually. These are rough state averages. The 2% differential in sales tax is a moot ......

reddit.com ↗

People who can no longer afford Tennessee where are ...

Quality of life is astronomically better in every way and it's the same prices as Nashville. We do pay state income tax, but being a well run ......

reddit.com ↗

Considering moving from Tennessee : r/lincoln

Property taxes are really high so are cost of home insurance and utilities. quite a bit more expensive. property tax shock. taxes are higher on ......

reddit.com ↗

Should I move to Texas or Tennessee? From NC and I've ...

Should I move to Texas or Tennessee? From NC and I've heard TX is affordable, but your property taxes are high. Looking at moving to El Paso....

reddit.com ↗

Moving to Tennessee?

Hello my fellow night owls (if you’re reading this at 2am as I post this). I am traveling to Tennessee later this month with my soon to be fiancé. ......

reddit.com ↗

Thinking of moving to TN or NC : r/AskFlorida

I am thinking of relocating out of Florida. I am not sure to which state or city yet but I was considering NC or TN to start. For anyone that has worked ......

reddit.com ↗

Stay Current

Get notified when Tennessee tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Tennessee Guides

relocation

Tennessee vs. Florida: Which Is Better for Retirees?

Both states have no income tax and no tax on Social Security, but the retirement math looks very dif

relocation

Moving to Tennessee: No Income Tax and Growing Fast

Tennessee keeps every dollar of your paycheck that other states would claim as income tax. But the s

taxes

Tennessee's Tax Advantage: The Full Picture

Tennessee has no state income tax and no tax on Social Security, pension, or investment income. But

Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.

Your Priorities

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Quick Profiles

Dial in your priorities

Annual Income

$150K

Affects effective income tax rate

$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0

Affects pension and SS tax burden

None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None

Annual Social Security benefit

None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K

Affects property tax burden

Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K

Compared to state median home price

Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care

Compared to state median 2BR rent

Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care

State unemployment and job growth

Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care

Direct flight destinations from state hubs

Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city

% urban population

Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care

Annual sunny days per state

Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care

Restaurants per 100K residents

Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral

State's political lean

LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral

State gun law grade (Giffords)

Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral

State abortion access policy

Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None

Congregations per 100K residents

AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care

Pro sports teams and major venues

Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral

State cannabis legality

Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral

% population 65+ (Census)

Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral

% adults never-married (Census)

Singles sceneFamily community

Safety / Low Crime

Don't care

Violent crime rate per 100K (FBI)

Don't careVery safe

School Quality

Don't care

K-12 rank (Education Week)

Don't careTop-ranked

Healthcare Access

Don't care

Healthcare system rank (Commonwealth Fund)

Don't careTop-ranked

Childcare Affordability

Don't care

Cost of living proxy for childcare affordability

Don't careMust be affordable