
How do you rate Brentwood?
With about 45,000 residents, Brentwood is a wealthy suburb where families usually earn over $184,700 a year. The city is a top choice for corporate leaders and music stars because strict property rules ensure homes stay high-end a...
Why is Brentwood safe?
Personal Safety : 85
Property Safety : 79
Community Safety : 72
$1,610,375
Median Home Rent
$4,500
(View 594 homes)

How do you rate Franklin?
Franklin blends Civil War history with upscale modern living for its 45,500 residents. Its historic Main Street is a premier destination for boutique shopping and locally-owned dining. As a major professional hub, the city hosts c...
Why is Franklin safe?
Personal Safety : 53
Property Safety : 71
Community Safety : 60
$1,050,000
Median Home Rent
$2,750
(View 1,882 homes)

How do you rate Nashville?
Nashville is the state's capital and largest city with 704,500 residents. It’s the economic heart of Tennessee, fueled by healthcare, tech, and music. Vanderbilt and HCA Healthcare are major employers, while Broadway’s honky-tonks...
Why is Nashville safe?
Personal Safety : 0
Property Safety : 7
Community Safety : 23
$558,800
Median Home Rent
$2,132
(View 8,063 homes)

How do you rate Knoxville?
Knoxville is a city of 198,700 people that truly feels like a college town, thanks to the University of Tennessee. Between the university, Covenant Health, and the tech firms in Oak Ridge, there are plenty of stable career paths w...
Why is Knoxville safe?
Personal Safety : 6
Property Safety : 20
Community Safety : 20
$401,000
Median Rent Home
$1,825
(View 2,981 homes)

How do you rate Maryville?
Maryville sits right at the foothills of the Smokies, giving its 32,300 residents a front-row seat to Cades Cove and park trails without the Gatlinburg crowds. The economy is rock-solid, backed by Alcoa and a healthy $79K median i...
Why is Maryville safe?
Personal Safety : 76
Property Safety : 71
Community Safety : 57
$394,500
Median Home Rent
$1,900
(View 639 homes)

How do you rate Johnson City?
Johnson City houses 73,600 people and perfectly blends stunning mountain views with urban growth. East Tennessee State University and a massive healthcare sector anchor the economy, providing thousands of stable jobs. Locals love ...
Why is Johnson City safe?
Personal Safety : 28
Property Safety : 19
Community Safety : 19
$351,325
Median Home Rent
$1,411
(View 14 homes)

How do you rate Chattanooga?
Chattanooga is home to 191,400 people and famous for its super-fast citywide internet. This high-speed fiber is a huge draw for remote workers and startups, supported by a median income of $61,000 and major employers like Volkswag...
Why is Chattanooga safe?
Personal Safety : 1
Property Safety : 10
Community Safety : 13
$345,800
Median Home Rent
$1,600
(View 2,459 homes)

How do you rate Memphis?
Memphis is home to 610,900 neighbors who give the city its soul. It’s a career powerhouse anchored by FedEx, St. Jude, and Baptist Health, with average salaries around $51K. You get serious bang for your buck here, as home prices ...
Why is Memphis safe?
Personal Safety : 2
Property Safety : 0
Community Safety : 6
$227,400
Median Rent Home
$1,235
(View 5,393 homes)

How do you rate Union City?
Union City sits in northwest Tennessee near the Kentucky border with 10,800 residents. It’s a top choice for retirees and first-time buyers because housing is among the state's most affordable. The job market centers on manufactur...
Why is Union City safe?
Personal Safety : 13
Property Safety : 17
Community Safety : 21
$225,000
Median Home Rent
$1,100
(View 5 homes)

How do you rate Brownsville?
In Brownsville, life slows down just enough. It’s a favorite for retirees and first-time buyers who want low taxes and a friendly, small-town vibe. You’ll often see locals grabbing lunch at a downtown diner or visiting the Tina Tu...
Why is Brownsville safe?
Personal Safety : 33
Property Safety : 35
Community Safety : 22
$95,000
Median Rent Home
$1,000
(View 47 homes)
If you're searching for Tennessee cities that balance lower home prices with reasonable cost of living, these options are a good place to start. They offer steady job access, essential amenities, and housing that fits wider budgets which makes them some of the cheapest places to live in Tennessee.
| City | Median Home Price | Median Rent | Cost of Living vs. State Avg. | Affordability Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LaFollette | $425,000 | $1,375 | 7.6/10 | |
| Memphis | $185,000 | $1,235 | 7/10 | |
| Rockwood | $50,000 | $1,300 | 6.6/10 | |
| Kingsport | $290,000 | $1,208 | 5.9/10 | |
| Clarksville | $320,000 | $1,450 | 5.9/10 |
Safety is a top concern for many people moving to Tennessee. These cities rank among the safest towns in Tennessee based on the latest FBI crime data. They report lower rates of violent and property crime than the state average.
To determine the best places to live, we applied a structured, data-driven methodology using verified economic and housing datasets. Our analysis incorporates employment levels and job stability (Bureau of Labor Statistics), cost-of-living benchmarks (C2ER), median home prices and average rents (Houzeo housing data), and income statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau. Each factor was normalized against its respective state average to control for regional cost differences and market size. The combined metrics were then weighted and aggregated to produce a final comparative score, highlighting cities where income levels align more favorably with housing costs, employment conditions remain stable, and overall affordability is stronger relative to the state baseline.
Best Places to Live in tennessee
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