CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

36.17° N · 86.78° W · GEOID 4752006

Nashville-Davidson

Davidson County, Tennessee · part of the Nashville, TN metro

TennesseeNashville-Davidson, TNNashville-DavidsonNashville-Davidson

The short answer

Nashville-Davidson is home to 690,130 people. Median household income is $77,371 a year and median rent is $1,586 a month, 24.6% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $413,600, about 5.3x annual median household income.

The story in Nashville-Davidson is how fast things are changing. Rent rose 7.6% a year while household income rose 5.3% between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, rent outran pay by more than in 93% of cities its size. Also notable: Home value growth is 11.6% a year, against 9.6% a year in its closest peers.

26OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Below average

Nashville-Davidson scores better than 26% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 78th of 112 in Tennessee.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%21
Economy 20%54
Safety 20%3
Amenities 15%59
Education 10%77
Commute 10%52
Growth 5%73
Median gross rent
$1,586
16% above the median place
Median household income
$77,371
4% below the median place
Median home value
$413,600
29% above the median place
Unemployment
4.5%
8% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Nashville-Davidson

  • Life nearbyOpenStreetMap shows 2.4 grocery stores per 10,000 residents, more than in 86% of the 91 cities of 250,000 or more we track.
01

Moving to Nashville-Davidson

Davidson County loses about 7.5 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in44,251
Moved out48,296
Net−4,045

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Rutherford County, TN3,7356,012−2,277
Williamson County, TN3,1694,157−988
Sumner County, TN2,0783,475−1,397
Wilson County, TN1,6983,643−1,945
Montgomery County, TN1,1042,130−1,026
Robertson County, TN6051,160−555

Within Tennessee, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within TennesseeOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$82K
Leavers$83K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Davidson County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
9.0% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 5.2% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Davidson County report $82,200 a year in income on average; those leaving, $83,200.
Income you would need
$63,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,586 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,898 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $413,600.
Getting to work
25 minutes each way on average; 20.4% work from home; 1.5% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Boise City, ID matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
5.2%
160% above the median place
Moved here in the past year1
9.0%
57% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
-7.5
below the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureNashville-DavidsonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year19.0%57% above
Moved from another state15.2%160% above
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-7.5below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$82,18116% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$83,18018% above
02

What it costs to live here

Homeowners pay a median of about 0.6% of home value a year in property tax, less than in 81% of the 91 cities of 250,000 or more we track.

Nashville-Davidson24.6%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$63,440
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
24.6%
21% above the median place
Home price to income
5.3x
41% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
25%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$61,200
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Nashville-Davidson, $1,586 a month, and local prices for everything else (94.6 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Nashville-Davidson, but easier on the budget

Places that match Nashville-Davidson on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Boise City, ID8720.7% vs 24.6%$7,000Compare
Overland Park, KS8317.3% vs 24.6%$30,800Compare
Sioux Falls, SD7316.3% vs 24.6%$6,500Compare
Alexandria, VA7020.9% vs 24.6%$32,800Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Nashville-Davidson.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Nashville-Davidson? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Property tax rate1
0.6%
34% below the median place
Homeownership1
52.4%
21% below the median place
Median year built1
1987
0% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureNashville-DavidsonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,58616% above
Rent to income124.6%21% above
Property tax rate10.6%34% below
Home price to income15.3x41% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure96.35% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,79811% above
Property tax paid (median)1$2,47224% below
Median home value1$413,60029% above
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure1.0%68% below
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure48.7%5% below
Homeownership152.4%21% below
Renters paying 30%+153.8%6% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,8981% above
Vacant homes19.1%28% above
Median year built119870% above
03

Work and pay

Works from home is 20.4%, 64% above the median place.

Works from home1
20.4%
64% above the median place
Income per person1
$49,061
22% above the median place
Poverty rate1
14.1%
31% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Commutes by transit1.5% +72%
Unemployment4.5% −8%
Median household income$77,371 −4%
Mean commute25 min −1%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureNashville-DavidsonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$77,3714% below
Income per person1$49,06122% above
Unemployment14.5%8% below
Average annual pay5County figure$86,19931% above
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure3.7%0% above
Jobs5County figure554,677268% above
Poverty rate114.1%31% above
Mean commute125 min1% below
Works from home120.4%64% above
Commutes by transit11.5%72% above
04

Who lives here

Household size is 2.1, 15% below the median place.

Household size1
2.1
15% below the median place
No health insurance1
12.8%
100% above the median place
Median age1
34.5
12% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Bachelor's or higher48.0% +50%
Born abroad15.3% +73%
High school or higher90.8% −2%
Homes with broadband92.6% +0%
All 9 people measures
MeasureNashville-DavidsonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population1690,13021st largest
Population change since 202064.6%299% above
Median age134.512% below
Bachelor's or higher148.0%50% above
High school or higher190.8%2% below
Household size12.115% below
Born abroad115.3%73% above
No health insurance112.8%100% above
Homes with broadband192.6%0% above
05

Life in Nashville-Davidson

About 279 km of named paths and bike trails are mapped in and around the city, more than in 81% of the 91 cities of 250,000 or more we track. It is the highest of 112 Tennessee places we track.

Founded or incorporated in 1779. 211 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 11 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents6.3 −39%
Playgrounds per 10k6.9 −27%
Grocery stores per 10k2.4 +14%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k16.5 +48%
Libraries per 10k0.8 −5%
Named paths and bike trails279 km 139.4×
Bus and rail stops per sq mi3.8 18.1×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Stones River National Battlefield 28 miles
  • Fort Donelson National Battlefield 64 miles
  • Mammoth Cave National Park 80 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars31.6 +52%
Shops38.0 +25%
Arts, recreation and fitness15.0 3.7×
Doctors' offices and clinics26.8 +33%
Child care centers1.7 −26%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site10
28.0
9% below the median place
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8
15.0
266% above the median place
Restaurants and bars per 10k8
31.6
52% above the median place
All 17 schools and local life measures
MeasureNashville-DavidsonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools13County figure173above (median 9)
Public school students13County figure84,879above (median 4,897)
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure31.652% above
Shops per 10k8County figure38.025% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure15.0266% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure26.833% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure1.726% below
Parks per 10k96.339% below
Playgrounds per 10k96.927% below
Grocery stores per 10k92.414% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k916.548% above
Libraries per 10k90.85% below
Named paths and bike trails9278.8above (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi93.8above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1028.09% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles10150% below
National Register listings11County figure211above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

The city police department reported 944 violent offenses per 100,000 residents, more than in 84% of the 87 cities of 250,000 or more we track.

Violent crime per 100k
944
392% above the median place
Property crime per 100k
3,831
216% above the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

Tornado risk15
97.9
20% above the median place
Annual precipitation14
52.1 in
19% above the median place
Good air days16
52.9%
23% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureNashville-DavidsonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high14County figure90°F3% above
January average low14County figure29°F15% above
Average temperature14County figure59°F8% above
Annual precipitation14County figure52.1 in19% above
Natural hazard risk15County figure97.25% above
Hurricane risk15County figure53.624% below
Tornado risk15County figure97.920% above
Wildfire risk15County figure57.56% below
Heat wave risk15County figure95.46% above
Median air quality index16County figure4914% above
Good air days16County figure52.9%23% below
08

Nashville-Davidson in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 25% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 25% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Nashville-Davidson does better than 19% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 85%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,586/mo (2024)$2,060/mo$1,690 to $2,510/mo+4.4%
Median household income$77,371 (2024)$98,500$83,000 to $116,500+4.1%
Median home value$413,600 (2024)$611,000$444,000 to $842,000+6.7%
Population721,074 (2025)746,550716,110 to 778,290+0.7%

The median home would be worth 6.2 years of the median income in 2030, against 5.3 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Nashville-Davidson

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Cockeysville, MD$1,603$77,680Compare
Charlotte, NC$1,612$82,068Compare
Marietta, GA$1,586$72,725Compare
Wells Branch, TX$1,544$66,656Compare
Wells Branch, TXMarietta, GACharlotte, NCCockeysville, MDNashville-Davidson, TNNashville-DavidsonCockeysvilleCharlotteMariettaWells BranchNashville-DavidsonCockeysvilleCharlotteMariettaWells Branch

Places built like Nashville-Davidson

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Nashville-Davidson performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Nashville-Davidson, TN24.6%5.3%/yr4.6%
Lexington-Fayette, KY20.1%3.9%/yr2.2%Compare
Tampa, FL27.0%7.0%/yr7.3%Compare
Columbus, OH23.5%4.2%/yr3.5%Compare
Raleigh, NC22.1%4.9%/yr8.2%Compare
Huntsville, AL18.8%6.2%/yr8.7%Compare
Colorado Springs, CO23.3%5.6%/yr3.1%Compare

Common questions

Is Nashville-Davidson a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 26 out of 100, better than 26% of the places we rate and 78th of 112 in Tennessee. OpenStreetMap shows 2.4 grocery stores per 10,000 residents, more than in 86% of the 91 cities of 250,000 or more we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 3 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Nashville-Davidson expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 24.6% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $413,600.

What salary do you need to live in Nashville-Davidson?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $63,440 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Nashville-Davidson safe?

There were 944 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Nashville-Davidson?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Cockeysville, MD, Charlotte, NC, Marietta, GA and Wells Branch, TX.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  13. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  14. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  15. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  16. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Nashville-Davidson with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Nashville-Davidson itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/nashville-davidson-tennessee

Citytistics. “Nashville-Davidson, Tennessee.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/nashville-davidson-tennessee/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.