Cost of Living in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
Is it worth moving here?
How far does a $70,000 salary go in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin? Estimated income taxes on that gross salary total approximately $7,241 per year — Tennessee levies no state income tax, so that figure covers federal tax only. Subtract rent for a 2-bedroom apartment ($1,730/month based on HUD Fair Market Rents for the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin metro area) and the estimated annual take-home is $41,999, or roughly $3,500 per month for everything else: food, transportation, savings, and discretionary spending.
At a $70,000 salary, the estimated 2-bedroom rent in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin represents approximately 30% of gross income. That exceeds the conventional 30% guideline, meaning housing takes a significant share of the budget at this income level. Tennessee's zero income tax helps offset the rent burden compared to otherwise similar cities that also levy state income tax.
Annual Breakdown
Monthly Take-Home
... / mo
Affordability Score
K-12 Schools
See Details →Colleges & Universities
See Details →| Institution | Enrollment | In-State Tuition | Grad Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University | 13,456 | $61,618 | 93.0% |
| Mind Body Institute | 36 | $0 | 91.0% |
| Allied Health Careers Institute | 47 | $0 | 77.0% |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson | 1,229 | $0 | 76.0% |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Hartsville | 701 | $0 | 76.0% |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro | 630 | $0 | 74.0% |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Nashville | 34 | $0 | 73.0% |
| Belmont University | 8,862 | $39,400 | 72.0% |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville | 1,171 | $0 | 71.0% |
| Lipscomb University | 5,047 | $35,848 | 69.0% |
| Image Maker Beauty Institute | 64 | $0 | 67.0% |
| Lincoln College of Technology-Nashville | 1,062 | $0 | 64.0% |
| Welch College | 389 | $20,796 | 61.0% |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Murfreesboro-Nashville | 266 | $0 | 61.0% |
| Empire Beauty School-Nashville | 125 | $0 | 60.0% |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Murfreesboro | 231 | $0 | 59.0% |
| Remington College-Nashville Campus | 279 | $21,230 | 58.0% |
| Nashville Film Institute | 33 | $0 | 56.0% |
| Trevecca Nazarene University | 3,196 | $28,590 | 55.0% |
| Middle Tennessee State University | 20,183 | $7,536 | 54.0% |
| Fortis Institute-Nashville | 392 | $15,056 | 52.0% |
| Williamson Christian College | 57 | $13,560 | 50.0% |
| Master's Barber & Styling College | 26 | $0 | 50.0% |
| Genesis Career College-Lebanon | 98 | $0 | 49.0% |
| Cumberland University | 3,072 | $26,640 | 47.0% |
| SAE Institute of Technology-Nashville | 1,800 | $14,816 | 46.0% |
| Fisk University | 1,005 | $22,320 | 44.0% |
| Nossi College of Art and Design | 278 | $20,100 | 35.0% |
| Tennessee State University | 8,198 | $7,320 | 33.0% |
| American Baptist College | 48 | $11,160 | 33.0% |
| Columbia State Community College | 5,115 | $4,564 | 31.0% |
| John A Gupton College | 160 | $10,980 | 31.0% |
| Volunteer State Community College | 6,605 | $4,224 | 24.0% |
| Nashville State Community College | 6,608 | $4,224 | 17.0% |
| Meharry Medical College | 1,083 | $0 | — |
| Meridian Institute of Surgical Assisting | 788 | $0 | — |
| Galen Health Institutes-Nashville Campus | 763 | $16,200 | — |
| Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia Inc | 308 | $0 | — |
| Franklin Hair Academy School of Cosmetology | 75 | $0 | — |
| Herzing University-Nashville | 75 | $12,360 | — |