States › Tennessee › Jefferson City

Is Jefferson City, TN expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 21 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,16234% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$65,398about $5,450/month · 25% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$213,20036% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 78% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.3 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $46,480 a year. That is $22 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Tennessee cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Tennessee. It is number 45 of 114 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Jefferson City
$1,162
Covington
$982
Signal Mountain
$1,949
Thompson's Station
$2,197
Pulaski
$832
Milan
$847
Harrison
$1,279

How much do households earn in Jefferson City?

Under $25k
22.7%
$25k–50k
22.0%
$50k–100k
38.4%
$100k–150k
10.2%
$150k+
4.1%

Share of households by yearly income. 14.3% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Jefferson City

SizeJefferson CityU.S. average
Studio$553$1,338
1 bedroom$867$1,324
2 bedrooms$913$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,354$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Jefferson City overall?

Everyday prices in Tennessee overall are 8% below the U.S. average (index 91.9, U.S. = 100).

Housing
79
Goods (food, clothes…)
96
Utilities
72
Other services
95
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Jefferson City, so the Tennessee figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Jefferson City

🏛️ Property tax$1,045a year · 0.49% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$146a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Jefferson City

Commute to work26.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree19.6%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home51.1%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line19%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment6.1%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Jefferson City?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $317 a month less.

Renting
$1,162
Owning
$1,479

Owning assumes a typical $213,200 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $21,320 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Jefferson City, TN?

Renting in Jefferson City costs a median of about $1,162 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Tennessee median is $1,279.

How much do I need to make to live in Jefferson City?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $46,480 a year, or $22 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Jefferson City cheap or expensive?

Jefferson City is rated OK: rent takes 21.3% of the typical household income of $65,398. It ranks 45th cheapest of 114 Tennessee cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Jefferson City?

The median homeowner in Jefferson City pays $1,045 a year in property taxes, about 0.49% of the median home value.

Is Jefferson City more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Tennessee are 8% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Jefferson City?

The median home value in Jefferson City is $213,200, about 3.3 times the typical yearly household income.

8,579 people live in Jefferson City. Numbers are typical (middle) values.