States › Tennessee › Oak Ridge

Is Oak Ridge, TN expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 22 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,43718% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$77,987about $6,499/month · 10% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$270,20019% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 62% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.5 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $57,480 a year. That is $28 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Tennessee cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of Tennessee. It is number 69 of 114 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Oak Ridge
$1,437
Maryville
$1,682
Morristown
$1,262
Cookeville
$1,171
Bristol
$1,027
La Vergne
$2,183
Germantown
$2,820

How much do households earn in Oak Ridge?

Under $25k
12.6%
$25k–50k
25.8%
$50k–100k
32.5%
$100k–150k
14.6%
$150k+
11.7%

Share of households by yearly income. 26.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Oak Ridge

SizeOak RidgeU.S. average
1 bedroom$879$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,181$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,385$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,398$2,098

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

How expensive is Oak Ridge 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 Oak Ridge, so the Tennessee figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Oak Ridge

🏛️ Property tax$1,835a year · 0.68% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$180a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Oak Ridge

Commute to work21.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree40.2%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home65.8%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line12.2%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment3.8%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Oak Ridge?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $438 a month less.

Renting
$1,437
Owning
$1,875

Owning assumes a typical $270,200 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $27,020 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Oak Ridge, TN?

Renting in Oak Ridge costs a median of about $1,437 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Tennessee median is $1,279.

How much do I need to make to live in Oak Ridge?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $57,480 a year, or $28 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Oak Ridge cheap or expensive?

Oak Ridge is rated OK: rent takes 22.1% of the typical household income of $77,987. It ranks 69th cheapest of 114 Tennessee cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Oak Ridge?

The median homeowner in Oak Ridge pays $1,835 a year in property taxes, about 0.68% of the median home value.

Is Oak Ridge 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 Oak Ridge?

The median home value in Oak Ridge is $270,200, about 3.5 times the typical yearly household income.

32,693 people live in Oak Ridge. Numbers are typical (middle) values.