Tennessee City Comparison Guide

Moving to Tennessee is exciting — but choosing the right city can feel overwhelming. Each city offers a different lifestyle, cost of living, job market, and housing options. This guide breaks down Tennessee’s most popular cities side by side so you can confidently decide where to live.

How to Use This Guide

Use this guide to:

Tennessee Cities at a Glance

City

Best Known For

Lifestyle

Cost of Living

Housing Options

Nashville

Music, jobs, growth

Fast-paced urban

Higher

Apartments, condos, homes

Knoxville

Outdoor + city balance

Relaxed

Moderate

Homes, condos, rentals

Chattanooga

Scenic & tech growth

Active lifestyle

Moderate

Homes, rentals

Johnson City

Small city charm

Quiet & affordable

Low

Homes, rentals

Kingsport

Family-friendly

Suburban

Low

Homes

Bristol

Border city charm

Small town

Low

Homes, rentals

Memphis

Culture & affordability

Urban

Low-moderate

Homes, rentals

Franklin

Historic & upscale

Suburban luxury

Higher

Homes

Murfreesboro

Commuter city

Suburban

Moderate

Homes, rentals

Clarksville

Military & growth

Family-friendly

Moderate

Homes, rentals

Cookeville

College town

Quiet

Low

Homes

Jackson

Regional hub

Affordable

Low

Homes, rentals

Tennessee Cities at a Glance

City :

Best Known For :

Lifestyle :

Cost of Living :

Housing Options :

Nashville

Music, jobs, growth

Fast-paced urban

Higher

Apartments, condos, homes

Knoxville

Outdoor + city balance

Relaxed

Moderate

Homes, condos, rentals

Chattanooga

Scenic & tech growth

Active lifestyle

Moderate

Homes, rentals

Johnson City

Small city charm

Quiet & affordable

Low

Homes, rentals

Kingsport

Family-friendly

Suburban

Low

Homes

Bristol

Border city charm

Small town

Low

Homes, rentals

Memphis

Culture & affordability

Urban

Low-moderate

Homes, rentals

Franklin

Historic & upscale

Suburban luxury

Higher

Homes

Murfreesboro

Commuter city

Suburban

Moderate

Homes, rentals

Clarksville

Military & growth

Family-friendly

Moderate

Homes, rentals

Cookeville

College town

Quiet

Low

Homes

Jackson

Regional hub

Affordable

Low

Homes, rentals

City-by-City Breakdown

Nashville

Knoxville

Chattanooga

Johnson City

Kingsport

Bristol

Memphis

Franklin

Murfreesboro

Clarksville

Cookeville

Jackson

Which City Is Right for You?

Rent or Buy?

Many people relocating to Tennessee choose to rent first, explore neighborhoods, and then buy once they’re confident in their location.

Start Exploring Tennessee

Choosing the right city is the most important part of your move. Use this guide as your starting point, then explore city pages, rentals, and homes to take the next step.