THE COST OF LIVING, WEATHER AND OTHER..."MOVING TO TENNESSEE FOR DUMMIES"

There is so much to do, so much to see in Tennessee. It's exciting to be able to drive anywhere in a matter of a day or just a few hours in many cases.

Hawaii was around and around the island and the same old tourist destinations over and over when someone came to visit. Idaho is beautiful, but add grey cold weather 6+ months of the year, loses its luster fast.

I guess I'm simply a wanderlust.

When we learned the name Tennessee means the " Gathering Place", that was it for us.

Here’s some cool and fun facts about Tennessee.

Tennessee is tied with Missouri for sharing borders with eight states. Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri. Add 8-10 hours to Florida or the Carolina Coast....just pick one.

Temperatures are comfortable, and the weather is very sunny. Just bring some layers for the cooler evenings - no need to worry about much rain! Winter months, while lacking snow most of the time, will still be cold. Warm coats (and sometimes scarves and hats) are must-bring items. If you're visiting the Smokey Mountains, it may be colder in the winter.

Tennessee gets 53 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

The average is 5 inches of snow a year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 207 sunny days per year. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Tennessee gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 116 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted, you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.

Weather

Summer High: The July high is around 88 degrees.

Winter Low: the January low is 27
Rain: averages 53 inches of rain a year.

Snow: averages 5 inches of snow a year

If you’re planning to move to Tennessee, your wallet might get a nice break. Why? Tennessee is among the most affordable 10 states, at No. 6, according to MERIC data from third Q 2021.

You could hop down to Mississippi (the lowest cost of living among 50 states and the District of Columbia), Alabama (fourth lowest), or Georgia (fifth lowest), but Tennessee is more affordable than nearby states like Arkansas, Kentucky, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida.

What is the average cost of living in Tennessee? The total yearly personal consumption cost is $37,499, on average, according to 2020 data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Here’s what you can expect to spend across major purchasing categories.

Average Annual Per-Capita Cost in Tennessee

Housing and Utilities

$7,056

Health Care

$6,295

Food and Beverages (non-restaurant)

$2,906

Gas and Energy Goods

$773

All Other Personal Expenditures

$20,469

Housing Costs in Tennessee

Average Housing Costs in Tennessee: $746 to $1,244 per month

Considering that Tennessee is one of the cheapest states to live in, it is no surprise that the average home price is on the lower side. Zillow calculated the typical home value as about $253,000 in late 2021.

The latest census data gives an idea of what to expect housing costs to look like in Tennessee every month:

• Median monthly mortgage cost: $1,244

• Median studio rent: $746

• Median one-bedroom rent: $780

• Median two-bedroom rent: $866

• Median three-bedroom rent: $1,000

• Median four-bedroom rent: $1,148

• Median gross rent: $904

To get a clearer picture of what the Tennessee housing market is like, these are typical home values in some major Tennessee cities, according to Zillow data sourced in late 2021.

Typical Home Price

Union City

$90,473

Martin

$106,813

Dyersburg

$108,956

Newport

$122,826

Paris

$131,343

Lawrenceburg

$140,323

McMinnville

$145,855

Kingsport

$157,987

Greeneville

$159,041

Jackson

$160,040

Athens

$160,301

Dayton

$170,107

Johnson City

$187,099

Morristown

$190,316

Memphis

$198,369

Tullahoma

$202,659

Cookeville

$207,619

Cleveland

$212,651

Shelbyville

$222,138

Clarksville

$224,373

Lewisburg

$225,722

Chattanooga

$226,018

Crossville

$231,514

Knoxville

$257,436

Sevierville

$353,916

Nashville

$365,573

Check out the continuation of costs of living in Tennessee on

MOVING TO TENNESSEE FOR DUMMIES