Rent Affordability for An Elementary School Teacher in Tennessee
A typical elementary school teacher in Tennessee earns about $61,714 a year, which supports approximately $1,543 a month in rent under the 30% rule. Below, every tracked Tennessee city is ranked by how local rent compares against that affordability ceiling.
As of May 2026. 28 of 72 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 44 are rent-burdened on this salary.
| City↕ | Median rent↕ | % of income↑ | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsville, TN | $867/mo | 16.9% | very comfortable |
| Martin, TN | $961/mo | 18.7% | very comfortable |
| Covington, TN | $1,063/mo | 20.7% | affordable |
| Athens, TN | $1,085/mo | 21.1% | affordable |
| Dyersburg, TN | $1,117/mo | 21.7% | affordable |
| Greeneville, TN | $1,149/mo | 22.3% | affordable |
| Lawrenceburg, TN | $1,168/mo | 22.7% | affordable |
| Dayton, TN | $1,200/mo | 23.3% | affordable |
| Jefferson City, TN | $1,214/mo | 23.6% | affordable |
| Elizabethton, TN | $1,254/mo | 24.4% | affordable |
| Memphis, TN | $1,259/mo | 24.5% | affordable |
| Red Bank, TN | $1,283/mo | 24.9% | affordable |
| Kingsport, TN | $1,309/mo | 25.5% | affordable |
| Kingston, TN | $1,356/mo | 26.4% | affordable |
| Clarksville, TN | $1,372/mo | 26.7% | affordable |
| Smithville, TN | $1,400/mo | 27.2% | affordable |
| Cleveland, TN | $1,406/mo | 27.3% | affordable |
| Jackson, TN | $1,418/mo | 27.6% | affordable |
| Bristol, TN | $1,424/mo | 27.7% | affordable |
| East Ridge, TN | $1,423/mo | 27.7% | affordable |
| Morristown, TN | $1,465/mo | 28.5% | affordable |
| Tullahoma, TN | $1,478/mo | 28.7% | affordable |
| Cookeville, TN | $1,480/mo | 28.8% | affordable |
| Manchester, TN | $1,489/mo | 29% | affordable |
| Chattanooga, TN | $1,498/mo | 29.1% | affordable |
| Johnson City, TN | $1,507/mo | 29.3% | affordable |
| Springfield, TN | $1,534/mo | 29.8% | affordable |
| Millington, TN | $1,533/mo | 29.8% | affordable |
| Jonesborough, TN | $1,563/mo | 30.4% | stretched |
| Hixson, TN | $1,575/mo | 30.6% | stretched |
| Soddy-Daisy, TN | $1,578/mo | 30.7% | stretched |
| Columbia, TN | $1,584/mo | 30.8% | stretched |
| Dickson, TN | $1,606/mo | 31.2% | stretched |
| Lebanon, TN | $1,613/mo | 31.4% | stretched |
| Oak Ridge, TN | $1,622/mo | 31.5% | stretched |
| Ashland City, TN | $1,626/mo | 31.6% | stretched |
| Hendersonville, TN | $1,651/mo | 32.1% | stretched |
| Portland, TN | $1,650/mo | 32.1% | stretched |
| Seymour, TN | $1,663/mo | 32.3% | stretched |
| Murfreesboro, TN | $1,679/mo | 32.6% | stretched |
| Goodlettsville, TN | $1,674/mo | 32.6% | stretched |
| Cordova, TN | $1,692/mo | 32.9% | stretched |
| Alcoa, TN | $1,695/mo | 33% | stretched |
| Knoxville, TN | $1,701/mo | 33.1% | stretched |
| Lakeland, TN | $1,709/mo | 33.2% | stretched |
| Smyrna, TN | $1,712/mo | 33.3% | stretched |
| Gallatin, TN | $1,719/mo | 33.4% | stretched |
| Crossville, TN | $1,724/mo | 33.5% | stretched |
| Sevierville, TN | $1,787/mo | 34.7% | stretched |
| Louisville, TN | $1,800/mo | 35% | stretched |
| Nashville, TN | $1,820/mo | 35.4% | stretched |
| Lenoir City, TN | $1,828/mo | 35.5% | stretched |
| Bartlett, TN | $1,858/mo | 36.1% | stretched |
| Collierville, TN | $1,891/mo | 36.8% | stretched |
| Maryville, TN | $1,890/mo | 36.8% | stretched |
| White House, TN | $1,914/mo | 37.2% | stretched |
| Farragut, TN | $1,940/mo | 37.7% | stretched |
| Brentwood, TN | $1,960/mo | 38.1% | stretched |
| Spring Hill, TN | $1,966/mo | 38.2% | stretched |
| La Vergne, TN | $1,962/mo | 38.2% | stretched |
| Franklin, TN | $2,038/mo | 39.6% | stretched |
| Ooltewah, TN | $2,050/mo | 39.9% | stretched |
| Oakland, TN | $2,080/mo | 40.4% | rent-burdened |
| Clinton, TN | $2,083/mo | 40.5% | rent-burdened |
| Mount Juliet, TN | $2,124/mo | 41.3% | rent-burdened |
| Harrison, TN | $2,145/mo | 41.7% | rent-burdened |
| Collegedale, TN | $2,156/mo | 41.9% | rent-burdened |
| Corryton, TN | $2,164/mo | 42.1% | rent-burdened |
| Powell, TN | $2,219/mo | 43.1% | rent-burdened |
| Thompsons Station, TN | $2,214/mo | 43.1% | rent-burdened |
| Germantown, TN | $2,319/mo | 45.1% | rent-burdened |
| Arlington, TN | $2,334/mo | 45.4% | rent-burdened |