Rent Affordability for A Police Officer in Tennessee

A typical police officer in Tennessee earns about $71,088 a year, which supports approximately $1,777 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. 48 of 72 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 24 are rent-burdened on this salary.

City↕Median rent↕% of income↑Affordability
Brownsville, TN$867/mo14.6%very comfortable
Martin, TN$961/mo16.2%very comfortable
Covington, TN$1,063/mo17.9%very comfortable
Athens, TN$1,085/mo18.3%very comfortable
Dyersburg, TN$1,117/mo18.9%very comfortable
Greeneville, TN$1,149/mo19.4%very comfortable
Lawrenceburg, TN$1,168/mo19.7%very comfortable
Dayton, TN$1,200/mo20.3%affordable
Jefferson City, TN$1,214/mo20.5%affordable
Elizabethton, TN$1,254/mo21.2%affordable
Memphis, TN$1,259/mo21.3%affordable
Red Bank, TN$1,283/mo21.7%affordable
Kingsport, TN$1,309/mo22.1%affordable
Kingston, TN$1,356/mo22.9%affordable
Clarksville, TN$1,372/mo23.2%affordable
Smithville, TN$1,400/mo23.6%affordable
Cleveland, TN$1,406/mo23.7%affordable
Jackson, TN$1,418/mo23.9%affordable
Bristol, TN$1,424/mo24%affordable
East Ridge, TN$1,423/mo24%affordable
Morristown, TN$1,465/mo24.7%affordable
Tullahoma, TN$1,478/mo24.9%affordable
Cookeville, TN$1,480/mo25%affordable
Manchester, TN$1,489/mo25.1%affordable
Chattanooga, TN$1,498/mo25.3%affordable
Johnson City, TN$1,507/mo25.4%affordable
Springfield, TN$1,534/mo25.9%affordable
Millington, TN$1,533/mo25.9%affordable
Jonesborough, TN$1,563/mo26.4%affordable
Soddy-Daisy, TN$1,578/mo26.6%affordable
Hixson, TN$1,575/mo26.6%affordable
Columbia, TN$1,584/mo26.7%affordable
Dickson, TN$1,606/mo27.1%affordable
Lebanon, TN$1,613/mo27.2%affordable
Oak Ridge, TN$1,622/mo27.4%affordable
Ashland City, TN$1,626/mo27.4%affordable
Hendersonville, TN$1,651/mo27.9%affordable
Portland, TN$1,650/mo27.9%affordable
Seymour, TN$1,663/mo28.1%affordable
Murfreesboro, TN$1,679/mo28.3%affordable
Goodlettsville, TN$1,674/mo28.3%affordable
Alcoa, TN$1,695/mo28.6%affordable
Cordova, TN$1,692/mo28.6%affordable
Knoxville, TN$1,701/mo28.7%affordable
Lakeland, TN$1,709/mo28.8%affordable
Smyrna, TN$1,712/mo28.9%affordable
Gallatin, TN$1,719/mo29%affordable
Crossville, TN$1,724/mo29.1%affordable
Sevierville, TN$1,787/mo30.2%stretched
Louisville, TN$1,800/mo30.4%stretched
Nashville, TN$1,820/mo30.7%stretched
Lenoir City, TN$1,828/mo30.9%stretched
Bartlett, TN$1,858/mo31.4%stretched
Collierville, TN$1,891/mo31.9%stretched
Maryville, TN$1,890/mo31.9%stretched
White House, TN$1,914/mo32.3%stretched
Farragut, TN$1,940/mo32.7%stretched
Brentwood, TN$1,960/mo33.1%stretched
La Vergne, TN$1,962/mo33.1%stretched
Spring Hill, TN$1,966/mo33.2%stretched
Franklin, TN$2,038/mo34.4%stretched
Ooltewah, TN$2,050/mo34.6%stretched
Oakland, TN$2,080/mo35.1%stretched
Clinton, TN$2,083/mo35.2%stretched
Mount Juliet, TN$2,124/mo35.9%stretched
Harrison, TN$2,145/mo36.2%stretched
Collegedale, TN$2,156/mo36.4%stretched
Corryton, TN$2,164/mo36.5%stretched
Thompsons Station, TN$2,214/mo37.4%stretched
Powell, TN$2,219/mo37.5%stretched
Germantown, TN$2,319/mo39.1%stretched
Arlington, TN$2,334/mo39.4%stretched
Methodology: Salary is the BLS-derived state estimate for Tennessee. Rent is the latest ZORI monthly value for each city. Affordability uses the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income).