Now that you’ve hung up your office attire for the last time let’s find a great place to retire in the Volunteer State. We’ve done the research to determine where the hottest spots for retirement are in Tennesee.
To find these gems, we looked at cities in Tennessee with a population of at least 10,000 people, leaving us with 54 cities. We considered data from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights. We found the cities with the best safety, affordability, weather, and access to things to do.
Whatever your priorities are for retirement, we’re sure Tennessee has what you need. If you’re a diehard country music fan, you couldn’t retire in a better place than Tennessee. Whether you’re just visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame or Elvis’s Graceland, you’ll never run short of places to go to get your country music fix.
Maybe, for you, retirement is a time to chill out in nature. In that case, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a place you’ll want to frequent.
Crank up the Dolly Parton, grab a plate of Southern comfort food, and turn off that alarm clock forever because we’re going to the best places to retire in Tennessee.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Tennessee For 2024
The best places to retire in Tennessee are fairly well spread out around the state, with a bit of a higher concentration in the Nashville Basin. We’d suggest Brentwood as the best Nashville suburb, while Germantown is the best place to retire near Memphis.
What is the best place to retire in Tennessee? Tullahoma is the best place to retire in Tennessee for 2024.
Why did Tullahoma take the top spot? And where are Memphis and Knoxville?
For more Tennessee state reading:
- Best Places To Live In Tennessee
- Cheapest Places To Live In Tennessee
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Tennessee
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Tennessee For 2024
/10
Population: 21,107
Median Income: $56,771
Median Home Price: $264,990
Median Rent: $824
Distance to Closest Airport: 57 miles
More on Tullahoma: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 44,830
Median Income: $181,576
Median Home Price: $1,231,379
Median Rent: $2,459
Distance to Closest Airport: 10 miles
More on Brentwood: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 15,458
Median Income: $46,473
Median Home Price: $212,344
Median Rent: $661
Distance to Closest Airport: 124 miles
More on Greeneville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 14,375
Median Income: $44,252
Median Home Price: $207,286
Median Rent: $725
Distance to Closest Airport: 105 miles
More on Elizabethton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 11,592
Median Income: $37,644
Median Home Price: $219,030
Median Rent: $729
Distance to Closest Airport: 70 miles
More on Lawrenceburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 10,311
Median Income: $39,378
Median Home Price: $182,391
Median Rent: $739
Distance to Closest Airport: 91 miles
More on Paris: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 41,094
Median Income: $140,429
Median Home Price: $477,703
Median Rent: $1,700
Distance to Closest Airport: 11 miles
More on Germantown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 10,060
Median Income: $63,706
Median Home Price: $291,859
Median Rent: $861
Distance to Closest Airport: 142 miles
More on Clinton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 12,099
Median Income: $44,375
Median Home Price: $287,358
Median Rent: $740
Distance to Closest Airport: 92 miles
More on Crossville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 44,947
Median Income: $68,548
Median Home Price: $421,419
Median Rent: $1,250
Distance to Closest Airport: 21 miles
More on Gallatin: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Volunteer State for 2024
To create our ranking of the best places in Tennessee to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Volunteer State — 427 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 54 places from across the state.
For these 54, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 54, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Tullahoma, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2024. This list reflects our tenth time ranking the best places to retire in Tennessee.
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In Tennessee Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in Tennessee goes to Tullahoma.
The best places to retire in Tennessee are Tullahoma, Brentwood, Greeneville, Elizabethton, Lawrenceburg, Paris, Germantown, Clinton, Crossville, and Gallatin.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Alcoa
- Knoxville
- Clarksville
For more Tennessee reading, check out:
Best Places To Retire In Tennessee
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tullahoma | 21,107 | $56,771 | $264,990 | $824 |
| 2 | Brentwood | 44,830 | $181,576 | $1,231,379 | $2,459 |
| 3 | Greeneville | 15,458 | $46,473 | $212,344 | $661 |
| 4 | Elizabethton | 14,375 | $44,252 | $207,286 | $725 |
| 5 | Lawrenceburg | 11,592 | $37,644 | $219,030 | $729 |
| 6 | Paris | 10,311 | $39,378 | $182,391 | $739 |
| 7 | Germantown | 41,094 | $140,429 | $477,703 | $1,700 |
| 8 | Clinton | 10,060 | $63,706 | $291,859 | $861 |
| 9 | Crossville | 12,099 | $44,375 | $287,358 | $740 |
| 10 | Gallatin | 44,947 | $68,548 | $421,419 | $1,250 |
