Where Tennessee’s Household Expenses are the Highest in 2022
How does living in the Volunteer State affect your wallet? doxo breaks down key insights about Tennessee’s household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities across the state. The average household in Tennessee, doxo’s data reveals, pays $1,734 in bills per month.
doxo’s data also has infographics for 92 cities and towns across Tennessee, breaking down localized bill pay data figures as well. The state-wide rankings for most and least expensive cities provide insight into cost of living in Tennessee and how it changes according to location.
The data sheds light on Tennessee’s cost of living through other metrics, too. For example, the “percent of household income” data point shows what percentage of household income local residents spend on bills. doxo’s data also indicates how much more or less expensive specific cities are than the national and state average.
Tennessee residents pay $1,734 in household bills a month
The average Tennessee household pays $1,734 a month for the 10 most common household bills. This figure takes into account the 10 most common household bills, which are:Mortgage; Rent; Auto Loan; Utilities (electric, gas, water & sewer, and waste & recycling); Auto Insurance; Cable & Internet & Phone, Health Insurance (consumer paid portion); Mobile Phone; Alarm & Security; and Life Insurance.
Tennessee residents, overall, get a good deal on their bills: the state ranks 37th out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. Montana ranks 36th, with annual monthly expenses of $1,751, and Kansas ranks 38th, at $1,720.
Tennessee’s household expenses, on average, are 13.4% lower than the national average of $2,003.
Absolute dollar amounts don’t tell the full story, however. The “percentage of household income” metric provides a more proportional look at bill spending in a particular location. Tennessee households spend 39% of their income on household bills. For example, Connecticut is the 6th most expensive state and New York is the 7th most expensive, but New York residents spend 39% of their income on bills, while Connecticut residents spend only 35%.
Annually, Tennessee residents pay $52 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in Tennessee by clicking on the infographic link below.
Data: doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about Tennessee
- Average Bill Cost per HH: $1,734 per month
- State Bill Pay Market Size: $52 billion
- doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 37 out of 50
- Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 39%
- Difference from the National Average: 13.4% lower
Housing bill category drives Tennessee’s low monthly bill expenses
The average Tennessee household pays $1,734 in the 10 most common household bills per month. Rent and mortgage expenses drive savings, with both being considerably lower than the national average. The average mortgage payment in Tennessee is $1,107, and average rent is $887, compared to the national average mortgage bill of $1,368 and rent bill of $1,129.
Other than housing-related expenses, auto loans are the most significant of the 10 most common bills for residents of Tennessee. Still, these expenses are still lower than the national average. The average auto loan bill in Tennessee is $429 a month, compared to the national average of $433.
Compared to the national average, cable and satellite are also a notably higher expense for residents of Tennessee. The average household in the state pays $121 a month for cable and satellite expenses, compared to the national average of $114.
Health insurance, by contrast, is more affordable in Tennessee. While US residents on average spend $123 per month on health insurance, in Tennessee they spend just $98.
Note: Health Insurance and Life Insurance expenses do not account for payments made by employers on behalf of employees. These just include out-of-pocket expenses. Also, the state and national bill totals take into account the percentage of households that pay a bill.
Average Tennessee Household Bill Spending
| Bill Category | Average Tennessee Monthly Bill | National Average Monthly Bill | Tennessee Percent +/- National Average |
| Mortgage | $1,107 | $1,368 | 21% lower |
| Rent | $887 | $1,129 | 24% lower |
| Auto Loan | $429 | $433 | 1% lower |
| Utilities | $269 | $328 | 20% lower |
| Auto Insurance | $196 | $196 | 0% lower/higher |
| Cable & Internet | $121 | $114 | 6% higher |
| Health Insurance | $98 | $123 | 23% lower |
| Mobile Phone | $108 | $113 | 5% lower |
| Alarm & Security | $90 | $84 | 7% higher |
| Life Insurance | $73 | $82 | 12% lower |
| Total | $1,734 | $2,003 | 14% lower |
Brentwood tops the list of most expensive cities for Tennessee’s household bills
Residents of Brentwood pay the highest household bills in the state of Tennessee, at an average of $2,644 per month. Collierville comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $2,501 on average per month.
In proportion to household income, however, Brentwood’s bills are costlier than ones in Collierville. While Brentwood’s monthly bill basket makes up 24% of average household income there, Collierville’s bill basket accounts for just 27% of average household income in that area.
Access detailed infographics about each city or town by clicking on the hyperlinks in the “City” column in the tables below. You can also browse doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to see infographics about more than 4,200 cities and towns across all 50 states in the US.
10 Most Expensive Tennessee Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (1-10 out of 92) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household* | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 1 | Brentwood | $2,644 | 24% |
| 2 | Collierville | $2,501 | 27% |
| 3 | Germantown | $2,467 | 25% |
| 4 | Arlington | $2,455 | 31% |
| 5 | Franklin | $2,411 | 28% |
| 6 | Spring Hill | $2,274 | 31% |
| 7 | Mount Juliet | $2,231 | 31% |
| 8 | Cordova | $2,226 | 39% |
| 9 | Farragut | $2,095 | 25% |
| 10 | Smyrna | $2,091 | 40% |
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).
Dayton is the most affordable Tennessee city for household bills
Out of 92 cities and towns, Dayton is the most affordable place in Tennessee, with residents paying $1,228 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 40% of local income in Dayton.
Newport comes in at the second most affordable town or city in Tennessee, with residents paying $1,258 per month on average.
Also on the list of 10 least expensive cities in Tennessee are Erwin ($1,262 per month), Rockwood ($1,317 per month), and Jamestown ($1,318 per month).
10 Most Affordable Tennessee Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (83-92 out of 92) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 83 | Lafayette | $1,395 | 44% |
| 84 | Bluff City | $1,394 | 38% |
| 85 | Rogersville | $1,380 | 44% |
| 86 | Elizabethton | $1,356 | 45% |
| 87 | Union City | $1,329 | 41% |
| 88 | Jamestown | $1,318 | 45% |
| 89 | Rockwood | $1,317 | 40% |
| 90 | Erwin | $1,262 | 40% |
| 91 | Newport | $1,258 | 49% |
| 92 | Dayton | $1,228 | 40% |
In the wake of the rise of remote work, some individuals may be deciding whether to move from a more expensive city to a less expensive one. doxoINSIGHTS can be a valuable resource for consumers seeking to make key decisions like this, allowing them to compare Tennessee’s household expenses against average bills in different cities and states across the country. They can also usedoxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to compare average costs for over 900 towns and cities across the country.