Insights » Tennessee cities with highest and lowest 2023 household expenses

2023 Report: Cities in Tennessee where Household Expenses are Highest and Lowest

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 $1,841 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 $1,841 in household bills a month

The average Tennessee household pays $1,841 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 36th out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. North Dakota ranks 35th, with annual monthly expenses of $1,842, and Kansas ranks 37th, at $1,820.

Tennessee’s household expenses, on average, are 10% lower than the national average of $2,046.

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.

Annually, Tennessee residents pay $55 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: $1,841 per month
• State Bill Pay Market Size: $55 billion
• doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 36 out of 50
• Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 39%
• Difference from the National Average: 10% lower

Housing bill category drives Tennessee’s low monthly bill expenses

The average Tennessee household pays $1,841 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 $1,184, and average rent is $989, compared to the national average mortgage bill of $1,321 and rent bill of $1,191.

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 slightly lower than the national average. The average auto loan bill in Tennessee is $466 a month, compared to the national average of $467.

Compared to the national average, cable and satellite are a higher expense for residents of Tennessee. The average household in the state pays $125 a month for cable and satellite expenses, compared to the national average of $118.

Health insurance, by contrast, is more affordable in Tennessee. While US residents on average spend $120 per month on health insurance, in Tennessee they spend just $90.

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

Germantown tops the list of most expensive cities for Tennessee’s household bills

Residents of Germantown pay the highest household bills in the state of Tennessee, at an average of $2,843 per month. Brentwood comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $2,798 on average per month.

In proportion to household income, however, Germantown’s bills are costlier than ones in Brentwood. While Brentwood’s monthly bill basket makes up 25% of average household income there, Germantown’s bill basket accounts for 28% 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

*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).

Bristol is the most affordable Tennessee city for household bills

Out of 92 cities and towns, Bristol is the most affordable place in Tennessee, with residents paying $1,234 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 35% of local income in Bristol.

Greeneville comes in at the second most affordable town or city in Tennessee, with residents paying $1,320 per month on average.

Also on the list of 10 least expensive cities in Tennessee are Crossville ($1,327 per month), Rogersville ($1,330 per month), and Erwin ($1,357 per month).

10 Most Affordable Tennessee Cities for Household Bills

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 use doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to compare average costs for over 900 towns and cities across the country.