Moving from Clarksville to Nashville
Your paycheck buys 5.6% less in Nashville than in Clarksville; you'd need about $74,900 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Nashville: $74,900
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $74,900 in Nashville, TN to match $70,000 in Clarksville, TN ($4,900 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in Tennessee, which has no state income tax on wages; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Clarksville vs Nashville: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,260 → $1,627/mo
- Median home value
- $291,700 → $449,300
- Median household income
- $72,347 → $88,800
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 90.9 → 96.3
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (81.4 → 84.9 of 100)
Clarksville vs Nashville cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Clarksville, TN | Nashville, TN |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 90.9 | 96.3 |
| Median rent | $1,260 | $1,627 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $50,400 | $65,080 |
| Median home value | $291,700 | $449,300 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $1,790 | $2,674 |
| Income needed to buy | $76,731 | $114,620 |
| Median property tax | $1,546 | $2,140 |
| State income tax on $70,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Metro population | 344,003 | 2,151,715 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Clarksville vs Nashville
On a $70,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $40,300 a year in Clarksville and $44,704 in Nashville if you rent: $4,404 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $46,665 and $57,274 ($10,609 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | ClarksvilleBefore | NashvilleAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $70,000, single filer | $11,925 | $11,925 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,720 | $1,720 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,050 | $1,050 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,953 | $1,953 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $8,532 | $8,532 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $15,120 | $19,524 | +$4,404 |
| Total if you rent | $40,300 | $44,704 | +$4,404 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $18,537 | $28,552 | +$10,015 |
| Property tax median home | $1,546 | $2,140 | +$594 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,402 | $1,402 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $46,665 | $57,274 | +$10,609 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $13,126 a year in Clarksville and $13,126 in Nashville (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Clarksville to Nashville
About 1,715 households (2,945 people) moved from the Clarksville metro area to the Nashville metro area in 2022–2023, making Nashville the #1 destination for people leaving Clarksville among the 149 metro areas we cover. 2,369 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $50,778.
Cost to move from Clarksville to Nashville
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 50 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Clarksville vs Nashville
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Clarksville area among the highest (score 81.4) and the Nashville area among the highest (score 84.9), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $427 vs $393 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Nashville cheaper than Clarksville?
Overall prices in the Nashville area are 5.9% higher than in Clarksville (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,627 vs $1,260 a month, and the median home is $449,300 vs $291,700.
What salary do I need in Nashville to match $100,000 in Clarksville?
About $106,700, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Both are in Tennessee, which has no state income tax on wages.
How much does it cost to move from Clarksville to Nashville?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 50 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Clarksville to Nashville?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,715 households (2,945 people) moved from the Clarksville metro area to the Nashville metro area, and 2,369 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Clarksville move
- Killeen 167 households
- Colorado Springs 159 households
- Fayetteville, NC 156 households
- Honolulu 119 households
- Seattle 106 households
- San Antonio 106 households
- El Paso 98 households
- Phoenix 77 households