Moving from Nashville to Clarksville
Your paycheck goes 5.9% further in Clarksville than in Nashville. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Clarksville: $84,200
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $84,200 in Clarksville, TN to match $90,000 in Nashville, TN ($5,800 less), 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.
Nashville vs Clarksville: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,627 → $1,260/mo
- Median home value
- $449,300 → $291,700
- Median household income
- $88,800 → $72,347
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 96.3 → 90.9
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (84.9 → 81.4 of 100)
Nashville vs Clarksville cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Nashville, TN | Clarksville, TN |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 96.3 | 90.9 |
| Median rent | $1,627 | $1,260 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $65,080 | $50,400 |
| Median home value | $449,300 | $291,700 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,674 | $1,790 |
| Income needed to buy | $114,620 | $76,731 |
| Median property tax | $2,140 | $1,546 |
| State income tax on $90,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Metro population | 2,151,715 | 344,003 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Nashville vs Clarksville
On a $90,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $50,634 a year in Nashville and $46,230 in Clarksville if you rent: $4,404 less after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $63,204 and $52,595 ($10,609 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | NashvilleBefore | ClarksvilleAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $90,000, single filer | $17,855 | $17,855 | $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 | $19,524 | $15,120 | -$4,404 |
| Total if you rent | $50,634 | $46,230 | -$4,404 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $28,552 | $18,537 | -$10,015 |
| Property tax median home | $2,140 | $1,546 | -$594 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,402 | $1,402 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $63,204 | $52,595 | -$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 Nashville and $13,126 in Clarksville (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Nashville to Clarksville
About 2,369 households (4,402 people) moved from the Nashville metro area to the Clarksville metro area in 2022–2023, making Clarksville the #1 destination for people leaving Nashville among the 149 metro areas we cover. 1,715 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $48,923.
Cost to move from Nashville to Clarksville
| 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: Nashville vs Clarksville
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Nashville area among the highest (score 84.9) and the Clarksville area among the highest (score 81.4), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $393 vs $427 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 Clarksville cheaper than Nashville?
Overall prices in the Clarksville area are 5.6% lower than in Nashville (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,260 vs $1,627 a month, and the median home is $291,700 vs $449,300.
What salary do I need in Clarksville to match $100,000 in Nashville?
About $93,700, 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 Nashville to Clarksville?
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 Nashville to Clarksville?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 2,369 households (4,402 people) moved from the Nashville metro area to the Clarksville metro area, and 1,715 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Nashville move
- Atlanta 833 households
- Knoxville 741 households
- Chattanooga 692 households
- Memphis 688 households
- Dallas 642 households
- New York 627 households
- Chicago 619 households
- Los Angeles 577 households