Is $28,000 a good salary in Tennessee?

$28,000 in Tennessee provides a monthly take-home of approximately $2,050 after taxes. Across major Tennessee cities, this salary is rated very tight, with an average monthly surplus of $-282.

What is the cost of living on $28,000 in Tennessee?

The average monthly living cost across major Tennessee cities is approximately $2,332 for a single adult (rent, food, transport, utilities, healthcare). On $28,000 take-home pay of $2,050/month, you would have roughly $-282/month remaining.

Living in Tennessee · 2026

Is $28,000 enough to live in Tennessee?

Single adult · TN · 2026 tax brackets · Real cost-of-living data

Statewide verdict:Very tight

Monthly take-home

$2,050

Avg monthly expenses

$2,332

Avg monthly surplus

$-282

Savings potential

~0%

After-tax take-home in Tennessee

Gross salary$28,000

Federal income tax− $1,254

State income tax− $0

Social Security− $1,736

Medicare− $406

Annual take-home$24,604

Effective tax rate12.13%

How $28,000 feels in Tennessee cities

Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL

Nashville

COL index: 1.31× national avg

Not recommended

Rent (1BR)

$1,900

Food

$475

Transport

$229

Utilities

$216

Healthcare

$262

Total: $3,082/mo

Surplus: $-1,032/mo

Rent burden: 92.7% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Nashville analysis →

Memphis

COL index: 0.91× national avg

Manageable

Rent (1BR)

$1,100

Food

$387

Transport

$159

Utilities

$150

Healthcare

$182

Total: $1,978/mo

Surplus: $72/mo

Rent burden: 53.6% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Memphis analysis →

Knoxville

COL index: 1.03× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,300

Food

$405

Transport

$180

Utilities

$170

Healthcare

$206

Total: $2,261/mo

Surplus: $-211/mo

Rent burden: 63.4% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Knoxville analysis →

Chattanooga

COL index: 1.00× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,250

Food

$396

Transport

$175

Utilities

$165

Healthcare

$200

Total: $2,186/mo

Surplus: $-136/mo

Rent burden: 61.0% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Chattanooga analysis →

Clarksville

COL index: 0.95× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,150

Food

$405

Transport

$166

Utilities

$157

Healthcare

$190

Total: $2,068/mo

Surplus: $-18/mo

Rent burden: 56.1% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Clarksville analysis →

Murfreesboro

COL index: 1.08× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,400

Food

$431

Transport

$189

Utilities

$178

Healthcare

$216

Total: $2,414/mo

Surplus: $-364/mo

Rent burden: 68.3% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Murfreesboro analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $2,050 ($24,600/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%

Needs50%

$1,025

per month

›Rent / mortgage
›Groceries
›Utilities
›Insurance
›Minimum debt payments
›Transportation

Wants30%

$615

per month

›Dining out
›Streaming services
›Gym
›Hobbies
›Travel
›Shopping

Savings20%

$410

per month

›Emergency fund
›401(k) / IRA
›Investments
›Down payment fund
›Debt payoff (extra)

Needs / year

$12,300

Wants / year

$7,380

Savings / year

$4,920

Salary Intelligence

Financial pressure in Nashville

Rent alone would take 93% of take-home income. This salary creates significant financial pressure in this city — a $76,000 annual income or lower rent is needed to reach affordability.

Lifestyle score: 1.4/10 (Difficult)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $28,000 salary does not fully cover typical living expenses for a single adult in Nashville, Tennessee. Monthly costs exceed take-home pay by $1,032, indicating this income is insufficient for an independent lifestyle here without additional income or reduced spending.

Purchasing Power

Nashville's above-average cost of living (index: 1.31) means $28,000 provides the purchasing power of roughly $21,374 in an average-cost US city, or $25,221 in Austin. Moving to a lower-cost state could effectively increase your take-home by thousands.

State & National Benchmark

$28,000 is 26% below the Tennessee individual median of $38,000. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.

State individual median

$38,000

-26%

State household median

$65,619

-57%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions — Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)

Contribute to a Traditional IRA — Up to $1,540 in federal tax (22% bracket)

$28,000 vs. Tennessee income benchmarks

Individual median (Tennessee)

$38,000

-26% vs. this salary

Household median (Tennessee)

$65,619

-57% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in Tennessee

$40,000 $60,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000 $300,000

Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

•Tax calculations: IRS federal tax tables
•Rent data: HUD Fair Market Rents
•Cost-of-living index: C2ER / ACCRA Cost of Living Index

Data updated monthly using government datasets.