A+
9%
Overall NAT. AVG.
3%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
11%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Cookeville Tennessee National
Cost of living9189100
Goods & Services9795100
Groceries9697100
Health care7585100
Housing8980100
Transportation8888100
Utilities8489100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in Cookeville, TN

Getting a feel for the cost of living in Cookeville is essential for anyone planning to relocate, as it empowers them to make informed financial decisions, secure a comfortable lifestyle and maintain financial stability in their new environment. The cost of living in Cookeville is 91, which is 9% lower than the national average. Relocating individuals may need to adjust their savings and investment strategies based on the cost of living in the new location. It influences decisions about retirement planning, investments and financial goals.

The cost of living in Cookeville closely mirrors the national average in comparison to other cities nationwide. Essential items such as groceries, goods and services, health care and utilities are priced at a level consistent with similar urban areas. This means that residents of Cookeville can anticipate that their daily expenses will remain reasonably in line with those of an average city, contributing to a manageable cost of living.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Cookeville?

When it comes to knowing a city, its residents are the experts. We conducted a survey with 7 locals to understand their opinions on the cost of living in Cookeville. The results indicated that 29% found it reasonably priced with decreasing prices of goods and services, while 71% viewed it as quite expensive, with increasing prices.

Is Cookeville Affordable?

Is Cookeville an affordable place to live? It's a good question and one that you might want to ask when considering any new city, as affordability can play a huge role in the decision making process. The cost of living index (which we covered above), as well as housing costs and income levels play a vital role in determining the affordability of an area. The median home price in Cookeville is 6.6% lower than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 22.7% lower than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Cookeville has a median household income of $60,434, which is 25.7% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Cookeville?

Taxes: Areas with higher taxes, including sales taxes and income taxes, can contribute to a higher cost of living. Paying more tax for everyday goods and services like clothing and food will result in higher costs, as will paying a higher rate of income tax. The general sales tax rate in Cookeville starts at 7% and the income tax rates start at 0%.

Urbanization: Urban areas with a wealth of amenities and employment opportunities tend to come with a higher price tag for living. Why? Well, more people want to be there, which drives up home prices and rents. On the flip side, less densely populated rural areas or places where there's not as much demand usually mean fewer attractions, things to do and slower job growth. That often results in a lower cost of living.

Housing: When there's a high demand for housing in trendy places, it can cause property prices and rental rates to soar, leading to a significantly higher cost of living. Conversely, in less desirable locations, where demand is low, prices tend to decrease, resulting in a more budget-friendly cost of living. In Cookeville, the housing index is 11.5% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Cookeville cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Cookeville is 2% higher than the Tennessee average
  • The cost of living in Cookeville is 9% lower than the national average
  • Cookeville housing is 11% lower than the national average
  • Tennessee general sales tax is 37% higher than the national average
  • Tennessee state income tax is 100% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Cookeville

See all the best places to live around Cookeville

Compare Cookeville, TN Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$100,886$8,407$2,354$3,027
      Renters$40,487$3,374$945$1,215
      The percent of monthly income spent on housing can be a good indicator of the affordability of housing in Cookeville, TN, as well as the overall cost of living. As a general rule of thumb, the debt-to-income ratio (DTI) for homeowners or renters should be not more than 28 percent of gross income to be spent on housing related costs and not more than 36 percent of income on all expenses, including debts. The median income for Cookeville homeowners, is $100,886. This would allow for a maximum of $2,354 per month to be spent on housing costs. For renters, the median monthly income is $40,487 which would result in a maximum of $945 to be spent on rental costs.

      Tennessee Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Tennessee 7% 9.75%

      Tennessee Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Tennessee 0% 0%

      Goods & Services

      Item Cookeville National avg. Difference
      Haircut $19.67$27.6228.8%
      Beauty Salon $46.17$51.119.7%
      Toothpaste $4.11$4.090.4%
      Shampoo $1.29$1.5416.3%
      Movie $14.18$12.8810.1%
      Yoga $16.08$19.6618.2%

      Groceries

      Item Cookeville National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $8.00$7.703.8%
      Fried Chicken $1.53$1.668.0%
      Milk $4.66$4.731.5%
      Potatoes $5.76$5.269.6%
      Pizza $11.87$12.767.0%
      Beer $10.33$10.552.1%

      Health Care

      Item Cookeville National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $96.08$140.0631.4%
      Doctor $100.89$153.8234.4%
      Dentist $95.93$123.1522.1%
      Ibuprofen $11.42$11.732.7%
      Lipitor $16.61$23.6129.7%

      Housing

      Item Cookeville National avg. Difference
      Home Price $304,954.00$326,622.006.6%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $1,897.61$2,480.2523.5%
      Apartment Rent $1,116.00$1,444.0022.7%

      Transportation

      Item Cookeville National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $2.77$3.069.4%
      Tire Balancing $53.67$65.2117.7%

      Utilities

      Item Cookeville National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $161.52$220.1226.6%
      Phone $196.66$195.710.5%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Gainesboro, TN1,0108217.6%
      Monterey, TN2,9278515.3%
      Baxter, TN1,5798514.8%
      Sparta, TN5,1178713.5%
      Algood, TN4,5558712.6%
      Cookeville, TN34,916918.9%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      San Luis, AZ34,9101076.9%
      Cottonwood Heights, UT34,93912828.3%
      Dana Point, CA34,877210109.5%
      Glendale Heights, IL34,96111110.6%
      Sorel-Tracy, QC34,850n/a 
      Cookeville, TN34,916918.9%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.