Last updated 2026-06-12 ยท MovePlan Editorial Team
No state income tax and low rents in cities well below the Nashville premium.
1. Memphis: Cheapest big city
2. Clarksville: Best growing value
3. Johnson City: Best mountain value
4. Kingsport: Best Tri-Cities value
5. Jackson: Best west-Tennessee value
6. Knoxville: Best amenities value
7. Cleveland: Best southeast value
8. Murfreesboro: Best Nashville-area value
Tennessee already runs cheap thanks to no state income tax, but Nashville has gotten expensive. The real value lives in Memphis, the Tri-Cities, and a handful of growing mid-size towns. Here are the 8 cheapest places to live in Tennessee, ranked by genuine value.