Moving to Tennessee: City Guides, Checklist & Tips
Updated July 2026
Tennessee has no state income tax on wages — a financial edge that adds several thousand dollars of annual take-home pay compared to states with 4–7% income tax rates. Where you land shapes the rest of the trade-off. Clarksville, the state's fifth-largest and one of its fastest-growing cities at roughly 186,000 people, runs about 7% below the national average cost of living with a $315,000 median home price, anchored by Fort Campbell and the 101st Airborne Division 45 miles northwest of Nashville. Memphis is cheaper still — nearly 20% below the national average, with a $185,000 median home price — built around FedEx's world headquarters, a growing UPS hub, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, though its crime index of 248 and a D+-rated school district make neighborhood selection the single most consequential decision a mover makes there. This hub collects our city-by-city relocation guides for Tennessee, plus the practical steps to become a resident.
Tennessee City Guides
Clarksville
Tennessee's fifth-largest and one of its fastest-growing cities — anchored by Fort Campbell and the 101st Airborne Division, 45 miles from Nashville.
Read the Clarksville guide →Memphis
Remarkable affordability and a rich blues-and-BBQ culture, built around FedEx and St. Jude — with real neighborhood-by-neighborhood trade-offs.
Read the Memphis guide →
Tennessee Living and Vacationing Quick Reference
Living here
- State income tax
- None of any form — the old Hall tax on investment income was fully repealed in 2021
- Sales tax
- 7% state rate, about 9.5% combined with local taxes on average — among the highest combined rates in the country
- Median home price
- A typical Tennessee home runs about $336,000 as of 2026 — $315,000 in Clarksville, $185,000 in Memphis
- Cost of living
- About 10% below the national average statewide; Clarksville runs about 7% below, Memphis nearly 20% below
- Driver's license deadline
- 30 days after establishing residency to get a Tennessee license
- Population
- About 7.4 million, the 15th most populous state, growing faster than the U.S. as a whole
Visiting first
- Main airport
- Nashville International (BNA) handles more traffic than every other Tennessee airport combined; Memphis International (MEM) serves the west
- National parks
- Great Smoky Mountains, shared with North Carolina — the single most-visited national park in the country at more than 12 million visitors a year
- Best scouting months
- April, May, September, or October — mild temperatures outside peak tornado season and summer humidity
- Tornado season, honestly
- Tennessee sits in Dixie Alley, not the Great Plains' Tornado Alley, but it averages dozens of tornadoes a year, peaking in March through May with more than half striking at night
- The Memphis trade-off
- Nearly 20% below the national cost of living, but a crime index of 248 and a D+-rated school district make neighborhood choice the most consequential decision a mover makes there
- Getting around
- Clarksville sits 45 miles northwest of Nashville, close enough for day trips but far enough to keep housing costs down
How Tennessee Got Its Name
Tennessee takes its name from Tanasi, a Cherokee town on the Little Tennessee River that served as an Overhill Cherokee capital in the early 1700s; British traders recorded the name by 1725, and its original meaning is lost to history. The state's military identity runs deeper than its "Volunteer State" nickname, earned when 3,500 Tennesseans answered the call to arms in the War of 1812. Just outside Clarksville sits Fort Campbell, built in 1942 and named for William Bowen Campbell, the state's last Whig governor. Today it's home to the 101st Airborne Division — the Army's only air assault division — making Clarksville one of Tennessee's most military-anchored cities.
How to Become a Tennessee Resident
Establishing residency unlocks a Tennessee driver's license, vehicle registration, in-state tuition, and resident access to state parks and programs. You establish residency in Tennessee by doing any one of the following — you don't need all of them:
- Renting or buying a house or apartment in Tennessee
- Being employed within Tennessee
- Being registered to vote in Tennessee
- Having a business located in Tennessee
- Having children who attend a Tennessee primary or secondary school
- Spending more than 183 days in Tennessee over a 12-month period
Tennessee Moving Checklist
- Transfer your driver's license — deadline in the quick reference above — and register and title your vehicle in Tennessee
- Update your car insurance policy to meet Tennessee requirements
- Register to vote at your new address
- Update your health insurance and other policies, and find new providers
- Transfer medical, dental, and school records, and enroll children in your new district
- Take care of financial details — banks, loans, and investments
- License your pets and find a local veterinarian
- Set up utilities and file your change of address with USPS
- Review the tax picture: Tennessee has no state income tax of any form — the Hall tax on investment income was fully repealed in 2021
Questions Movers Ask About Tennessee
Does Tennessee have an income tax?
No — none of any form. Tennessee taxed interest and dividend income for decades under the Hall tax, but that tax was fully repealed on January 1, 2021. The state makes up the difference at the register: sales tax runs 7% at the state level and about 9.5% combined with local rates, among the highest in the country.
How expensive is it to live in Tennessee?
Tennessee runs roughly 10% below the national average cost of living statewide, but the spread between cities is wide. Clarksville sits about 7% below average with a $315,000 median home price. Memphis runs nearly 20% below average with a $185,000 median home price, among the most affordable big cities in the country.
How long do I have to get a Tennessee driver's license after moving?
30 days. Tennessee requires new residents who hold an out-of-state license to obtain a Tennessee driver license no later than 30 days after establishing residency.
Does Tennessee really get tornadoes?
Yes. Tennessee sits in Dixie Alley, the South's version of Tornado Alley, and averages dozens of tornadoes a year. Peak season runs March through May, and more than half of Tennessee's tornadoes strike at night, which is part of what makes them dangerous.
When should I visit Tennessee before deciding to move?
April, May, September, or October give you mild weather outside the worst of tornado season and summer humidity. Those windows also make it easier to judge a neighborhood honestly, without extreme heat or storm risk skewing your impression.
Which Tennessee city should I move to?
Clarksville and Memphis represent very different trade-offs. Clarksville is Tennessee's fifth-largest and one of its fastest-growing cities, anchored by Fort Campbell and the 101st Airborne Division, 45 minutes from Nashville. Memphis is significantly cheaper — built around FedEx, a growing UPS hub, and St. Jude — but its crime index of 248 and D+-rated school district make neighborhood selection the most important decision a mover makes there.
Moving to Tennessee from Another State?
We compare the two states side by side — taxes, housing, and what changes on day one:
Sources and Data Notes
Residency options, license and vehicle-registration deadlines, and tax rates on this page reflect requirements published by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, county clerk offices, and the Tennessee Department of Revenue. Cost, housing, and job-market figures draw on the public datasets used across ScoutLocale's city guides, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BestPlaces.net, and Niche.com.
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