Aside from being one of a few states without an income tax, the state of Tennessee, as per RentCafe, has an overall cost of living that is 10% below the national average. The biggest benefits to a retiree are housing, healthcare, transportation and utilities, all basic necessities with average costs 17%, 13%, 12%, and 11%, respectively, are lower than the national average. While the discounts are as high, both food and miscellaneous goods and services are also more affordable, tied at a cost 4% lower than the national average. There are 13 towns, specifically Kingston Springs, Cookeville, Maryville, Gray, Chattanooga, Crossville, Gallatin, Johnson City, Memphis, Paris, Kingsport, Waynesboro and Union City that fall in line with this data, making them among the best places to retire.
As per the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), the average home price in the U.S. as of February 2026 is $700,102, and according to Zillow, the national average for rent is $1,995 per month. Aside from basic costs of living, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2021 to 2022 average annual expenditures for people 65 years and older, American retirees can expect to spend $7,288 per year on healthcare, updated December 2025 via the FRED to $7,799 per year. Long-term or assisted care adds significantly to those costs according to CareScout, with a monthly average cost of $6,259 for assisted living, $6,878 for a home health aide, and $9,842 to $11,294 for nursing home care.
Kingston Springs
According to Redfin, the median price of a home in Kingston Springs was $385,000 in January 2026, an amount around $315,000 less than the national average. The average rent in the town, as per Zillow, is just $1,356 per month, or roughly $620 lower than the U.S. national average. According to CareScout, in 2026, the cost of in-home care is $6,473 per month, residing in an assisted living facility costs $6,177 per month, and nursing home care in a semi-private room costs $9,681 per month. By comparison to the U.S. national average, in-home care costs $6,878 per month, living in an assisted living community costs $6,259 per month, and the cost of nursing home care is $11,294 per month. According to Payscale, the overall cost of living in Kingston Springs is 21% lower than the national average, with utilities and transportation working out to 3% and 10% below the national average. The biggest winner for retirees, however, is housing, which is 37% lower than the U.S. national average.
Kingston Springs offers retirees a small town appeal with green space, water activities, and great areas for hiking. For more big city excitement, you could head over to Nashville just 30 minutes from the town. Kingston Springs even has a seniors association and several senior activity centers with over 200 programs related to sports, art and crafts, fitness, or learning.
Cookeville
The average rent in Cookeville, as per Apartments.com, is just $892 per month, or roughly $1,100 lower than the U.S. national average. According to Zillow, the average value of a home in Cookeville was $310,309 in January 2026, an amount around $390,000 less than the national average. According to Payscale, the total cost of living in Cookeville is 13% lower than the national average, with groceries, transportation, utilities, and housing working out to 4%, 12%, 16% and 25% below the national average, respectively. According to CareScout, in 2026, the cost of in-home care is $5,866 per month, residing in an assisted living facility costs $5,643 per month, and nursing home care in a private room costs up to $10,068 per month. By comparison to the U.S. national average, in-home care costs $6,259 per month, and the cost of nursing home care is $11,294 per month…