Moving to Oregon from Tennessee

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Tennessee to Oregon? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Tennessee to Oregon, you would find that Oregon is 0.2% cheaper than Tennessee. A $75,000 salary in Tennessee would need to be roughly $73,347 in Oregon to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Tennessee and Oregon.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $73,347

To maintain the same standard of living in Oregon

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 3.1% less

Groceries

pay 1.1% less

Transportation

pay 20.2% more

Housing

pay 3.1% less

Childcare

pay 6.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 8.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Oregon compared to Tennessee.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

TN
612
OR
323
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

TN
2301
OR
2566

Tennessee generally does better on safety, though Oregon leads in violent crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

TN
9.5%
OR
6.1%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

TN
37.9%
OR
31.9%

Oregon performs significantly better than Tennessee across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

TN
$256,800
OR
$454,200
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

TN
$1,122
OR
$1,450

Tennessee performs better than Oregon across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

TN
87.6%
OR
91.8%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

TN
26 min
OR
23 min

Oregon performs significantly better than Tennessee across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

TN
3.4%
OR
5.1%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

TN
$60,177
OR
$61,622

Oregon generally does better on employment & economy, though Tennessee leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

TN
73.8 yrs
OR
78.8 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

TN
20%
OR
26%

Oregon performs significantly better than Tennessee across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Nashville Rain: 47.2 in/yr (1200 mm)
70° / 49°F

Avg. annual high / low

Salem Rain: 39.7 in/yr (1008 mm)
64° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Nashville Salem
Jan–Mar 53°/33°F (12°/1°C) 52°/36°F (11°/2°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) 68°/45°F (20°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 87°/66°F (30°/19°C) 80°/51°F (27°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 60°/40°F (16°/4°C) 54°/38°F (12°/3°C)
View all months
Month Nashville Salem
Jan 47°/28°F (8.3°/-2.0°C) 48°/35°F (8.7°/1.5°C)
Feb 52°/32°F (11.0°/-0.2°C) 52°/35°F (10.9°/1.4°C)
Mar 61°/39°F (16.1°/3.9°C) 56°/37°F (13.6°/2.9°C)
Apr 71°/47°F (21.4°/8.6°C) 61°/40°F (16.2°/4.2°C)
May 78°/57°F (25.7°/13.8°C) 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.1°C)
Jun 86°/65°F (30.0°/18.6°C) 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.6°C)
Jul 89°/69°F (31.8°/20.8°C) 82°/53°F (27.8°/11.7°C)
Aug 89°/68°F (31.7°/20.2°C) 82°/53°F (28.0°/11.6°C)
Sep 82°/61°F (28.0°/15.9°C) 77°/48°F (24.9°/9.1°C)
Oct 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.4°C) 64°/42°F (17.8°/5.7°C)
Nov 60°/39°F (15.7°/4.1°C) 53°/38°F (11.4°/3.6°C)
Dec 49°/31°F (9.7°/-0.4°C) 46°/34°F (7.9°/1.1°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Oregon than Tennessee?

Oregon and Tennessee are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.

How much money do I need to move to Oregon?

Budget about $18,337 for 3 months in Oregon (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Oregon safe?

Tennessee generally does better on safety, though Oregon leads in violent crime rate.

How is healthcare in Oregon compared to Tennessee?

Oregon performs significantly better than Tennessee across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Oregon compared to Tennessee?

The average high temperature in Salem is 64°F, compared to 70°F in Nashville. Salem receives around 39.7 in of rainfall per year, while Nashville gets 47.2 in.

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