Moving to Tennessee from Washington
What to Expect
Considering a move from Washington to Tennessee? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Washington to Tennessee, you would find that Tennessee is 9.8% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly $67,793 in Tennessee to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Nashville averages 70°F vs 60°F in Olympia, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Washington and Tennessee.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $67,793
To maintain the same standard of living in Tennessee
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.2% less
Groceries
pay 5.6% less
Transportation
pay 21.3% less
Housing
pay 5.3% less
Childcare
pay 25.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 17.0% less
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 Tennessee compared to Washington.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Washington generally does better on safety, though Tennessee leads in property crime rate.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Washington performs better than Tennessee across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Tennessee performs significantly better than Washington across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Washington generally does better on infrastructure, though Tennessee leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Washington generally does better on employment & economy, though Tennessee leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Washington performs 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Olympia | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) | 53°/33°F (12°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 87°/66°F (30°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) | 60°/40°F (16°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Olympia | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) | 47°/28°F (8.3°/-2.0°C) |
| Feb | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) | 52°/32°F (11.0°/-0.2°C) |
| Mar | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) | 61°/39°F (16.1°/3.9°C) |
| Apr | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) | 71°/47°F (21.4°/8.6°C) |
| May | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) | 78°/57°F (25.7°/13.8°C) |
| Jun | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) | 86°/65°F (30.0°/18.6°C) |
| Jul | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) | 89°/69°F (31.8°/20.8°C) |
| Aug | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) | 89°/68°F (31.7°/20.2°C) |
| Sep | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) | 82°/61°F (28.0°/15.9°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) | 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.4°C) |
| Nov | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) | 60°/39°F (15.7°/4.1°C) |
| Dec | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) | 49°/31°F (9.7°/-0.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Tennessee than Washington?
On average Tennessee is about 10% less expensive than Washington, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Tennessee?
Budget about $16,948 for 3 months in Tennessee (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Tennessee safe?
Washington generally does better on safety, though Tennessee leads in property crime rate.
How is healthcare in Tennessee compared to Washington?
Washington performs better than Tennessee across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Tennessee compared to Washington?
The average high temperature in Nashville is 70°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. Nashville receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in.
