Cost of Living in Oak Ridge
Oak Ridge runs genuinely below the national average on cost of living -- a BestPlaces index of 86 (14% below national) -- paired with a median household income of $72,311, among the highest found across this East Tennessee build, giving most working households real financial cushion.
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Learn moreA real cost-of-living advantage, with strong income to match
Oak Ridge's BestPlaces cost-of-living index is cited at 86 -- 14.0% below the national average, though 4.3% ABOVE the Tennessee state average. Overall monthly costs are cited at roughly $2,255 for a single person and $4,966 for a family of four. Housing costs specifically run 20.6% below the national average ($953/month single, $1,748/month family of four).
Median household income is genuinely strong for this dataset
At $72,311, Oak Ridge's median household income runs notably above the figures found for Bristol elsewhere in this same East Tennessee build -- a real reflection of the technical, federal-science workforce anchored by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12. Renter income specifically is cited at $61,392, implying a maximum affordable rent of roughly $1,432/month.
No state income tax, offset by Anderson County's own combined sales tax
Tennessee levies no tax on wages or salaries. Anderson County's combined sales tax is cited at 9.8% -- higher than Sullivan County's 9.25% (Bristol) but equal to Blount County's 9.8% (Maryville), both built alongside this record -- a real, disclosed county-by-county variance across this East Tennessee batch.
A genuine affordability advantage relative to income, not just a low sticker price
Combining a below-national cost-of-living index with an above-national-for-this-dataset median income gives Oak Ridge a real affordability advantage on a relative basis, not just an absolute one -- a meaningfully different profile than a market with low costs AND low income.
Key takeaways
- Oak Ridge's BestPlaces cost-of-living index is 86 (14% below national), though 4.3% above the Tennessee state average.
- Median household income ($72,311) runs notably above other markets in this East Tennessee build, reflecting the technical/federal-science workforce.
- Anderson County's 9.8% combined sales tax runs higher than Bristol's Sullivan County (9.25%) but matches Maryville's Blount County (9.8%).
- Housing costs specifically run 20.6% below the national average ($953/month single, $1,748/month family of four).
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