Retiring in Tullahoma
Tullahoma's own city-wide age data -- a median age of 38.3 and a 65-plus population share of 19.1%, above the national average -- supports treating it as a genuine retirement-relevant market, even though that sits in real, disclosed tension with AEDC's own working-age employment base.
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreA real, data-driven basis for retirement relevance
Tullahoma's 65-plus population share is cited at 19.1% by two independently agreeing sources this session (Neilsberg and Point2Homes, both retrieved 2026-08-22), above the roughly 16-18% national-average band used across this dataset, with a median age of 38.3. This is the sourced, data-driven basis for this record using `retiring` rather than `best-areas` as its ninth topic.
A real tension worth disclosing directly
This city-wide senior share sits in genuine tension with AEDC's own workforce, which is overwhelmingly working-age and contractor-heavy (2,327 of roughly 2,850 FY2023 personnel were contractors/subcontractors, only 37 active-duty military). Tullahoma functions as both a real defense/aerospace employment hub for working-age households AND a city whose overall population skews modestly older than the national average -- both facts are disclosed rather than smoothed into a single narrative.
Genuine affordability and no state income tax, with real trade-offs to weigh
No Tennessee state income tax applies to wages, Social Security, or retirement withdrawals. Every sourced housing figure this session sits at or below the national median, and the cost-of-living index runs 18.3% below the national average -- real, structural advantages for a fixed-income retiree. Against that, Tullahoma's combined city+county property tax rate is the highest in Coffee County ($5.0124/$100, $1,258 median annual bill), and a Tullahoma-specific homeowners insurance premium was not found this session.
Key takeaways
- Tullahoma's 65-plus population share (19.1%) and median age (38.3) sit above the ~16-18% national-average band used across this dataset -- a real, data-driven basis for this record's `retiring` topic, confirmed by two independently agreeing sources.
- This senior share sits in real, disclosed tension with AEDC's own overwhelmingly working-age, contractor-heavy workforce -- Tullahoma functions as both a defense/aerospace employment hub and a modestly older-skewing city overall.
- No Tennessee state income tax, genuine housing affordability (every sourced figure at or below the national median), and a cost-of-living index 18.3% below the national average all favor a fixed-income retiree.
- Real trade-offs: the highest combined property tax rate in Coffee County ($5.0124/$100), and an unconfirmed Tullahoma-specific homeowners insurance premium.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceRead the full Tullahoma overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert