Tennessee taxes and cost of living (2026)
Tennessee has no state income tax on wages. A $100,000 salary is worth about $77,697 a year in national buying power after every tax and Tennessee's prices, #7 of 51 (the state average is $70,397). Retiring on $50,000 a year takes about $1.18M, #13 lowest.
- State income tax
- None
- Sales tax (avg. combined)
- 9.61%
- Property tax (effective)
- 0.45%
- Cost of living
- 91.9
- US = 100
- Social Security taxed?
- No
- Median home
- $333K
Take-home pay in Tennessee
Single filer, 10% of salary to a pre-tax 401(k), standard deduction, renting. All taxes include estimated sales tax.
| Salary | Federal | FICA | State + local | All-in tax rate | Take-home | In US dollars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $3,220 | $3,825 | $0 | 15.7% | $37,955 | $41,314 |
| $75,000 | $6,020 | $5,738 | $0 | 17.2% | $55,743 | $60,675 |
| $100,000 | $10,970 | $7,650 | $0 | 20.2% | $71,380 | $77,697 |
| $150,000 | $21,134 | $11,475 | $0 | 23.3% | $102,391 | $111,452 |
| $250,000 | $43,304 | $15,514 | $0 | 25.1% | $166,182 | $180,888 |
What it takes to retire in Tennessee
Married couple, age 60, withdrawals 60% from 401(k)/IRA, 20% Roth, 20% brokerage, no Social Security yet, renting. Spending at US-average prices.
| Spending | At TN prices | Income taxes | All taxes | FI number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $36,748 | $0 | $1,254 | $918.7K |
| $60,000 | $55,122 | $92.87 | $1,973 | $1.38M |
| $80,000 | $73,496 | $1,266 | $3,773 | $1.87M |
| $120,000 | $110,244 | $3,855 | $7,616 | $2.85M |
Tennessee tax rules at a glance
- Income tax: Tennessee has no state income tax on wages. No personal income tax. The Hall tax on interest and dividends was fully repealed for tax years beginning on or after 1/1/2021.
- Local income tax: No local income taxes.
- Social Security: Not taxed. No income tax.
- Retirement income: No personal income tax, so all retirement income is untaxed.
- Capital gains: No tax on capital gains (no personal income tax).
- Sales tax: 7.00% state rate, 9.61% average with local taxes; groceries taxed at a reduced rate.
Compare Tennessee with
Frequently asked questions
Does Tennessee have a state income tax?
Tennessee has no state income tax on wages. No personal income tax. The Hall tax on interest and dividends was fully repealed for tax years beginning on or after 1/1/2021.
How much is $100,000 after taxes in Tennessee?
A single filer earning $100,000 who puts $10,000 in a 401(k) takes home about $71,380 after federal, state and local income taxes and payroll taxes, an all-in effective rate of 20.2% including estimated sales tax.
Does Tennessee tax Social Security?
No. Tennessee does not tax Social Security benefits. No income tax.
How much do you need to retire in Tennessee?
To spend $50,000 a year (at US-average prices) with withdrawals mostly from a 401(k)/IRA, you'd need about $1.18M in Tennessee using the 4% rule, after its cost of living and taxes.
Is Tennessee expensive to live in?
Tennessee's cost of living index is 91.9, where the US average is 100 (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). The median home is worth about $332,600 and median rent is $1,284 a month.
How this is calculated
- Income taxes use 2026 federal and state brackets, standard deductions and personal exemptions or credits. No itemized deductions or other credits. Local income taxes use a typical statewide rate (for example, Maryland's county taxes or New York City's); many places have none.
- Payroll taxes include Social Security (6.2% up to the wage base), Medicare, and employee-paid state programs such as California SDI or Washington's paid leave premium. A married household salary is treated as two equal earners for payroll-tax caps.
- Cost of living uses the Bureau of Economic Analysis's Regional Price Parities (2024), where the US average is 100. Spending you enter at national prices is scaled by each state's index.
- Sales tax is estimated as the average combined state and local rate on about a third of spending (more where groceries are taxed). It is shown for context but not added to costs, because the price parities already include it. Property tax applies the state's effective rate to its median home value (Census ACS 2024) if you own.
- Retirement solves for the withdrawal that covers your spending plus the taxes it triggers, using each state's treatment of Social Security, retirement-account withdrawals and capital gains, then multiplies by 25 (a 4% withdrawal rate).
- Years to FI starts from zero, adds what you save each year in that state, and grows it at a 5% real return until it reaches that state's FI number.
Estimates for comparison, not tax advice. Your actual taxes depend on deductions, credits, where in the state you live and more. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities, Census ACS, state sales tax rates, IRS, state revenue departments (per state).