Retirement Lists

Cost of Living in Cookeville, Tennessee

Cookeville, Tennessee, United States, viewed at sunset, looking east. Dogwood Park is in the foreground.
Photo by Brian Stansberry via Wikimedia, CC BY 3.0

Cookeville costs

A college-town budget needs the complete carrying cost

Census estimates for 2020 through 2024 place median owner value at $305,400, median gross rent at $917, and median selected owner costs at $1,520 with a mortgage or $477 without one. Median household income was $51,375.

Add taxes, insurance, utilities, cooling, repairs, flood coverage, transportation, parking, care, prescriptions, Go Route or rides, and the premium for a quieter or more accessible home. The university housing mix can make citywide medians harder to interpret.

Planning a monthly budget

A local monthly estimate of $2,691 gives you the starting point, with transportation taking the largest share.

Housing
$731
Utilities (in rent)
$228
Food
$460/mo
Transportation
$1,064/mo
Healthcare
$436

Utilities are included in housing so they are not added twice. The separate Utilities row is a reference estimate.

How the total can change

A traveler style stay, a couple household, and long term rent answer different planning questions.

Comfortable Living
$3,690

Very Good

Cost of Living for Couple
$4,117

Very Good

Typical 1BR Rent
$731

Excellent

Everyday expenses

Dining, transportation, taxes, and car needs can change how the monthly budget feels.

Dining Out
$221/mo

Excellent

Need for a Car
Required
Property Taxes
Low

Good

Overall Feel
Good
Residents 65+ Below Poverty Level
18.6%
65+ Householder — Renter Occupied
33.8%
65+ Households With High Housing Costs
30.8%
Median Household Income, Householder 65+
$49,087

Could Cookeville fit your monthly retirement budget?

Compare your monthly budget with a city estimate. Add your expected housing amount when you have a more useful number.

Housing

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Starting renter estimates

Use these broad monthly estimates as a starting point, then replace them with costs you know.

One person
$2,691 per month
Two people
$4,117 per month

One-person estimate breakdown

Housing
$731
Food
$460
Transportation
$1,064
Healthcare
$436

Taxes, debt, insurance, out-of-pocket care, travel, and one-time moving costs may not be included.

Cookeville in everyday life

Could Cookeville work for you?

What may work well

  • Census provides city-level housing benchmarks.
  • A regional hospital may reduce some long-distance care travel.

What to think about

  • The college-town housing mix and poverty rate complicate one median.
  • Flood, cooling, transportation, and regional referrals may add cost.

Price a Cookeville household

  1. Compare several addresses

    Keep housing, taxes, insurance, utilities, repairs, drainage, flood, parking, traffic, and service distance visible.

  2. Map recurring care

    Price Cookeville Regional, urgent care, pharmacy, groceries, parks, transit, family, and Upper Cumberland specialists.

  3. Reserve for weather

    Keep room for cooling, drainage repairs, flood coverage, power, and a ride after heavy rain or heat.

Questions retirees ask

Is $477 the full cost of owning without a mortgage?

No. It is the Census median for selected owner costs without a mortgage. Add taxes, insurance, utilities, repairs, flood coverage, care, and transportation.

Why do Cookeville homes have different budgets?

Housing mix, taxes, insurance, drainage, utilities, repairs, traffic, distance, parking, transit, and access to care vary by address.

Cookeville affordability depends on the actual home, housing mix, flood review, cooling, care route, transportation, and the distance between Tennessee Tech and daily services.

Sources

The budget value gives a starting point for everyday spending. Housing, healthcare, safety, and climate can change what feels comfortable for a household.

Housing mix, exchange rates, healthcare needs, car ownership, and travel style can move a real monthly budget materially.

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How this city research is made

Retirement Lists uses documented public sources and methods to research, review, and correct city information. Read our Editorial Policy.