Retirement Lists

Cost of Living in Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Oak Ridge, Tennessee local scene.
Photo by Brian Stansberry via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Oak Ridge cost of living

Can Oak Ridge's lower housing cost support a car, care, utilities, and a comfortable four-season home?

The catalog estimates $2,795 per month for a local lifestyle, $4,295 for a couple, $3,917 for a traveler, and $3,127 for an expat proxy. One-bedroom rent is $835 and two-bedroom rent is $1,122, while utilities are $239, groceries $460, transportation $1,064, healthcare $436, dining out $71.50, and internet 413.63 Mbps. The housing anchors are relatively modest, but transportation remains a large line because car use is Required.

Property taxes are labeled Low, with a 0.68% effective rate, median real-estate taxes of $1,835, and median home value of $270,200 in the catalog's 2024 ACS inputs. That is a useful starting point, not a full carrying-cost answer. Ask for the actual bill, insurance, utility history, roof, heating and cooling systems, trees, drainage, basement or crawl-space condition, and any neighborhood obligations.

Oak Ridge Transit offers curb-to-curb city rides with advance reservation, which may reduce the need for a second car or support later-life mobility. It does not remove the need to price a vehicle, fuel, maintenance, medical trips outside the city, Knoxville travel, airport rides, and a backup when a scheduled ride is not available.

Planning a monthly budget

The $2,795 local estimate gives Oak Ridge a moderate starting budget, but the household still needs to price home condition, car use, care, and weather.

Housing
$835
Utilities (in rent)
$239
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.

Low property taxes do not settle the home cost

Request the actual tax bill, insurance, roof and HVAC records, utility history, drainage, trees, basement or crawl-space condition, and any neighborhood fee. Older homes can shift the annual cost through repairs and energy use.

How the total can change

The $4,295 couple and $3,917 traveler estimates describe different households and should not be read as one home's expected bill.

Comfortable Living
$3,917

Good

Cost of Living for Couple
$4,295

Very Good

Typical 1BR Rent
$835

Excellent

Transit changes the mobility plan, not every trip

Curb-to-curb service can support medical and community rides, while car ownership still matters for flexible errands, Knoxville, airport, family, and weather alternatives. Price both plans.

Everyday expenses

Transportation is $1,064 per month and car use is Required, even with Oak Ridge Transit available for advance-reservation rides.

Dining Out
$215/mo

Very Good

Need for a Car
Required
Property Taxes
Low

Good

Overall Feel
Good
Residents 65+ Below Poverty Level
9.0%
65+ Householder — Renter Occupied
18.6%
65+ Households With High Housing Costs
24.4%
Median Household Income, Householder 65+
$66,434

Four seasons reach the utility bill

Ask how the home handles summer cooling, winter heating, rain, snow, ice, tree work, power loss, and drainage. A lower rent anchor is useful only if the home remains comfortable and safe.

Could Oak Ridge 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

Enter your expected rent and required housing charges, or leave this blank to use the current renter amount.

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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
$2,795 per month
Two people
$4,295 per month

One-person estimate breakdown

Housing
$835
Food
$460
Transportation
$1,064
Healthcare
$436

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

Oak Ridge in everyday life

Could Oak Ridge work for you?

What may work well

  • The catalog provides clear local, couple, traveler, rent, utility, healthcare, transport, and internet estimates.
  • Low property-tax labeling and lower rent anchors create room for care, recreation, and a repair reserve.
  • Curb-to-curb Oak Ridge Transit can support medical and community trips without assuming every household can drive forever.

What to think about

  • Car use is Required and transportation is $1,064 per month, even with public transit available.
  • Older homes, trees, slopes, weather, HVAC, drainage, and power can create costs that a rent comparison misses.
  • Knoxville, airport, specialty care, and family trips add mileage and time beyond the city budget.

Price Oak Ridge from the home you would actually choose

  1. Collect home documents

    Request the tax bill, insurance, utilities, roof, HVAC, tree, drainage, basement or crawl-space records, and any neighborhood or city obligations.

  2. Compare car and transit

    Price a vehicle, fuel, maintenance, parking, medical rides, airport travel, Knoxville trips, Oak Ridge Transit reservations, and a backup ride.

  3. Add weather and care funds

    Budget for heating and cooling, tree work, snow or ice, power backup, hospital travel, prescriptions, rehabilitation, and home repairs.

  4. Use the decision actions

    Save a home with documented carrying costs, Compare a second neighborhood, and choose Find my fit after mobility, care, tax, and weather costs are clear.

Questions retirees ask

What monthly budget does Oak Ridge list?

The catalog estimates $2,795 for a local lifestyle, $4,295 for a couple, $3,917 for a traveler, and $3,127 for an expat proxy. It lists one-bedroom rent at $835, utilities at $239, transportation at $1,064, healthcare at $436, and internet at 413.63 Mbps.

What property-tax information is listed?

The catalog labels property taxes Low, with a 0.68% effective rate, median real-estate taxes of $1,835, and median home value of $270,200 from 2024 ACS inputs. Confirm the actual parcel bill and add insurance, repairs, and utilities.

Can transit replace a car?

Oak Ridge Transit offers curb-to-curb city service with advance reservations and medical and community access. The catalog still labels car use Required, so price a vehicle or dependable backup for flexible errands, Knoxville, family, airport, and weather trips.

What repair costs should I expect?

Ask about heating and cooling, roof, gutters, trees, slopes, drainage, basement or crawl-space moisture, power backup, snow and ice, insurance deductibles, and hospital or prescription travel.

Oak Ridge's cost case is strongest when lower housing and tax anchors are paired with a realistic plan for car use, transit, care, utilities, weather, trees, and home repairs. Price the address, not just the citywide estimate.

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