Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Nashville?

Concord, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Nashville, TN's $1,500, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Nashville?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $53,000 in Nashville.

Which has lower taxes, Concord or Nashville?

Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Nashville under Tennessee's (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax).

Concord vs Nashville Cost of Living 2026

Concord

New Hampshire

$1,410/mo est.

Nashville

Tennessee

$1,500/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,410 in Concord, NH versus $1,500 in Nashville, TN. Overall, Concord, NH is roughly 6% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,701 in Concord, NH and $75,197 in Nashville, TN — about 10% higher in Concord, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax.

Concord, NH

Nashville, TN

Rent

Studio

$876

$1,341

+53% in Nashville, TN

1 Bedroom

$1,134

$1,336

+18% in Nashville, TN

2 Bedroom

$1,475

$1,478

+0% in Nashville, TN

3 Bedroom

$1,769

$1,832

+4% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$323,700

$383,100

+18% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income

$83,701

$75,197

+10% in Concord, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$50,390

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

40.7 yr

34.4 yr

+6.3 yr in Concord, NH

Homeownership

57.4%

53.0%

+4.4 pp in Concord, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.1%

46.9%

+6.8 pp in Nashville, TN

Avg Commute

23.2 min

24.9 min

+1.7 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

180.7

1,178.7

+552% in Nashville, TN

Property Crime

1,251.5

4,558.5

+264% in Nashville, TN

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

46.4°F

59.4°F

+13.0°F in Nashville, TN

Annual Precipitation

40.6 in

47.3 in

+6.6 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.85/gal

+2% in Concord, NH

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — — vs WeGo Public Transit (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

14.1

+48% in Concord, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$19.75

+9% in Concord, NH

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Concord, NH

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.75

+9% in Concord, NH

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Nashville, TN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.45

+6% in Concord, NH

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$1.90

+13% in Concord, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Concord, NH

Average prices — Northeast vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / TN)

None

+7.0 pp in TN

Income Tax (top rate)

None

about equal

Concord vs Nashville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Nashville?: Concord, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Nashville, TN's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Nashville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $53,000 in Nashville.
Which has lower taxes, Concord or Nashville?: Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Nashville under Tennessee's (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).