Living Cost Compare
Dover

Delaware

$1,270/mo est.

vs
Nashville

Tennessee

$1,500/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,270 in Dover, DE versus $1,500 in Nashville, TN. Overall, Dover, DE is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $58,336 in Dover, DE and $75,197 in Nashville, TN — about 22% higher in Nashville, TN. Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax; Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax.

Dover, DE
Nashville, TN

Rent

Studio
$993
$1,341
+35% in Nashville, TN
1 Bedroom
$1,047
$1,336
+28% in Nashville, TN
2 Bedroom
$1,185
$1,478
+25% in Nashville, TN
3 Bedroom
$1,634
$1,832
+12% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$248,500
$383,100
+54% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income
$58,336
$75,197
+29% in Nashville, TN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,690
$50,390
+8% in Nashville, TN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.1 yr
34.4 yr
+0.7 yr in Dover, DE
Homeownership
47.0%
53.0%
+6.0 pp in Nashville, TN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.1%
46.9%
+19.8 pp in Nashville, TN
Avg Commute
24.0 min
24.9 min
+0.9 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,025.3
1,178.7
+15% in Nashville, TN
Property Crime
6,159.1
4,558.5
+26% in Dover, DE

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
56.9°F
59.4°F
+2.5°F in Nashville, TN
Annual Precipitation
46.0 in
47.3 in
+1.2 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.85/gal
+2% in Dover, DE

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)
19.3
14.1
+27% in Dover, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$29.73
$19.75
+34% in Dover, DE

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (DE / TN)
None
7%
+7.0 pp in TN
Income Tax (top rate)
6.60%
None
+6.6 pp in DE

Dover vs Nashville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Dover or Nashville?
Dover, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,270 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Nashville, TN's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Dover than in Nashville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $42,000 a year in Dover versus $53,000 in Nashville.
Which has lower taxes, Dover or Nashville?
Dover is taxed under Delaware's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% 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).