Living Cost Compare
Nashville

Tennessee

$1,490/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,490 in Nashville, TN versus $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Wilmington, DE is roughly 17% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $75,197 in Nashville, TN and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 27% higher in Nashville, TN. Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Nashville, TN
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$1,341
$1,103
+18% in Nashville, TN
1 Bedroom
$1,336
$1,024
+23% in Nashville, TN
2 Bedroom
$1,478
$1,213
+18% in Nashville, TN
3 Bedroom
$1,832
$1,394
+24% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$383,100
$224,500
+41% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income
$75,197
$55,269
+27% in Nashville, TN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$50,390
$54,310
+8% in Wilmington, DE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
37.0 yr
+2.6 yr in Wilmington, DE
Homeownership
53.0%
46.0%
+7.0 pp in Nashville, TN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
46.9%
33.1%
+13.8 pp in Nashville, TN
Avg Commute
24.9 min
23.0 min
+1.9 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,178.7
1,138.2
+3% in Nashville, TN
Property Crime
4,558.5
3,182.4
+30% 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
59.4°F
54.9°F
+4.5°F in Nashville, TN
Annual Precipitation
47.3 in
43.1 in
+4.2 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.86/gal
+2% in Nashville, TN

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.5
19.4
+34% in Wilmington, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$16.83
$22.51
+34% in Wilmington, 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 (TN / DE)
7%
None
+7.0 pp in TN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
6.60%
+6.6 pp in DE

Nashville vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Nashville or Wilmington?
Wilmington, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,230 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Nashville, TN's $1,490, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Nashville than in Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Nashville versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Nashville or Wilmington?
Nashville is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no 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).