Tennessee · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Chester County, TN

Prices around Chester County, TN run 14.5% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $59,341 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,260 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $50,400 a year.

Chester County, TN at a glance

Median household income

$59,341$4,945 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,260HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)85.5-14.5% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential TN
Population17,611Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Chester County, TN?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,260Monthly market rent
Share of gross income25.5%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$50,400To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,484At 30% of $59,341
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Chester County, TN? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Jackson, TN HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Chester County, TN, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$869$10,428$34,76017.6%
1-Bedroom Apartment$960$11,520$38,40019.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,260$15,120$50,40025.5%
3-Bedroom Home$1,677$20,124$67,08033.9%
4-Bedroom Home$1,758$21,096$70,32035.6%

Rent in Chester County, TN, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Chester County, TN

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $59,341 a year ($4,945 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,473/moRent ($1,260 2-BR), utilities (~$127/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,484/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$989/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $59,341 leaves after Tennessee taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Tennessee tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$59,341
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$59,341
Net 84%
Fed 8%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$49,860After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,155Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,918Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,941 / yr
Tennessee state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,540 / yr

Living in Chester County, TN: common questions

What is the median household income in Chester County, TN?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Chester County, TN is $59,341 per year (approximately $4,945 per month).

What is the average rent in Chester County, TN?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $869 for a studio, $960 for one bedroom, $1,260 for two, $1,677 for three and $1,758 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Chester County, TN expensive to live in?

Prices there run 14.5% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 85.5, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Chester County, TN?

To keep a $1,260 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $50,400 a year, or $4,200 a month. That is 85% of what the typical household in Chester County, TN earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Chester County, TN?

On the local median income of $59,341 ($4,945 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,473 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,484 for everything else and $989 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,260 takes 51% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Chester County, TN?

Homes in Tennessee paid 14.1¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $127. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.