Tennessee · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Marion County, TN

Prices around Marion County, TN run 8.5% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $61,824 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,390 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $55,600 a year.

Marion County, TN at a glance

Median household income

$61,824$5,152 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,390HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)91.5-8.5% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential TN
Population29,250Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Marion 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$1,390Monthly market rent
Share of gross income27%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$55,600To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,546At 30% of $61,824
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Marion County, TN, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,211$14,532$48,44023.5%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,263$15,156$50,52024.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,390$16,680$55,60027%
3-Bedroom Home$1,734$20,808$69,36033.7%
4-Bedroom Home$1,853$22,236$74,12036%

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

What a typical income covers in Marion County, TN

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $61,824 a year ($5,152 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,576/moRent ($1,390 2-BR), utilities (~$127/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,546/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,030/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $61,824 leaves after Tennessee taxes

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

$61,824
$20,000$125,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$61,824
Net 84%
Fed 8%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$51,856After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,321Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,994Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,239 / yr
Tennessee state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,730 / yr

Living in Marion County, TN: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Marion County, TN is $61,824 per year (approximately $5,152 per month).

What is the average rent in Marion County, TN?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,211 for a studio, $1,263 for one bedroom, $1,390 for two, $1,734 for three and $1,853 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 Marion County, TN expensive to live in?

Prices there run 8.5% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 91.5, 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 Marion County, TN?

To keep a $1,390 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $55,600 a year, or $4,633 a month. That is 90% of what the typical household in Marion County, TN earns.

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

On the local median income of $61,824 ($5,152 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,576 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,546 for everything else and $1,030 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,390 takes 54% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Marion 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.