Tennessee · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Sullivan County, TN

Prices around Sullivan County, TN run 13.6% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $58,807 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,044 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $41,760 a year.

Sullivan County, TN at a glance

Median household income

$58,807$4,901 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,044HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)86.4-13.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential TN
Population160,624Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Sullivan 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$1,044Monthly market rent
Share of gross income21.3%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$41,760To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,470At 30% of $58,807
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Sullivan County, TN, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$720$8,640$28,80014.7%
1-Bedroom Apartment$818$9,816$32,72016.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,044$12,528$41,76021.3%
3-Bedroom Home$1,338$16,056$53,52027.3%
4-Bedroom Home$1,464$17,568$58,56029.9%

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

What a typical income covers in Sullivan County, TN

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $58,807 a year ($4,901 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,450/moRent ($1,044 2-BR), utilities (~$127/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,470/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$980/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $58,807 leaves after Tennessee taxes

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

$58,807
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$58,807
Net 84%
Fed 8%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$49,431After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,119Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,901Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,877 / yr
Tennessee state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,499 / yr

Living in Sullivan County, TN: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Sullivan County, TN is $58,807 per year (approximately $4,901 per month).

What is the average rent in Sullivan County, TN?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $720 for a studio, $818 for one bedroom, $1,044 for two, $1,338 for three and $1,464 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 Sullivan County, TN expensive to live in?

Prices there run 13.6% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 86.4, 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 Sullivan County, TN?

To keep a $1,044 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $41,760 a year, or $3,480 a month. That is 71% of what the typical household in Sullivan County, TN earns.

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

On the local median income of $58,807 ($4,901 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,450 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,470 for everything else and $980 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,044 takes 43% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Sullivan 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.