Tennessee · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Wayne County, TN

Prices around Wayne County, TN run 8.1% below the U.S. average (BEA, Tennessee). The typical household there earns $52,294 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $925 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $37,000 a year.

Wayne County, TN at a glance

Median household income

$52,294$4,358 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$925HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)91.9-8.1% · BEA, Tennessee
Electricity14.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential TN
Population16,168Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Wayne 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$925Monthly market rent
Share of gross income21.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$37,000To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,307At 30% of $52,294
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Wayne County, TN, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$700$8,400$28,00016.1%
1-Bedroom Apartment$705$8,460$28,20016.2%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$925$11,100$37,00021.2%
3-Bedroom Home$1,109$13,308$44,36025.4%
4-Bedroom Home$1,289$15,468$51,56029.6%

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

What a typical income covers in Wayne County, TN

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $52,294 a year ($4,358 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,179/moRent ($925 2-BR), utilities (~$127/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,307/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$872/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $52,294 leaves after Tennessee taxes

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

$52,294
$20,000$105,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$52,294
Net 85%
Fed 8%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$44,198After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,683Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,700Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,095 / yr
Tennessee state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,000 / yr

Living in Wayne County, TN: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Wayne County, TN is $52,294 per year (approximately $4,358 per month).

What is the average rent in Wayne County, TN?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $700 for a studio, $705 for one bedroom, $925 for two, $1,109 for three and $1,289 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 Wayne County, TN expensive to live in?

Prices there run 8.1% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Tennessee is 91.9, 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 Wayne County, TN?

To keep a $925 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $37,000 a year, or $3,083 a month. That is 71% of what the typical household in Wayne County, TN earns.

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

On the local median income of $52,294 ($4,358 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,179 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,307 for everything else and $872 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $925 takes 42% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Wayne 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.