What it's like to live in Brentwood
Brentwood is a small city in Tennessee with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Brentwood deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, cold winters, and above-average rainfall.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Cold winters
- Above-average rainfall
How Brentwood compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Brentwood
Based on Brentwood's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$5,650
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $113,000 a year
- 49% of Brentwood renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$206,260
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $103,130
- Homes cost 5.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 100% above US
$2,825/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,825 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $1,031,300. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $1,031,300 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 35% below US
2.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 2.8%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 81% below US
62 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 632/100k · Brentwood Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.7 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 28% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 88°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 28°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 105% above US
74% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Stones River National Battlefield (21 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Brentwood's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,825/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (28% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Brentwood
All Tennessee guides →Moving to Nolensville →
6 mi away · pop. 15,074
Rent $2,454/mo · Income $177,148
Compare with Brentwood →Moving to La Vergne →
12 mi away · pop. 40,243
Rent $1,805/mo · Income $81,313
Compare with Brentwood →Not sure Brentwood is the one?
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