What it's like to live in Cookeville
Cookeville is a small city in Tennessee with rent below the national average, unemployment below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and air quality that stays clean most of the year. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Cookeville deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, very rainy, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- Very rainy — 60" of rain per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Cookeville compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Cookeville
Based on Cookeville's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,834
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $36,680 a year
- 49% of Cookeville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$61,080
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $30,540
- Homes cost 5.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 35% below US
$917/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $917 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $305,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $305,400 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 14% below US
3.7% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.7%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 18% below US
271 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1490/100k · Cookeville Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 27% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 18.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 29°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
35% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 35% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
12 public schools inside the boundary
There are 12 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Obed Wild & Scenic River (51 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Cookeville's strongest points are rent below the national average and unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($917/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Cookeville
All Tennessee guides →Moving to Crossville →
30 mi away · pop. 12,428
Rent $815/mo · Income $48,802
Compare with Cookeville →Moving to McMinnville →
35 mi away · pop. 13,844
Rent $791/mo · Income $47,179
Compare with Cookeville →Moving to Hartsville/Trousdale County →
40 mi away · pop. 11,957
Rent $853/mo · Income $72,747
Compare with Cookeville →Not sure Cookeville is the one?
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