What it's like to live in Crossville
Crossville is a small city in Tennessee with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Crossville deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Crossville compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Crossville
Based on Crossville's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,630
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $32,600 a year
- 35% of Crossville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$49,260
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,630
- Homes cost 5.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 42% below US
$815/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $815 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 $246,300. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $246,300 · 35% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.5% county unemployment
Unemployment in Cumberland County is 4.5%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Cumberland County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 59% above US
524 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2252/100k · Crossville Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 25% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.5 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 82°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 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 51% below US
18% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, 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 (26 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Crossville's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($815/mo) equals 20% 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 Crossville
All Tennessee guides →Moving to Cookeville →
30 mi away · pop. 36,088
Rent $917/mo · Income $51,375
Compare with Crossville →Moving to Oak Ridge →
41 mi away · pop. 32,693
Rent $1,131/mo · Income $72,311
Compare with Crossville →Moving to Lenoir City →
43 mi away · pop. 11,110
Rent $932/mo · Income $67,259
Compare with Crossville →Not sure Crossville is the one?
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