What it's like to live in Dickson
Dickson is a small city in Tennessee with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Dickson deals with college degree attainment below the national average, above-average rainfall, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Low college degree attainment
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Dickson compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Dickson
Based on Dickson's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,126
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $42,520 a year
- 35% of Dickson renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$58,520
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $29,260
- Homes cost 4.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 25% below US
$1,063/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,063 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $292,600. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $292,600 · 35% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.0% county unemployment
Unemployment in Dickson County is 3.0%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Dickson County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 10% above US
363 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 1972/100k · Dickson Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
27 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 26.8 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 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 30°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 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
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. 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 Fort Donelson National Battlefield (43 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Dickson's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are college degree attainment below the national average and above-average rainfall. A year of median rent ($1,063/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low). It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
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