What it's like to live in Dyersburg
Dyersburg 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 commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Dyersburg 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
- Low unemployment in the county
- Short commutes
- 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 Dyersburg compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Dyersburg
Based on Dyersburg's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,564
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $31,280 a year
- 47% of Dyersburg renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$33,660
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $16,830
- Homes cost 3.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 45% below US
$782/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $782 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $168,300. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $168,300 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.5% county unemployment
Unemployment in Dyer County is 3.5%, 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.
Dyer County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 178% above US
914 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 4066/100k · Dyersburg Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 35% below US
17 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 16.8 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 31°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 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 39% below US
22% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 22%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
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 13:1, 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 Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail (17 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Dyersburg'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 ($782/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Dyersburg
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