What it's like to live in Springfield
Springfield 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. Springfield deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and college degree attainment below the national average.
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
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
- Above-average rainfall
How Springfield compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Springfield
Based on Springfield's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,278
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $45,560 a year
- 44% of Springfield renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$50,720
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $25,360
- Homes cost 4.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 19% below US
$1,139/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,139 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $253,600. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $253,600 · 44% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.0% county unemployment
Unemployment in Robertson 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.
Robertson County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 28% above US
423 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 970/100k · Springfield Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 10% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28.7 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 29°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▼ 54% below US
17% 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
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. 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 Stones River National Battlefield (49 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Springfield'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 ($1,139/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as 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.
Other places near Springfield
All Tennessee guides →Moving to White House →
11 mi away · pop. 14,631
Rent $1,426/mo · Income $90,019
Compare with Springfield →Moving to Goodlettsville →
15 mi away · pop. 17,597
Rent $1,385/mo · Income $70,758
Compare with Springfield →Moving to Hendersonville →
20 mi away · pop. 63,091
Rent $1,653/mo · Income $97,200
Compare with Springfield →Moving to Portland →
20 mi away · pop. 13,449
Rent $1,141/mo · Income $72,647
Compare with Springfield →Not sure Springfield is the one?
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