Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment, is Tennessee a good place?
The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best counties to live in Tennessee.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Volunteer State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been using Saturday Night Science to rank places for years.
The question becomes if you wanted to relocate to the best part of Tennessee, where would you go? To answer that, we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 94 counties in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 Best Counties To Live In Tennessee For 2026
Williamson County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Tennessee. And you should avoid Scott County if you can — at least according to the data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Tennessee. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Tennessee and the cheapest places to live in Tennessee.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Best Counties To Live In Tennessee For 2026
1. Williamson County
Biggest Place: Franklin
Population: 260,351
Median Income: $135,594 (best)
Median Home Price: $925,694 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.4% (6th best)
More on Williamson County: Data
2. Wilson County
Biggest Place: Lebanon
Population: 158,805
Median Income: $95,839 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $501,381 (2nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.2% (16th best)
More on Wilson County: Data
3. Sumner County
Biggest Place: Hendersonville
Population: 204,424
Median Income: $90,301 (3rd best)
Median Home Price: $443,791 (4th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.6% (25th best)
More on Sumner County: Data
4. Maury County
Biggest Place: Spring Hill
Population: 107,791
Median Income: $76,130 (12th best)
Median Home Price: $403,962 (8th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.4% (4th best)
More on Maury County: Data
5. Knox County
Biggest Place: Knoxville
Population: 494,148
Median Income: $74,222 (15th best)
Median Home Price: $376,195 (11th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.5% (22nd best)
More on Knox County: Data
6. Dickson County
Biggest Place: Dickson
Population: 55,983
Median Income: $75,003 (14th best)
Median Home Price: $360,953 (14th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.4% (19th best)
More on Dickson County: Data
7. Fayette County
Biggest Place: Collierville
Population: 43,267
Median Income: $88,456 (5th best)
Median Home Price: $373,539 (12th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.8% (52nd best)
More on Fayette County: Data
8. Franklin County
Biggest Place: Tullahoma
Population: 43,990
Median Income: $63,494 (29th best)
Median Home Price: $316,147 (23rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.8% (12th best)
More on Franklin County: Data
9. Rutherford County
Biggest Place: Murfreesboro
Population: 360,646
Median Income: $85,470 (6th best)
Median Home Price: $416,884 (6th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.6% (26th best)
More on Rutherford County: Data
10. Loudon County
Biggest Place: Farragut
Population: 58,580
Median Income: $84,185 (7th best)
Median Home Price: $444,727 (3rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.8% (10th best)
More on Loudon County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Tennessee county is the best?
To give you the best county in Tennessee, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we made assumptions about what’s in a “best county” and what isn’t. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to two of the best data sources on the internet. Namely, the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent period.
We paid particular attention to:
- Violent Crime Rates
- Property Crime Rates
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Unemployment Rates
- Adult Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We then ranked each county in Tennessee across each of the criteria from one to 94, with one being the best.
Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In Tennessee.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and best counties to raise a family in the Volunteer State.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the best counties to live in Tennessee.
Read on to see why Williamson County is the best county, while Scott County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Tennessee.
Summary: The Best Counties In Tennessee To Call Home For 2026
Living in Tennessee can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?
The best counties in Tennessee are Williamson County, Wilson County, Sumner County, Maury County, Knox County, Dickson County, Fayette County, Franklin County, Rutherford County, and Loudon County.
But now you know the outstanding parts and the parts to avoid, and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the worst counties in Tennessee according to the data:
- Scott County
- Lake County
- Hancock County
For more Tennessee reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Tennessee
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Tennessee
- Best Places To Buy A House In Tennessee
- Safest Places In Tennessee
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Tennessee
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Williamson County | 260,351 | $135,594 | $925,694 |
| 2 | Wilson County | 158,805 | $95,839 | $501,381 |
| 3 | Sumner County | 204,424 | $90,301 | $443,791 |
| 4 | Maury County | 107,791 | $76,130 | $403,962 |
| 5 | Knox County | 494,148 | $74,222 | $376,195 |
| 6 | Dickson County | 55,983 | $75,003 | $360,953 |
| 7 | Fayette County | 43,267 | $88,456 | $373,539 |
| 8 | Franklin County | 43,990 | $63,494 | $316,147 |
| 9 | Rutherford County | 360,646 | $85,470 | $416,884 |
| 10 | Loudon County | 58,580 | $84,185 | $444,727 |
| 11 | Blount County | 139,333 | $77,365 | $390,058 |
| 12 | Trousdale County | 11,957 | $72,747 | $347,633 |
| 13 | Cheatham County | 41,829 | $89,852 | $393,930 |
| 14 | Robertson County | 75,539 | $83,047 | $371,615 |
| 15 | Smith County | 20,389 | $66,293 | $306,361 |
| 16 | Anderson County | 79,153 | $66,183 | $313,014 |
| 17 | Montgomery County | 234,153 | $75,613 | $319,063 |
| 18 | Hamilton County | 376,192 | $76,183 | $353,406 |
| 19 | Marshall County | 36,049 | $71,049 | $330,153 |
| 20 | Roane County | 55,208 | $71,885 | $294,450 |
| 21 | Davidson County | 715,388 | $77,853 | $432,819 |
| 22 | Jefferson County | 56,864 | $66,114 | $332,341 |
| 23 | Tipton County | 61,553 | $74,127 | $273,680 |
| 24 | Union County | 20,431 | $62,727 | $289,193 |
| 25 | Hickman County | 25,436 | $68,247 | $195,354 |
| 26 | Giles County | 30,620 | $62,307 | $256,691 |
| 27 | Cumberland County | 63,553 | $60,375 | $304,475 |
| 28 | Sevier County | 99,652 | $62,581 | $405,646 |
| 29 | Washington County | 136,261 | $62,809 | $304,282 |
| 30 | Cannon County | 14,818 | $59,443 | $324,570 |
| 31 | Lincoln County | 35,946 | $64,667 | $264,660 |
| 32 | Bradley County | 111,065 | $66,552 | $316,294 |
| 33 | Crockett County | 13,944 | $62,165 | $190,969 |
| 34 | Mcminn County | 54,884 | $61,470 | $256,616 |
| 35 | Bedford County | 52,237 | $67,225 | $331,980 |
| 36 | Coffee County | 59,710 | $61,505 | $311,376 |
| 37 | Stewart County | 14,027 | $63,114 | $240,462 |
| 38 | Putnam County | 82,558 | $58,912 | $314,380 |
| 39 | Houston County | 8,353 | $59,576 | $225,090 |
| 40 | Gibson County | 50,869 | $62,755 | $177,802 |
| 41 | Sullivan County | 160,624 | $58,807 | $258,380 |
| 42 | Unicoi County | 17,756 | $52,218 | $244,865 |
| 43 | Chester County | 17,611 | $59,341 | $165,036 |
| 44 | Overton County | 23,065 | $48,959 | $260,910 |
| 45 | Greene County | 71,628 | $56,194 | $251,736 |
| 46 | Meigs County | 13,343 | $61,375 | $296,449 |
| 47 | Dyer County | 36,508 | $58,154 | $171,208 |
| 48 | Macon County | 26,240 | $59,177 | $265,840 |
| 49 | Grainger County | 24,266 | $50,538 | $279,053 |
| 50 | Monroe County | 47,695 | $56,895 | $283,485 |
| 51 | Carroll County | 28,641 | $51,787 | $180,313 |
| 52 | Lewis County | 12,992 | $56,285 | $253,213 |
| 53 | Morgan County | 21,361 | $65,954 | $213,662 |
| 54 | Madison County | 99,295 | $60,042 | $230,026 |
| 55 | Marion County | 29,250 | $61,824 | $258,198 |
| 56 | Humphreys County | 19,214 | $60,616 | $251,840 |
| 57 | Polk County | 17,898 | $62,522 | $250,708 |
| 58 | Hawkins County | 57,964 | $56,936 | $246,876 |
| 59 | Van Buren County | 6,437 | $54,931 | $233,203 |
| 60 | Dekalb County | 20,959 | $53,153 | $274,066 |
| 61 | Weakley County | 33,016 | $51,880 | $188,641 |
| 62 | Hamblen County | 65,669 | $55,454 | $272,389 |
| 63 | White County | 28,160 | $52,188 | $279,209 |
| 64 | Warren County | 42,166 | $55,487 | $256,687 |
| 65 | Shelby County | 919,173 | $63,767 | $218,751 |
| 66 | Obion County | 30,453 | $54,613 | $162,496 |
| 67 | Benton County | 16,006 | $51,746 | $186,163 |
| 68 | Mcnairy County | 25,970 | $53,473 | $168,779 |
| 69 | Lawrence County | 45,385 | $54,706 | $247,471 |
| 70 | Henderson County | 27,980 | $55,136 | $211,985 |
| 71 | Claiborne County | 32,466 | $49,379 | $224,433 |
| 72 | Henry County | 32,412 | $50,613 | $219,604 |
| 73 | Rhea County | 33,992 | $55,033 | $261,404 |
| 74 | Campbell County | 39,761 | $51,557 | $240,234 |
| 75 | Bledsoe County | 15,032 | $54,720 | $251,802 |
| 76 | Pickett County | 5,079 | $49,030 | $248,096 |
| 77 | Johnson County | 18,196 | $53,129 | $248,687 |
| 78 | Carter County | 56,712 | $50,135 | $236,345 |
| 79 | Wayne County | 16,168 | $52,294 | $179,071 |
| 80 | Sequatchie County | 16,809 | $58,750 | $284,706 |
| 81 | Cocke County | 36,813 | $48,016 | $244,569 |
| 82 | Perry County | 8,697 | $55,972 | $170,545 |
| 83 | Fentress County | 19,309 | $51,149 | $249,388 |
| 84 | Jackson County | 12,029 | $47,951 | $229,197 |
| 85 | Clay County | 7,670 | $39,972 | $215,088 |
| 86 | Hardeman County | 25,433 | $46,069 | $156,488 |
| 87 | Hardin County | 27,249 | $49,956 | $208,541 |
| 88 | Lauderdale County | 24,784 | $49,879 | $133,108 |
| 89 | Haywood County | 17,475 | $50,472 | $170,827 |
| 90 | Decatur County | 11,579 | $45,375 | $177,068 |
| 91 | Grundy County | 13,819 | $47,593 | $205,918 |
| 92 | Hancock County | 6,852 | $34,960 | $178,521 |
| 93 | Lake County | 6,579 | $28,814 | $112,423 |
| 94 | Scott County | 22,113 | $44,711 | $179,780 |