Now that you’ve hung up your office attire for the last time let’s find a great place to retire in the Volunteer State. We’ve done the research to determine where the hottest spots for retirement are in Tennesee.
To find these gems, we looked at cities in Tennessee with a population of at least 10,000 people, leaving us with 54 cities. We considered data from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights. We found the cities with the best safety, affordability, weather, and access to things to do.
Whatever your priorities are for retirement, we’re sure Tennessee has what you need. If you’re a diehard country music fan, you couldn’t retire in a better place than Tennessee. Whether you’re just visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame or Elvis’s Graceland, you’ll never run short of places to go to get your country music fix.
Maybe, for you, retirement is a time to chill out in nature. In that case, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a place you’ll want to frequent.
Crank up the Dolly Parton, grab a plate of Southern comfort food, and turn off that alarm clock forever because we’re going to the best places to retire in Tennessee.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Tennessee For 2025
The best places to retire in Tennessee are fairly well spread out around the state, with a bit of a higher concentration in the Nashville Basin. We’d suggest Brentwood as the best Nashville suburb, while Germantown is the best place to retire near Memphis.
What is the best place to retire in Tennessee? Paris is the best place to retire in Tennessee for 2025.
Why did Paris take the top spot? And where are Memphis and Knoxville?
For more Tennessee state reading:
- Best Places To Live In Tennessee
- Cheapest Places To Live In Tennessee
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Tennessee
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Tennessee For 2025
/10
Population: 10,313
Median Income: $39,365
Median Home Price: $142,700
Median Rent: $763
Distance to Closest Airport: 91 miles
More on Paris: Data
/10
Population: 14,364
Median Income: $44,834
Median Home Price: $159,700
Median Rent: $751
Distance to Closest Airport: 105 miles
More on Elizabethton: Data
/10
Population: 15,531
Median Income: $51,516
Median Home Price: $210,700
Median Rent: $680
Distance to Closest Airport: 124 miles
More on Greeneville: Data
/10
Population: 45,272
Median Income: $184,720
Median Home Price: $926,700
Median Rent: $2,497
Distance to Closest Airport: 10 miles
More on Brentwood: Data
/10
Population: 20,672
Median Income: $60,855
Median Home Price: $228,800
Median Rent: $866
Distance to Closest Airport: 57 miles
More on Tullahoma: Data
/10
Population: 11,732
Median Income: $41,458
Median Home Price: $158,100
Median Rent: $768
Distance to Closest Airport: 70 miles
More on Lawrenceburg: Data
/10
Population: 40,812
Median Income: $144,799
Median Home Price: $441,200
Median Rent: $1,760
Distance to Closest Airport: 11 miles
More on Germantown: Data
/10
Population: 10,141
Median Income: $64,005
Median Home Price: $204,700
Median Rent: $858
Distance to Closest Airport: 142 miles
More on Clinton: Data
/10
Population: 12,265
Median Income: $50,672
Median Home Price: $230,300
Median Rent: $827
Distance to Closest Airport: 92 miles
More on Crossville: Data
/10
Population: 30,983
Median Income: $44,811
Median Home Price: $155,700
Median Rent: $855
Distance to Closest Airport: 17 miles
More on Morristown: Data
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Volunteer State for 2025
To create our ranking of the best places in Tennessee to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Volunteer State — 427 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 54 places from across the state.
For these 54, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 54, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Paris, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2025. This list reflects our tenth time ranking the best places to retire in Tennessee.
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In Tennessee Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in Tennessee goes to Paris.
The best places to retire in Tennessee are Paris, Elizabethton, Greeneville, Brentwood, Tullahoma, Lawrenceburg, Germantown, Clinton, Crossville, and Morristown.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Alcoa
- Knoxville
- Clarksville
For more Tennessee reading, check out:
Best Places To Retire In Tennessee
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paris | 10,313 | $39,365 | $142,700 | $763 |
| 2 | Elizabethton | 14,364 | $44,834 | $159,700 | $751 |
| 3 | Greeneville | 15,531 | $51,516 | $210,700 | $680 |
| 4 | Brentwood | 45,272 | $184,720 | $926,700 | $2,497 |
| 5 | Tullahoma | 20,672 | $60,855 | $228,800 | $866 |
| 6 | Lawrenceburg | 11,732 | $41,458 | $158,100 | $768 |
| 7 | Germantown | 40,812 | $144,799 | $441,200 | $1,760 |
| 8 | Clinton | 10,141 | $64,005 | $204,700 | $858 |
| 9 | Crossville | 12,265 | $50,672 | $230,300 | $827 |
| 10 | Morristown | 30,983 | $44,811 | $155,700 | $855 |