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 55 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 2026
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? Lawrenceburg is the best place to retire in Tennessee for 2026.
Why did Lawrenceburg 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 2026
/10
Population: 11,844
Median Income: $42,343
Median Home Price: $240,471
Median Rent: $775
Distance to Closest Airport: 70 miles
More on Lawrenceburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 15,646
Median Income: $49,889
Median Home Price: $248,040
Median Rent: $650
Distance to Closest Airport: 124 miles
More on Greeneville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 14,374
Median Income: $46,975
Median Home Price: $229,441
Median Rent: $740
Distance to Closest Airport: 105 miles
More on Elizabethton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 10,338
Median Income: $41,012
Median Home Price: $213,853
Median Rent: $780
Distance to Closest Airport: 91 miles
More on Paris: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 45,556
Median Income: $182,088
Median Home Price: $1,393,273
Median Rent: $2,825
Distance to Closest Airport: 10 miles
More on Brentwood: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 21,103
Median Income: $60,979
Median Home Price: $293,828
Median Rent: $886
Distance to Closest Airport: 57 miles
More on Tullahoma: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 40,673
Median Income: $149,920
Median Home Price: $485,879
Median Rent: $1,816
Distance to Closest Airport: 11 miles
More on Germantown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 10,239
Median Income: $68,882
Median Home Price: $332,660
Median Rent: $962
Distance to Closest Airport: 142 miles
More on Clinton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 12,428
Median Income: $48,802
Median Home Price: $304,996
Median Rent: $815
Distance to Closest Airport: 92 miles
More on Crossville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 13,231
Median Income: $75,113
Median Home Price: $359,449
Median Rent: $1,047
Distance to Closest Airport: 103 miles
More on Soddy-Daisy: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Volunteer State for 2026
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 55 places from across the state.
For these 55, 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 55, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Lawrenceburg, 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 2026. This list reflects our eleventh 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 Lawrenceburg.
The best places to retire in Tennessee are Lawrenceburg, Greeneville, Elizabethton, Paris, Brentwood, Tullahoma, Germantown, Clinton, Crossville, and Soddy-Daisy.
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 | Lawrenceburg | 11,844 | $42,343 | $240,471 | $775 |
| 2 | Greeneville | 15,646 | $49,889 | $248,040 | $650 |
| 3 | Elizabethton | 14,374 | $46,975 | $229,441 | $740 |
| 4 | Paris | 10,338 | $41,012 | $213,853 | $780 |
| 5 | Brentwood | 45,556 | $182,088 | $1,393,273 | $2,825 |
| 6 | Tullahoma | 21,103 | $60,979 | $293,828 | $886 |
| 7 | Germantown | 40,673 | $149,920 | $485,879 | $1,816 |
| 8 | Clinton | 10,239 | $68,882 | $332,660 | $962 |
| 9 | Crossville | 12,428 | $48,802 | $304,996 | $815 |
| 10 | Soddy-Daisy | 13,231 | $75,113 | $359,449 | $1,047 |