Johnson City, TN Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Johnson City, TN Summary

Cost of living in Johnson City research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Johnson City is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Tennessee, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Johnson City is 99, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Johnson City is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Johnson City ranks as the #79 cheapest in Tennessee out of 109.

  • Johnson City ranks as the #2,497 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Johnson City is $290,209.

  • The median income in Johnson City is $55,429.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
99
Johnson City's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Johnson City, TN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Johnson City has an overall cost of living index of 99, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Tennessee, Johnson City has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Tennessee's index of 90.

The standard of living in Johnson City ranks as #79 most affordable out of the 109 places we measured in Tennessee. By definition, that implies Johnson City ranks as the #30 most expensive place in the Volunteer State.

For more reading on life in Johnson City, check out:

79 out of 109
In Tennessee
2,497 out of 6,489
In America

Johnson City Cost Of Living Vs. Tennessee

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Johnson City. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Johnson City is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Johnson City is 97.

  • The Health index in Johnson City is 110.

  • The Housing index in Johnson City is 88.

  • The Transportation index in Johnson City is 90.

  • The Utilities index in Johnson City is 107.

Living Expense Johnson City Tennessee National Average
Overall 99 90 100
Services 101 93 100
Groceries 97 99 100
Health 110 87 100
Housing 88 81 100
Transportation 90 89 100
Utilities 107 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Tennessee, check out:
Johnson City Cost of Living Vs. TN

Johnson City, TN Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Tennessee, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Johnson City is $290,209.

  • The Median Rent in Johnson City is $957.

  • The Median Income in Johnson City is $55,429.

  • The Home Value To Income in Johnson City is 5.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Johnson City is 0.21x.

Statistic Johnson City Tennessee United States
Median Home Value $290,209 $330,598 $303,400
Median Rent $957 $1,122 $1,348
Median Income $55,429 $67,097 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.2x 4.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.2x 0.21x
$290,209
Median Home Value
$957
Median Rent
$55,429
Median Income

Johnson City, TN Costs By Category

Detailed Johnson City Services Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Johnson City Tennessee
Shampoo $1.33 $1.28
Movie $13.07 $12.13
Bowling $15.89 $18
Haircut $28.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $48.22 $45.56

Detailed Johnson City Groceries Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Johnson City Tennessee
Ground Beef $6.47 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.46 $1.57
Milk $4.61 $4.67
Potatoes $5.27 $4.93
Pizza $10.44 $12.09
Beer $10.44 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.8 $3.7

Detailed Johnson City Health Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Johnson City Tennessee
Optometrist $155.11 $125.68
Doctor $166.73 $135.78
Dentist $113.89 $113.29

Detailed Johnson City Transportation Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Johnson City Tennessee
Gasoline $3.29 $3.46
Tire Balancing $49.99 $59.92

Detailed Johnson City Utilities Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Johnson City Tennessee
All Electricity $221.84 $193.99
Phone $186.82 $192.25

Johnson City SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
7
Affordability
5
Diversity
8
Safety
4
Amenities
8.5
Education
8
Commute
9

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