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 97, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Tennessee, Johnson City has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Tennessee's index of 94.
The standard of living in Johnson City ranks as #72 most affordable out of the 109 places we measured in Tennessee. By definition, that implies Johnson City ranks as the #37 most expensive place in the Volunteer State.
For more reading on life in Johnson City, check out:
Johnson City Cost Of Living Vs. Tennessee
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Johnson City. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Johnson City is 95.
The Groceries index in Johnson City is 97.
The Health index in Johnson City is 88.
The Housing index in Johnson City is 97.
The Transportation index in Johnson City is 98.
The Utilities index in Johnson City is 98.
| Living Expense | Johnson City | Tennessee | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 97 | 94 | 100 |
| Services | 95 | 99 | 100 |
| Groceries | 97 | 96 | 100 |
| Health | 88 | 82 | 100 |
| Housing | 97 | 95 | 100 |
| Transportation | 98 | 99 | 100 |
| Utilities | 98 | 98 | 100 |
Johnson City Cost Of Living Compared To Tennessee Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Tennessee, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Johnson City Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Johnson City is $292,484.
The Median Rent in Johnson City is $1,023.
The Median Income in Johnson City is $57,254.
The Home Value To Income in Johnson City is 5.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Johnson City is 0.21x.
| Statistic | Johnson City | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $292,484 | $333,650 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,023 | $1,189 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $57,254 | $69,595 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.1x | 4.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.21x | 0.21x |
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 |
