Oak Ridge, TN Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Oak Ridge, TN Summary

Cost of living in Oak Ridge 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 Oak Ridge 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 Oak Ridge is 91, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Oak Ridge is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Oak Ridge ranks as the #54 cheapest in Tennessee out of 109.

  • Oak Ridge ranks as the #1,347 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Oak Ridge is $318,659.

  • The median income in Oak Ridge is $71,000.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
91
Oak Ridge's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Oak Ridge, TN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Oak Ridge has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Tennessee, Oak Ridge has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Tennessee's index of 90.

The standard of living in Oak Ridge ranks as #54 most affordable out of the 109 places we measured in Tennessee. By definition, that implies Oak Ridge ranks as the #55 most expensive place in the Volunteer State.

For more reading on life in Oak Ridge, check out:

54 out of 109
In Tennessee
1,347 out of 6,489
In America

Oak Ridge Cost Of Living Vs. Tennessee

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

  • The Services index in Oak Ridge is 89.

  • The Groceries index in Oak Ridge is 101.

  • The Health index in Oak Ridge is 86.

  • The Housing index in Oak Ridge is 86.

  • The Transportation index in Oak Ridge is 90.

  • The Utilities index in Oak Ridge is 96.

Living Expense Oak Ridge Tennessee National Average
Overall 91 90 100
Services 89 93 100
Groceries 101 99 100
Health 86 87 100
Housing 86 81 100
Transportation 90 89 100
Utilities 96 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Tennessee, check out:
Oak Ridge Cost of Living Vs. TN

Oak Ridge, 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 Oak Ridge is $318,659.

  • The Median Rent in Oak Ridge is $1,076.

  • The Median Income in Oak Ridge is $71,000.

  • The Home Value To Income in Oak Ridge is 4.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Oak Ridge is 0.18x.

Statistic Oak Ridge Tennessee United States
Median Home Value $318,659 $330,598 $303,400
Median Rent $1,076 $1,122 $1,348
Median Income $71,000 $67,097 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.5x 4.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.2x 0.21x
$318,659
Median Home Value
$1,076
Median Rent
$71,000
Median Income

Oak Ridge, TN Costs By Category

Detailed Oak Ridge Services Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Oak Ridge Tennessee
Shampoo $1.23 $1.28
Movie $12.31 $12.13
Bowling $21.6 $18
Haircut $17.07 $24.26
Beauty Salon $42.0 $45.56

Detailed Oak Ridge Groceries Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Oak Ridge Tennessee
Ground Beef $5.73 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.42 $1.57
Milk $4.67 $4.67
Potatoes $5.03 $4.93
Pizza $11.42 $12.09
Beer $10.06 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.69 $3.7

Detailed Oak Ridge Health Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Oak Ridge Tennessee
Optometrist $92.0 $125.68
Doctor $112.0 $135.78
Dentist $92.27 $113.29

Detailed Oak Ridge Transportation Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Oak Ridge Tennessee
Gasoline $3.11 $3.46
Tire Balancing $52.8 $59.92

Detailed Oak Ridge Utilities Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Oak Ridge Tennessee
All Electricity $173.24 $193.99
Phone $192.18 $192.25

Oak Ridge SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Oak Ridge

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Oak Ridge. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Knoxville, TN has a cost of living index of 89, 1.0x Oak Ridge.

  • Farragut, TN has a cost of living index of 119, 1.3x Oak Ridge.

  • Clinton, TN has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Oak Ridge.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Oak Ridge
Knoxville, TN 193,721 89 1.0x
Farragut, TN 24,309 119 1.3x
Clinton, TN 10,141 91 1.0x
Kingston, TN 6,042 89 1.0x
Harriman, TN 6,021 81 0.9x

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