Is Baltimore cheaper than Nashville?

Nashville is cheaper: its overall cost of living runs about 8% below Baltimore's (BEA Regional Price Parities).

Which has higher household income, Baltimore or Nashville?

Baltimore has the higher median household income — $98,666 versus $88,800 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS), about 11% more.

Does a paycheck go further in Baltimore or Nashville?

It is roughly a wash. After adjusting income for local prices, a typical paycheck is worth about the same in both metros ($94,429 versus $92,175).

Which has cheaper rent, Baltimore or Nashville?

Rents are close — $1,633/mo in the Baltimore metro versus $1,627/mo in Nashville (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).

Baltimore vs Nashville

Metro-area medians — Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metro Area vs Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Metro Area — not the cities proper.

Baltimore comes out ahead, winning 4 of the 7 clearly-decided measures.

Nashville is about 8% cheaper to live in, while Baltimore households earn about 11% more. Adjusted for local prices, a typical paycheck stretches about as far in either.

For your salary & household

Enter your pay and household size to see what it's really worth here — the numbers update live and the link stays shareable.

Annual salary (gross)

Household size

Baltimore, MD

$57,932

take-home / yr · 23% to tax

$55,444

real value after local prices

Nashville, TN

$61,314

take-home / yr · 18% to tax

$63,644

real value after local prices

On $75,000 for just you, Nashville leaves you about $8,200/yr better off after tax and local prices.

Take-home estimates a single filer taking the standard deduction (2025 federal brackets, FICA, and state income tax) and isn't tax advice. “Real value” rebases take-home to average U.S. prices using the BEA cost-of-living index; the per-person figure uses the OECD square-root equivalence scale.

Measure

Baltimore

Nashville

Livability (CityLedger)

69/100

Cost of living (price level, US = 100)

104.5

96.3

Cost-adjusted income (pay's real value)

$94,429

$92,175

Median household income

$98,666

$88,800

Median rent

$1,633/mo

$1,627/mo

Median home value

$403,000

$449,300

Unemployment

4.3%

3.4%

Bachelor's degree or higher

45.3%

43.3%

Average commute

30.3 min

28.7 min

Air quality (median AQI)

Avg temperature

59°F

61°F

Choose Baltimore for

+ Median household income
+ Median home value
+ Bachelor's degree or higher
+ Air quality (median AQI)

Full Baltimore profile →

Choose Nashville for

+ Cost of living (price level, US = 100)
+ Unemployment
+ Average commute

Full Nashville profile →

Baltimore vs Nashville — frequently asked

Is Baltimore cheaper than Nashville?: Nashville is cheaper: its overall cost of living runs about 8% below Baltimore's (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Which has higher household income, Baltimore or Nashville?: Baltimore has the higher median household income — $98,666 versus $88,800 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS), about 11% more.
Does a paycheck go further in Baltimore or Nashville?: It is roughly a wash. After adjusting income for local prices, a typical paycheck is worth about the same in both metros ($94,429 versus $92,175).
Which has cheaper rent, Baltimore or Nashville?: Rents are close — $1,633/mo in the Baltimore metro versus $1,627/mo in Nashville (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).