Murfreesboro, TN Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Murfreesboro, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Murfreesboro →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Murfreesboro, Tennessee has a population of about 153,487. Typical household income is $70,451 per year, roughly in line with the median across the cities in our dataset (-2%).
Murfreesboro's housing market shows a median home value of $327,400, roughly in line with the multi-city benchmark (+0%), alongside median rent of $1,272 per month. Both figures matter for anyone weighing a move here.
Home prices in Murfreesboro run about 4.6× median household income — a middle-of-the-road ratio, neither a bargain nor a stretch by our tracked standards. The market around Murfreesboro shows little movement, with prices up a mere 0.02% compared with a year ago. FEMA classifies Murfreesboro's hazard risk as Relatively Moderate, a comparatively low rating among the cities we track.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,272/mo in Murfreesboro would take 21.7% of your income.
$489/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($327,400) would take 29.8% of your income toward principal & interest.
$104/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Murfreesboro
Median home value is $327,400 and median gross rent is $1,272/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Rutherford rose 0.02% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,730/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Murfreesboro's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively Moderate. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Murfreesboro reported a violent crime rate of 404.6 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Murfreesboro
Planning a move to Murfreesboro? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Murfreesboro, TN?
- Murfreesboro's key cost-of-living figures: $327,400 median home value, $1,272 median monthly rent, and $70,451 median household income, per the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Murfreesboro?
- Comfortably affording rent in Murfreesboro — where the median runs $1,272/month — typically means earning about $50,880 a year, per the standard 30%-of-income benchmark. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Murfreesboro.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Murfreesboro?
- Renting in Murfreesboro at the median $1,272/month calls for about $50,880 a year under the standard 30% guideline; buying the median home at $327,400 takes roughly $74,907 a year in principal and interest (20% down, 30-year fixed, current rates). Timeline and down payment usually decide which makes more sense.
- Is Murfreesboro safe?
- In 2025, Murfreesboro reported 404.6 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, according to FBI data.
See the full salary breakdown for Murfreesboro →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Murfreesboro's.