Is $250,000 a good salary in Tennessee?
Percentile, take-home pay, rent burden, and comparable jobs for Tennessee - the full picture, not just a number.
$250,000 in Tennessee is a top-10% household income - the 95th percentile of Tennessee households in the Census ACS 2024 distribution (95th nationally). A single filer keeps about $182,744 after federal, Tennessee state, and FICA taxes - roughly $15,229/mo at a 27% effective rate. Statewide median rent takes 6% of gross, inside the affordable band.
Tennessee household income distribution (ACS 2024)
Tennessee's own published cut-points - where $250,000 sits is highlighted. These are the actual Census quintile thresholds for Tennessee, not the national distribution rescaled.
| Percentile | Band | Household income |
|---|---|---|
| 20th percentile | Bottom 20% | $31,207✓ passed |
| 40th percentile | Lower-middle | $57,169✓ passed |
| 50th percentile (median) | Median household | $71,997✓ passed |
| 60th percentile | Upper-middle | $89,473✓ passed |
| 80th percentile | Top 20% starts | $140,387✓ passed |
| 95th percentile (top 5%) | Top 5% starts | $250,001 |
$250,000 clears the 80th percentile threshold in Tennessee - placing it at the 95th percentile of state households.
Take-home pay on $250,000 in Tennessee
| Gross income | $250,000 |
| Federal income tax | −$52,263 |
| Tennessee state income tax (none) | −$0 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$10,918 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | −$4,075 |
| Take-home (net) | $182,744 |
That's about $15,229/month net, an effective tax rate of 26.9%. Tennessee's average combined sales tax is 9.55%, charged on taxable spending out of that net - a consumption cost on top of the income tax above.
Single filer, 2025 federal brackets + standard deduction. State tax uses Tennessee's top/flat marginal rate, so in progressive-bracket states (e.g. California, New York) the state line is an upper bound and your actual net is likely a little higher. Married-filing-jointly and pre-tax 401(k)/health deductions also change the result. Estimate only - Tennessee take-home detail →
Occupations near $250,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $250,000 - gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | entry-level | $250,000 |
| Anesthesiologist | entry-level | $248,000 |
| Lawyer | senior | $240,000 |
| Financial manager | senior | $240,000 |
| Marketing manager | senior | $240,000 |
| Dentist | senior | $235,000 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National medians; metro/state variance can be ±30%. Career stage estimates: entry ≈ 25th pct, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code.
Single earner vs two-earner household
One earner pulling $250,000 typically means a surgeon or comparable role. Above-median earner status in Tennessee.
Two earners at $125,000 each combined = $250,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $250,000 earner.
Lifestyle context - rent burden in Tennessee
At $250,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 6% of income - inside the affordable band. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $250,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $250,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $674,532. Tennessee median home value is $264,800 - you can afford 255% of the median home, so buying statewide is realistic.
How $250,000 ranks in neighboring states
State-adjusted percentile shows the same income placed in Tennessee's contiguous neighbors. Relevant for relocation, remote-work geography, or border-town decisions.
| State | Median HH | % vs median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee (current) | $71,997 | +247% | 95th |
| Kentucky | $64,526 | +287% | 95th |
| Alabama | $66,659 | +275% | 95th |
| Mississippi | $59,127 | +323% | 95th |
| Arkansas | $62,106 | +303% | 95th |
| Missouri | $71,589 | +249% | 95th |
| North Carolina | $73,958 | +238% | 95th |
| Georgia | $79,991 | +213% | 95th |
| Virginia | $92,090 | +171% | 95th |
$250,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in Tennessee
Common questions
- Is $250,000 a good household income in Tennessee?
- It sits at roughly the 95th percentile of Tennessee households in the state's own Census ACS 2024 income distribution (Tennessee median $71,997). Nationally that's about the 95th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living - state figures smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $250,000 compare to the Tennessee median?
- It's 247% above the Tennessee median household income of $71,997 (Census ACS 2024, table B19013). Half of Tennessee households earn less than $71,997, half earn more.
- Why does this number differ from other percentile calculators?
- Two sources of variation: (1) some calculators use individual income, not household - household income is typically higher because it combines earners. (2) Many rescale one national curve by a state median; we instead read the percentile directly from Tennessee's own published ACS 2024 B19080 quintile cut-points, so the state ranking reflects that state's actual income spread. Incomes above the 95th-percentile cut-point show as "top 5%+" because the Census top-codes that threshold.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.
Estimate only - not financial advice. Percentiles are interpolated from US Census Bureau ACS household income distribution tables and describe where an income falls nationally - they are not a judgment of what you should earn or financial advice. Cost of living varies widely by state and metro.
Reviewed by R. Bennett, Editor · editorial policy