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Charlotte vs Nashville

Charlotte, NC  ·  Nashville, TN

⚖️

Charlotte is 8% cheaper than Nashville overall.

Home Price

Charlotte: $365,000

Nashville: $445,000

Monthly Rent

Charlotte: $1,595/mo

Nashville: $1,556/mo

COL Index

Charlotte: 104

Nashville: 112

Median Income

Charlotte: $68,600

Nashville: $72,200

Side-by-Side Comparison

Metric
Charlotte
Nashville
Winner
🏠

Median Home Price

$365,000
$445,000
Charlotte
🏢

Monthly Rent (Median)

$1,595/mo
$1,556/mo
Nashville
💰

Median Household Income

$68,600
$72,200
Nashville
📋

Property Tax Rate

0.79%
0.69%
Nashville
📊

Cost of Living Index

100 = national average

104
112
Charlotte
🚗

Avg. Commute

27 min
27 min
Tied
📈

Unemployment Rate

3.8%
2.9%
Nashville
👥

Median Age

34.8 yrs
34.6 yrs
Tied

What This Means For You

💵

Buying Power

A $100,000 salary in Charlotte has the same purchasing power as $107,692 in Nashville — based on each city's cost of living index.

🏠

Housing

Homes in Nashville are 22% cheaper (-$80,000 less). That's a significant down payment and monthly payment difference.

🏢

Renting

Renting in Nashville saves you $39/month — $468 per year. Median rent: $1,595/mo in Charlotte vs $1,556/mo in Nashville.

📋

Property Taxes

On a median-priced home, Charlotte owners pay roughly $2,884/year in property taxes vs $3,071/year in Nashville. That's a $187 annual difference.

💼

Local Earnings

Median household income is $68,600 in Charlotte and $72,200 in Nashville. Charlotte residents earn 5% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.

🚗

Daily Commute

Average commute is 27 minutes in Charlotte vs 27 minutes in Nashville. Commute times are nearly identical.

Salary Equivalence

To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Charlotte to Nashville, here's the salary you'd need:

Salary in CharlotteEquivalent in NashvilleDifference
$50,000$53,846+$3,846
$75,000$80,769+$5,769
$100,000$107,692+$7,692
$150,000$161,538+$11,538
$200,000$215,385+$15,385

* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.

Run the Numbers

Related Comparisons

Charlotte vs Nashville: Common Questions

Is Charlotte or Nashville cheaper to live in?

Based on cost of living indices, Charlotte is cheaper overall. Charlotte has a COL index of 104 while Nashville scores 112 (national average = 100).

How do home prices compare between Charlotte and Nashville?

The median home price in Charlotte is $365,000 vs $445,000 in Nashville — a difference of $80,000 (22%).

What salary do I need in Nashville to match my Charlotte income?

Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Charlotte is equivalent to $107,692 in Nashville in terms of purchasing power.

Which city has lower property taxes?

Nashville has a lower property tax rate (0.69% vs 0.79%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,884/year vs $3,071/year.

Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.