Below Average CostNear National AverageRutherford County
Downtown murfreesboro9741 · The original uploader was Pollinator at English Wikipedia. / CC BY-SA 3.0Rutherford County Courthouse Tennessee 5-23-2015 · Ichabod / CC BY-SA 4.0MTSU Paul W Martin Honors Building · MTSUGoRaidersGo / CC BY 3.0Artillery Monument P8160141 · Chris Light / CC BY-SA 4.0
Murfreesboro is a mid-sized city of 153,487 in Tennessee, with a median household income of $70,451
and a 4.3% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is
3% below the national average.
Strengths:
Murfreesboro stands out for solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Murfreesboro is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Murfreesboro city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 97.4
Murfreesboro's overall cost of living index is 97.4,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Murfreesboro costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.
Metric
Murfreesboro, TN
National Avg
Median Home Value
$327,400
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,272
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
53.1%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$70,451
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Near National Average
Murfreesboro's violent crime rate is 420.0 per 100,000 residents
— 11% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
420.0 /100k
Property Crime
2022.2 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Murfreesboro is served primarily by Rutherford County.
Metric
Murfreesboro, TN
National Avg
School District
Rutherford County
—
Elementary Schools
28
—
Middle Schools
11
—
High Schools
14
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
40.5%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
93.9%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Murfreesboro sees average highs of 47.9°F in January
and 89.2°F in July,
with 55.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 2.2 inches of snow per year.
Murfreesboro's cost of living index is 97, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Murfreesboro roughly 3% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $327,400 and median rent is $1,272/month.
Murfreesboro's violent crime rate is 420.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2022.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Murfreesboro are operated by Rutherford County.
The district has 28 elementary, 11 middle, and 14 high schools.
40.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Murfreesboro, TN has a population of 153,487, a median household income of $70,451, and an unemployment rate of 4.3%.
Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Murfreesboro averages 47.9°F in January and 89.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 55.1 inches
with about 2.2 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Murfreesboro, TN is covered by 5 ZIP codes: 37129, 37128, 37130, 37127, 37132.
The population of Murfreesboro, Tennessee is 153,487 with a median age of 31.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Murfreesboro: cost of living index 97 (100 = US average), median home $327,400, median household income $70,451, crime index 105 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Murfreesboro side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
