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Living in Cleveland, TN

Small city in Tennessee

Cleveland is a small city in Tennessee, home to about 48,000 people, with 469,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Cleveland a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Low taxes: no state income tax, 0.62% property tax
  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $321k and rents for $1,580 a month
  • Low natural disaster risk: 5 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Easy flying: TYS is 66 mi away

👎 Cons

  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
  • Smaller job market: about 469,000 people live within 31 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Cleveland ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
48,000
469,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
52°F / 88°F
Average daily highs · 1″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$321k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,580/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
88
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
No income tax
State income tax per resident · 0.62% property tax
Safety
2.7× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
5 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly earthquakes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
4
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
31%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
TYS
66 mi away

Living in Cleveland: common questions

What is the cost of living in Cleveland?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $321k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,580 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 88, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Cleveland?

Tennessee has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 0.62% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Cleveland safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (2.7× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Cleveland?

Cleveland has cool winters: winter days average around 52°F and summer days around 88°F.

Does Cleveland get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from earthquakes, flooding and tornadoes: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.11 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Cleveland?

The nearest major airport is TYS, about 66 mi away.

How Cleveland scores

Each bar compares Cleveland with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Suburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cool winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Private AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Excellent
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Average
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Average
⛰️Outdoors Poor
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Higher crime
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Below average
🌤️Mild summers Good
✈️Airport Good

Places like Cleveland

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.

Nearby

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Is Cleveland right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.