Places › Tennessee › Morristown

Living in Morristown, TN

Small city in Tennessee

Morristown is a small city in Tennessee, home to about 31,000 people, with 132,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Morristown a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Low taxes: no state income tax, 0.59% property tax
  • Low natural disaster risk: 4 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $293k and rents for $1,440 a month
  • Dog-friendly: 3 dog parks within 9 mi

👎 Cons

  • Fewer graduates: 15% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Smaller job market: about 132,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Fewer family amenities than most places

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

Key facts

Population
31,000
132,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
49°F / 85°F
Average daily highs · 9″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$293k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,440/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
86
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
No income tax
State income tax per resident · 0.59% property tax
Safety
2.2× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
4 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, earthquakes
Top-rated hospitals
1
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Average
Tests below US average · 16 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
15%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
TYS
47 mi away

Living in Morristown: common questions

What is the cost of living in Morristown?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $293k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,440 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 86, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Morristown?

Tennessee has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 0.59% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Morristown safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (2.2× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Morristown?

Public schools in Morristown test below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 16 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Morristown?

Morristown has cool winters: winter days average around 49°F and summer days around 85°F, with roughly 9″ of snow a year.

Does Morristown get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes: 4 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.38 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Morristown?

The nearest major airport is TYS, about 47 mi away.

How Morristown scores

Each bar compares Morristown with the other 1,990 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 sizeSmall town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietSuburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundCar essential Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCool winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingVery affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceSlow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityFriendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingApartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingExcellent
💸Low taxesExcellent
💼Job marketPoor
🏥HealthcareGood
🏫SchoolsAverage
🎓EducationPoor
🧸Kids & familyPoor
🐕Dog-friendlyExcellent
⛰️OutdoorsBelow average
🎭CulturePoor
👮SafetyHigher crime
🌪️Few natural disastersExcellent
☀️SunnyAverage
🌤️Mild summersGood
✈️AirportAverage

Places like Morristown

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Bristol, TNSmall city49 $269k$1,340/moModerate crime Statesville, NCSmall city56 $291k$1,810/moNo crime data Jefferson City, MOSmall city47 $266k$1,270/moSafe New Bern, NCSmall city45 $280k$1,590/moModerate crime Kokomo, INSmall city48 $186k$1,390/moModerate crime Cleveland, TNSmall city43 $321k$1,580/moHigher crime

Nearby

Knoxville, TNMid-size city · 40 mi away51 $356k$1,860/moHigher crime Kingsport, TNSmall city · 47 mi away44 $274k$1,340/moHigher crime Maryville, TNSuburb · 49 mi away58 $399k$1,860/moVery safe Johnson City, TNCollege town · 52 mi away50 $310k$1,400/moModerate crime Oak Ridge, TNSuburb · 55 mi away59 $327k$1,860/moSafe Asheville, NCSmall city · 60 mi away56 $451k$1,910/moHigher crime

See all the best places to live in Tennessee.

Is Morristown 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.