Nashville vs Seattle
Two markets on the list for people leaving LA. Here's how they stack up on price, pace and taxes, measured against what a typical LA home sells for.
| Nashville, TN | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $483K | $901K |
| Median single-family | $530K | $1.17M |
| Median condo | $379K | $503K |
| Median $/sq ft | $277 | $571 |
| Median days on market | 59 | 11 |
| Avg sale-to-list | 98.1% | 100.8% |
| Sq ft for $1M (at median $/sq ft) | 3,610 | 1,750 |
| Californians who moved to the state (2024) | 19,670 | 43,938 |
Redfin Data Center, May 2026, all residential unless noted. Typical LA County zip for reference: $904K median, $588/sq ft, 44 median days on market. Mover counts: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024, estimates with margins of error.
The short version
Nashville is the less expensive of the two at the median, about $483K versus $901K in Seattle, roughly 46% less (Redfin, May 2026). $1 million covers roughly 3,610 square feet in Nashville at the median price per square foot, versus about 1,750 in Seattle. Seattle homes have been moving faster, 11 median days on market versus 59 in Nashville. Neither state taxes wage income, so the tax comparison comes down to property tax, insurance and sales tax on a specific home. In 2024 about 20,000 Californians moved to Tennessee and about 44,000 to Washington (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024).
Taxes
Nashville: None on wages (Tennessee fully repealed its Hall tax on investment income in 2021). Seattle: None on wages (Washington has no personal income tax on wages). Property tax, insurance and HOA costs vary by address in both places and can matter as much as income tax, so price them for any specific home.
Go deeper
Read the full guides: moving from LA to Nashville and moving from LA to Seattle.
Common questions
Is Nashville or Seattle cheaper?
Nashville had the lower median sale price, about $483K versus $901K in Seattle (Redfin, May 2026), roughly 46% less at the median.
Which has lower state income tax, Nashville or Seattle?
Neither state taxes wage income. Tennessee has no tax on wage income. Washington has no personal income tax on wages. Property tax, insurance and sales tax make the difference here. Rates change, so confirm with each state and a CPA.
What does $1 million buy in Nashville vs Seattle?
At the median price per square foot, $1 million works out to roughly 3,610 square feet in Nashville and 1,750 in Seattle, versus about 1,700 at the LA median. A rough illustration, not a listing.
