Nashville, TN
No state tax on wages, lower property taxes than Texas, four real seasons.
Nashville pairs no state income tax on wages with property tax rates that are generally lower than Texas. In the most recent Redfin data the typical Nashville home sold for about $483K, compared with about $904K for the typical LA County zip code.
The money picture
| Typical LA County zip | Nashville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $904K | $483K |
| Median price per sq ft | $588 | $277 |
| Median days on market | n/a | 59 |
| State income tax on wages | Progressive, top rate 13.3% | None on wages (Tennessee fully repealed its Hall tax on investment income in 2021) |
Market figures: Redfin Data Center. Nashville: May 2026, all residential. LA: median of LA County zip-code medians, Mar 2026 to May 2026. Medians are a rough guide and hide a wide range of homes. Tax rates as published by each state for tax year 2026; rates change, so verify with the state's revenue department.
Tennessee does not tax wage income, and its former Hall tax on interest and dividends was fully phased out starting with tax year 2021. Tennessee does have a relatively high sales tax, so day-to-day purchases cost a bit more. Property taxes in Davidson County are set by the Metro Nashville government and are applied to an assessed value that is a percentage of appraised value.
Consider someone moving from LA with a household income of $300,000 in wages. Under California's progressive brackets, their state income tax could run well into five figures; in Tennessee, the state tax on those wages would be zero. That is a simplified illustration. Actual taxes depend on filing status, deductions, the timing of the move, and any income that California can still tax after someone leaves. A CPA is the right person to model this.
What people tend to weigh
- Taxes. No tax on wages, higher sales tax. Look at both together for a realistic picture.
- Climate. Hot, humid summers, mild to cold winters, and spring storm season.
- Housing stock. A mix of older homes close in and a lot of new construction in surrounding counties such as Williamson, Rutherford and Wilson.
- Growth. The region has grown quickly, which has pushed prices up compared with a decade ago.
Selling the LA side first
The move usually starts with the sale here. Our guide to selling your LA home and moving out of state walks through timing, California withholding at closing, transfer taxes and other things people commonly ask a CPA about.