To take home four times the typical rent, a full-time job in Tennessee needs to pay from $20.21 an hour in Gibson County to $65.30 in Williamson County, before taxes. The middle county is White County at $23.79.
| County | Pay needed | Studio rent |
|---|---|---|
| Anderson County | $29.23/hr | $985/mo |
| Bedford County | $30.95/hr | $1,040/mo |
| Benton County | $22.54/hr | $770/mo |
| Bledsoe County | $24.26/hr | $825/mo |
| Blount County | $32.66/hr | $1,095/mo |
| Bradley County | $26.28/hr | $890/mo |
| Campbell County | $22.54/hr | $770/mo |
| Cannon County | $30.95/hr | $1,040/mo |
| Carroll County | $22.23/hr | $760/mo |
| Carter County | $23.48/hr | $800/mo |
| Cheatham County | $42.50/hr | $1,380/mo |
| Chester County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Claiborne County | $22.39/hr | $765/mo |
| Clay County | $22.11/hr | $756/mo |
| Cocke County | $23.48/hr | $800/mo |
| Coffee County | $25.34/hr | $860/mo |
| Crockett County | $21.61/hr | $740/mo |
| Cumberland County | $23.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Davidson County | $52.10/hr | $1,650/mo |
| Decatur County | $22.70/hr | $775/mo |
| DeKalb County | $30.95/hr | $1,040/mo |
| Dickson County | $30.95/hr | $1,040/mo |
| Dyer County | $22.23/hr | $760/mo |
| Fayette County | $26.43/hr | $895/mo |
| Fentress County | $22.23/hr | $760/mo |
| Franklin County | $25.50/hr | $865/mo |
| Gibson County | $20.21/hr | $695/mo |
| Giles County | $26.59/hr | $900/mo |
| Grainger County | $23.01/hr | $785/mo |
| Greene County | $20.68/hr | $710/mo |
| Grundy County | $24.41/hr | $830/mo |
| Hamblen County | $26.59/hr | $900/mo |
| Hamilton County | $38.59/hr | $1,270/mo |
| Hancock County | $22.26/hr | $761/mo |
| Hardeman County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Hardin County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Hawkins County | $20.37/hr | $700/mo |
| Haywood County | $22.11/hr | $756/mo |
| Henderson County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Henry County | $20.99/hr | $720/mo |
| Hickman County | $25.19/hr | $855/mo |
| Houston County | $21.61/hr | $740/mo |
| Humphreys County | $27.37/hr | $925/mo |
| Jackson County | $22.39/hr | $765/mo |
| Jefferson County | $26.59/hr | $900/mo |
| Johnson County | $23.48/hr | $800/mo |
| Knox County | $35.40/hr | $1,180/mo |
| Lake County | $22.11/hr | $756/mo |
| Lauderdale County | $22.23/hr | $760/mo |
| Lawrence County | $22.54/hr | $770/mo |
| Lewis County | $22.26/hr | $761/mo |
| Lincoln County | $22.54/hr | $770/mo |
| Loudon County | $30.32/hr | $1,020/mo |
| Macon County | $26.59/hr | $900/mo |
| Madison County | $26.28/hr | $890/mo |
| Marion County | $29.08/hr | $980/mo |
| Marshall County | $27.52/hr | $930/mo |
| Maury County | $36.11/hr | $1,200/mo |
| McMinn County | $23.01/hr | $785/mo |
| McNairy County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Meigs County | $23.29/hr | $794/mo |
| Monroe County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Montgomery County | $32.81/hr | $1,100/mo |
| Moore County | $22.26/hr | $761/mo |
| Morgan County | $25.03/hr | $850/mo |
| Obion County | $22.70/hr | $775/mo |
| Overton County | $22.39/hr | $765/mo |
| Perry County | $22.26/hr | $761/mo |
| Pickett County | $22.26/hr | $761/mo |
| Polk County | $22.54/hr | $770/mo |
| Putnam County | $22.70/hr | $775/mo |
| Rhea County | $23.48/hr | $800/mo |
| Roane County | $24.72/hr | $840/mo |
| Robertson County | $37.00/hr | $1,225/mo |
| Rutherford County | $44.46/hr | $1,435/mo |
| Scott County | $23.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Sequatchie County | $35.43/hr | $1,181/mo |
| Sevier County | $31.41/hr | $1,055/mo |
| Shelby County | $32.50/hr | $1,090/mo |
| Smith County | $23.63/hr | $805/mo |
| Stewart County | $28.77/hr | $970/mo |
| Sullivan County | $22.70/hr | $775/mo |
| Sumner County | $35.75/hr | $1,190/mo |
| Tipton County | $28.46/hr | $960/mo |
| Trousdale County | $49.79/hr | $1,585/mo |
| Unicoi County | $25.34/hr | $860/mo |
| Union County | $26.59/hr | $900/mo |
| Van Buren County | $22.11/hr | $756/mo |
| Warren County | $25.34/hr | $860/mo |
| Washington County | $28.15/hr | $950/mo |
| Wayne County | $22.70/hr | $775/mo |
| Weakley County | $22.23/hr | $760/mo |
| White County | $23.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Williamson County | $65.30/hr | $2,020/mo |
| Wilson County | $41.97/hr | $1,365/mo |
The Four Times Rent standard: a month of full-time work (160 hours) should take home at least four times the typical rent on a studio apartment in the county where the work is done. Rents: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local income taxes plus Social Security and Medicare, for a single filer. Why four times rent?