Convert your annual salary to hourly, daily, weekly, biweekly, and monthly pay in Nashville, and compare it to the local minimum wage and MIT living wage for 2026.
Last updated: May 2026 · Data: MIT Living Wage Calculator, C2ER, U.S. Census, BLS, IRS, state and city sources
Nashville minimum wage: $7.25/hour | Living wage: $21.00/hour
Median household income in Nashville is about $72,000. The applicable minimum wage is $7.25/hour, and the MIT living wage for a single adult is about $21.00/hour. Use the comparisons below to see where a given salary lands.
| Pay Benchmark (Nashville) | Hourly | Annual (full-time) |
|---|---|---|
| Applicable minimum wage | $7.25 | $15,080 |
| MIT living wage (single adult) | $21.00 | $43,680 |
| Median household income | $34.62 | $72,000 |
| Standard full-time hours | - | 2,080 hours/year |
Nashville is the capital of Tennessee and a fast-growing Sun Belt metro known as Music City, with an economy anchored by healthcare management (including HCA Healthcare), music and entertainment, tourism, higher education at Vanderbilt, and a booming corporate-relocation and technology sector.
| Local Metric | Nashville (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|
| Metro population | 690,000 |
| County / jurisdiction | Davidson County |
| Cost of living index (US avg = 100) | 101 |
| MIT living wage, single adult | $21.00/hour |
| MIT living wage, one earner supporting a family of four | $42.50/hour |
| Applicable minimum wage | $7.25/hour |
| Average rent, 1-bedroom | $1,650/month |
| Average rent, 2-bedroom | $2,000/month |
| Median home price | $450,000 |
| Median household income | $72,000/year |
| Combined sales tax rate | 9.25% |
| Effective property tax rate | 0.65% of value/year |
Local figures are 2026 estimates compiled from the MIT Living Wage Calculator, the C2ER Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census and Zillow housing data, and city and county sources. Verify current figures before relying on them.
Divide your annual salary by your total work hours per year (40 hours/week times 52 weeks is 2,080 hours). For example, a $72,000 salary in Nashville is about $34.62/hour at full time.
Median household income in Nashville is around $72,000. Because the cost-of-living index is 101 (US average = 100) and average 1-bedroom rent is $1,650/month, what counts as comfortable depends heavily on housing costs.
The applicable minimum wage in Nashville is $7.25/hour, which is about $15,080/year at full time. Tennessee has not enacted a state minimum wage and prevents cities from setting their own, so the federal minimum of $7.25/hour applies to most private employers in Nashville.
The MIT Living Wage Calculator estimates a single adult in Davidson County needs about $21.00/hour, roughly $43,680/year, to cover basic costs without assistance.
At full time, $72,000/year is about $34.62/hour, $6,000/month gross, and $2,769 per biweekly paycheck before taxes.