Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Williamson County, TN would need to be about $28,595 in Decatur County, TN, or $21,405 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Williamson County, TN vs Decatur County, TN: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Decatur County, TN is cheaper than Williamson County, TN.
Moving to Decatur County, TN is estimated to save $31,544 per year.
Cheaper County
Decatur County, TNSave about $31,544 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Williamson County, TN is about $28,595 in Decatur County, TN.
Biggest drivers
Transport increases by $555 per year. Housing saves $16,712 per year.
Housing: $16,712 lower in Decatur County, TN
Taxes: $8,013 lower in Decatur County, TN
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $596 lower in Decatur County, TN
Food: $1,211 lower in Decatur County, TN
Transport: $555 higher in Decatur County, TN
Williamson County, TN→Decatur County, TN
Equivalent salary in Decatur County, TN
$28,595
-42.81% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Williamson County, TN: $153,397
Median Income in Decatur County, TN: $62,181
Living Index in Williamson County, TN 48.03%
Living Index in Decatur County, TN 67.76%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Williamson County, TN to Decatur County, TN.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Williamson County, TN to Decatur County, TN is estimated to save $31,544 per year. A $50,000 salary in Williamson County, TN would have similar purchasing power to about $28,595 in Decatur County, TN. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -42.81% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $16,712 per year lower (-67.16%); Taxes is $8,013 per year lower (-55.62%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Williamson County, TN and Decatur County, TN, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 48.0% of median family income in Williamson County, TN and 67.8% in Decatur County, TN. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $16,712 per year lower in Decatur County, TN than in Williamson County, TN. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Decatur County, TN changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $1,211 per year lower in Decatur County, TN than in Williamson County, TN. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Decatur County, TN can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $555 per year higher in Decatur County, TN than in Williamson County, TN. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Decatur County, TN.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $596 per year lower in Decatur County, TN than in Williamson County, TN. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Decatur County, TN changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $5,565 per year lower in Decatur County, TN than in Williamson County, TN. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Decatur County, TN help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Williamson County, TN and Decatur County, TN, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Decatur County, TN, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $8,013 per year lower in Decatur County, TN than in Williamson County, TN. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Decatur County, TN matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Decatur County, TN.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Decatur County, TN
Annual Increase:
$555 per year
TRANSPORT has the largest annual increase when moving to Decatur County, TN.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Decatur County, TN
Annual Savings:
$16,712 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Decatur County, TN.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -67% lower | |
| Food | -24% lower | |
| Transport | 4% higher | |
| Healthcare | -10% lower | |
| Other Costs | -60% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -56% lower |
In Decatur County, TN, modeled annual costs are $42,135 compared with $73,679 in Williamson County, TN.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Decatur County, TN. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Decatur County, TN is not a metropolitan location, while Williamson County, TN is a metropolitan location.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
