Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Williamson County, TN would need to be about $28,755 in Sullivan County, TN, or $21,245 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Williamson County, TN vs Sullivan County, TN: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Sullivan County, TN is cheaper than Williamson County, TN.
Moving to Sullivan County, TN is estimated to save $31,309 per year.
Cheaper County
Sullivan County, TNSave about $31,309 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Williamson County, TN is about $28,755 in Sullivan County, TN.
Biggest drivers
No measured category is higher in Sullivan County, TN. Housing saves $15,624 per year.
Housing: $15,624 lower in Sullivan County, TN
Taxes: $7,967 lower in Sullivan County, TN
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $405 lower in Sullivan County, TN
Food: $888 lower in Sullivan County, TN
Transport: $1,297 lower in Sullivan County, TN
Williamson County, TN→Sullivan County, TN
Equivalent salary in Sullivan County, TN
$28,755
-42.49% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Williamson County, TN: $153,397
Median Income in Sullivan County, TN: $74,563
Living Index in Williamson County, TN 48.03%
Living Index in Sullivan County, TN 56.82%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Williamson County, TN to Sullivan 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 Sullivan County, TN is estimated to save $31,309 per year. A $50,000 salary in Williamson County, TN would have similar purchasing power to about $28,755 in Sullivan County, TN. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -42.49% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $15,624 per year lower (-62.79%); Taxes is $7,967 per year lower (-55.3%).
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 Sullivan 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 56.8% in Sullivan County, TN. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $15,624 per year lower in Sullivan 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 Sullivan County, TN changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $888 per year lower in Sullivan County, TN than in Williamson County, TN. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Sullivan County, TN can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $1,297 per year lower in Sullivan 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 Sullivan County, TN.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $405 per year lower in Sullivan County, TN than in Williamson County, TN. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Sullivan County, TN changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $5,127 per year lower in Sullivan County, TN than in Williamson County, TN. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Sullivan 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 Sullivan County, TN, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Sullivan County, TN, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $7,967 per year lower in Sullivan County, TN than in Williamson County, TN. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Sullivan 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 Sullivan County, TN.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Sullivan County, TN
Annual Increase:
No increase
No measured category is higher in Sullivan County, TN.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Sullivan County, TN
Annual Savings:
$15,624 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Sullivan County, TN.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -63% lower | |
| Food | -17% lower | |
| Transport | -9% lower | |
| Healthcare | -7% lower | |
| Other Costs | -55% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -55% lower |
In Sullivan County, TN, modeled annual costs are $42,370 compared with $73,679 in Williamson County, TN.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Sullivan County, TN. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Sullivan County, TN and Williamson County, TN are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
