Best Counties in Tennessee — 2026 Rankings
95 of 95 counties scored across 12 dimensions
95
95 scored
52/100
composite score
69.3/100
22.6—69.3
lowest to highest
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in Tennessee
Tennessee Slightly Outperforms the National Median
Tennessee earns a composite livability score of 51.3, placing it just above the national median of 50.0. While the state maintains a competitive edge overall, its 95 counties show a significant divide between high-performing rural areas and struggling urban centers.
A National Leader in Tax and Cost Efficiency
The Volunteer State shines with a Tax Score of 83.7, reflecting its status as one of the most tax-friendly environments in the country. This advantage is bolstered by a Cost Score of 60.8, which indicates that everyday living expenses remain well below the national average.
Health and Income Metrics Lag Behind Financial Gains
Tennessee's overall rating faces downward pressure from a low Health Score of 28.7 and an Income Score of 36.0. These figures suggest that while the cost of entry is low, residents often trade off access to high-paying jobs and top-tier healthcare outcomes.
Rural Counties Lead the Livability Charts
Van Buren County takes the top spot with a score of 69.0, followed closely by Perry at 68.3 and Pickett at 67.3. These three counties dominate the index by combining elite tax scores near 95.0 with exceptional affordability that far outpaces urban hubs like Davidson or Shelby.
Ideal for Retirees and Cost-Conscious Households
Tennessee is a premier destination for those who prioritize low taxes and a manageable cost of living over urban amenities or high health metrics. It best suits retirees, remote workers, or families looking to maximize their purchasing power in quiet, low-risk settings.
All County Rankings in Tennessee
Search, sort, and filter all 95 ranked counties
Showing 1–25 of 95 counties
| Rank | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pickett County | 69.3 | 93 | 95.3 | 10 | 86.8 | 23.9 | 55 | 95.4 | 20.2 | 73.7 | 73.3 | ||
| 2 | Van Buren County | 68.3 | 90.7 | 88.9 | 21.1 | 86.4 | 21.5 | 61.3 | 97.4 | 3.5 | 73.7 | 68 | ||
| 3 | Perry County | 68 | 80.7 | 78.7 | 23.5 | 91.6 | 22.3 | 67.5 | 66.6 | 86 | 64.7 | 32 | 38.7 | |
| 4 | Clay County | 65.9 | 76.6 | 98.3 | 2.3 | 79.4 | 20 | 57.1 | 86.7 | 25 | 58.1 | 47.2 | 57.3 | |
| 5 | Claiborne County | 64.6 | 85.3 | 85.6 | 10.8 | 76.7 | 23.4 | 56.6 | 57.2 | 86 | 63.4 | 21.9 | 58.4 | |
| 6 | Moore County | 64.4 | 89.1 | 50.2 | 53.2 | 66.9 | 55.4 | 57.9 | 90.1 | 86 | 60.3 | 48.2 | 45.5 | |
| 7 | Morgan County | 63.9 | 81.8 | 81.4 | 50.8 | 64.2 | 19.5 | 60.5 | 81 | 86 | 72.8 | 63.2 | ||
| 8 | Wayne County | 62 | 85.3 | 95 | 15.9 | 69.7 | 26.9 | 46.8 | 57 | 8.2 | 64.8 | 34.1 | 36.5 | |
| 9 | Cannon County | 61.6 | 91.5 | 62 | 32.2 | 86.2 | 22.9 | 38.3 | 77.1 | 86 | 59.5 | 43.8 | 50.9 | |
| 10 | Johnson County | 61.2 | 93.5 | 94.9 | 17.7 | 43.9 | 22.2 | 50.1 | 71.8 | 86 | 74 | 24.3 | 55.7 | |
| 11 | Williamson County | 60.9 | 93.3 | 2.3 | 99.4 | 64.3 | 95.1 | 66.3 | 14.9 | 62 | 64.3 | 39 | 48.5 | |
| 12 | Chester County | 60.5 | 82.2 | 75.7 | 31.8 | 61.3 | 26.2 | 57 | 55.5 | 86 | 63.3 | 26.1 | 38.1 | |
| 13 | Grainger County | 60.5 | 86.6 | 86.5 | 12.7 | 55.4 | 19.2 | 52.4 | 81.4 | 86 | 65.8 | 42.4 | 55.2 | |
| 14 | Bledsoe County | 60.3 | 95.3 | 79 | 20.8 | 56.5 | 27.3 | 48.6 | 75.9 | 42.5 | 72.2 | 27.6 | 42.1 | |
| 15 | Hancock County | 59.7 | 89.8 | 97.5 | 0.8 | 32.3 | 18.2 | 62.3 | 88.1 | 86 | 67.9 | 69.5 | ||
| 16 | Stewart County | 58.9 | 88.3 | 60.3 | 43.2 | 68.3 | 31.8 | 50.7 | 70.7 | 17.4 | 70 | 46.1 | 47.1 | |
| 17 | Unicoi County | 58.5 | 81.6 | 76.6 | 15.8 | 60.7 | 21.5 | 44.2 | 89.4 | 86 | 68.4 | 32.3 | 55.5 | |
| 18 | Houston County | 58.4 | 80 | 75 | 32.7 | 59.9 | 21.7 | 43.3 | 86.9 | 86 | 64.6 | 35.9 | 42.3 | |
| 19 | Scott County | 58.1 | 83.4 | 92.5 | 5.4 | 40.4 | 17.2 | 57.3 | 73.9 | 86 | 69 | 66.3 | ||
| 20 | White County | 58.1 | 93.1 | 68.6 | 15.7 | 63.7 | 18.2 | 48.3 | 61.5 | 86 | 64 | 49.7 | ||
| 21 | Polk County | 57.6 | 83.8 | 91.4 | 41.3 | 23.2 | 22.7 | 55.4 | 68.9 | 86 | 71.9 | 34.6 | 21.2 | |
| 22 | Benton County | 56.8 | 86 | 83.5 | 14.8 | 31.3 | 20 | 68.4 | 61 | 86 | 65.3 | 34.9 | 43.1 | |
| 23 | Decatur County | 56.5 | 88 | 83.4 | 6 | 39.5 | 20.1 | 56.7 | 61.6 | 86 | 61.8 | 25.2 | 32.7 | |
| 24 | Meigs County | 56.1 | 94.3 | 72 | 38.1 | 19.9 | 31.8 | 59.8 | 87.3 | 86 | 62.9 | 50.2 | 36.6 | |
| 25 | Fentress County | 55.7 | 97.4 | 91.2 | 13.8 | 30.8 | 14.8 | 51.5 | 71.6 | 29.2 | 77.4 | 68.1 |
Pickett County
Van Buren County
Perry County
Clay County
Claiborne County
Moore County
Morgan County
Wayne County
Cannon County
Johnson County
Williamson County
Chester County
Grainger County
Bledsoe County
Hancock County
Stewart County
Unicoi County
Houston County
Scott County
White County
Polk County
Benton County
Decatur County
Meigs County
Fentress County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Tennessee
Common questions about county rankings and scores in Tennessee.
What is the best county in Tennessee?
Pickett County is the top-ranked county in Tennessee with a CountyScore of 69.3/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate.
How many counties are ranked in Tennessee?
Tennessee has 95 counties in total. Of those, 95 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.
What factors determine a county's score?
Each county is scored 0–100 across up to nine baseline data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, and Weather & Climate. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever baseline dimensions have data. Currently available baseline dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.
What is the average county score in Tennessee?
The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Tennessee is 52/100. The national average is 50/100, so Tennessee counties score 2 points above the national average.
How does Tennessee compare to other states?
Tennessee's average county score of 52/100 is 2 points above the national average of 50/100. You can compare Tennessee counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.
Explore County Data by Category
Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Tennessee.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.