These are the most livable ‘small’ cities in Tennessee: report

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Looking to enjoy a life on the outskirts of town?

A new report by SmartAsset names three Tennessee cities as the most livable in America for those looking to stretch their income while enjoying a more spacious lifestyle.

To find the most livable small cities in America, SmartAsset compared 281 cities with a population between 65,000 and 100,000 across five key metrics that can all affect the well-being and comfort of a community.

The top 5 key metrics included:

1. Housing costs as a percentage of household income
2. Percentage of residents below the poverty line
3. Unemployment rate
4. Percentage of residents with health insurance
5. Average commute time

Three cities in the Volunteer State made this list:

Franklin

• Annual housing costs as a percent of income: 20.4%
• Population below poverty level: 3.0%
• Arts, entertainment, and recreation businesses: 4.4%
• Commute time: 23.8 minutes

SmartAsset ranked Franklin as the fourth most livable small city in the nation. The city had one of the lowest percentage of population living below poverty level, measuring at 3%. Data found that the median household income sits around $108,354. More than 4% of businesses in the city are entertainment/art-related, which is the highest percentage among cities that ranked in the top 10.

Jackson

• Annual housing costs as a percent of income: 23.2%
• Population below poverty level: 16.2%
• Arts, entertainment, and recreation businesses: 1.2%
• Commute time: 15.0 minutes

Coming in at No. 65 is Jackson, Tennessee. According to the report, 23.2% of income goes toward housing costs in the city, which is the highest among all the Tennessee cities that were named on the list. Meanwhile, those traveling in the area won’t have to worry about traffic since the report found Johnson City has the one of the shortest commute times at 15 minutes.

Johnson City

• Annual housing costs as a percent of income: 19.8%
• Population below poverty level: 18.8%
• Arts, entertainment, and recreation businesses: 1.4%
• Commute time: 18.9 minutes

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Johnson City ranked as the 90th best small livable city in the nation. The East Tennessee city had one of the highest percentage, 18.8%, of residents living below poverty level. However, only 19.8% of income goes toward yearly housing cost, making it the lowest out of all three Tennessee cities on the list.

To see the full report, click here .

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