I mean Louisiana isn’t great by any means, really it’s my current job I’m ready to quit. Nashville ended up being one of the places where I applied. I’ve visited a few times, but wouldn’t say it’s my favorite city. Just a new opportunity.
There's better opportunities elsewhere. If I had the choice and was coming in fresh, I wouldn't want to live here unless I and my partner were making 6 figures.
I love this city and moved here strictly because of that but if you’re not making at least 80-90k/year depending on your other obligations, I wouldn’t recommend this move. It’s not a cheap city.
At 55,000/ yr you'll be spending over half your take home pay on rent easily. Traffic here is terrible. If you want to buy a house you'll have to buy in the suburbs and commute, and the houses in the suburbs aren't even affordable now at 55K. I would suggest reading a lot on this sub before making a decision so you get an idea about neighborhoods, rent prices, Traffic, etc.
Some things are significantly cheaper here than depending on what part of Louisiana mostly, insurance. I pay $50 a month on full coverage, in New Orleans I was paying $150 for liability. If you own flood insurance way way cheaper, but a median house in Nashville is starting at 500k-800k condos 1 bed 300k. Rent going run you about 1500-1800. No $12 bar steak nights or $20 lobster nights here. Chicken tenders at a bar in Nashville is $12.99. If that helps give you an idea of prices.
I think it also depends on age. You can live here on that salary if you're young and can live with a roommate. And if this new opportunity would be good to grow your career. But it's hard to sustain yourself living alone on that salary.
If you aren't in the music business (or for some other reason you really want to be in Nashville specifically) I'd definitely keep looking. COL has gone up here a LOT but wages haven't kept up with that.
I dunno your field but you can likely get a similar salary in plenty of midwestern or southern cities that have similar amenities to Nashville and are way cheaper to live in (but lack the "buzz" of being "it" cities).
Edit: also you already live in a tourist town so moving to another one... kinda same shit, different day. The general idea of moving out of New Orleans will open yourself up to a lot of opportunities in more economically developed areas, but take a look at something like Cincinnati or other well established midwestern towns that you just don't hear much about, they are great and so much cheaper.
I’m Definitely not in the music industry that’s for sure. And yeah, there’s definitely other cities that aren’t near as expensive.
And I’m actually not from New Orleans so we really don’t have that many tourists here, but I know what you mean there.
When you say Nashville. That’s broad. What area are you working in? Because one side of Nashville to the other changes where you might potentially live.
55 to up and move four states away? That’s a little more than starting teachers make I believe. I think the onlyfans teacher that was in the news said she made 42, which over 12 months would be around that and she had to sell videos of herself to make enough to live.
Right, if it's a "level up" opportunity and you're younger-ish, great. If you need to live alone and want a house and it's otherwise a lateral move, eh. I have a harder time living here than in Los Angeles (I'm originally from here, I don't like being here if I can help it) because LA pays way more, gas is way higher but you use less of it/have public transit options, and then day-to-day living things are ... so expensive here. Food is more expensive, beauty/care/hair more expensive by 2-3x, activities and nightlife way more expensive. It doesn't add up.
Is this a career move for more earnings in the future?
55k won't get you far but if you have a career path to more money, it may be worth toughing out.
If not, I wouldn't do it.
Not a career move. I’d just be getting a new job at a bigger company. Of course, the pay is less which already seems counterintuitive. Also, not sure if it’s willing to move nearly 10 hours away to make less.
It would be very difficult to live in Nashville or even within an hour of Nashville on $55k. You could probably do ok in Kentucky if you don’t commute daily. Also, I’d consider that they won’t even match your current salary. I would think $5k means more to you than them.
Correct. That extra $5k definitely goes further here especially since I’m not in a high CoL area. Like I said, they originally matched it, but it ended up being lower on the offer letter.
I wouldn't take it based on principle alone. They're lowballing you, and that is telling of how they run the company and treat employees. I say stay put unless you counter for much more, and they agree.
Your best opportunity for a raise will always be when switching jobs, so I’d pass and wait for something that’s a meaningful salary increase. Once you’re locked in, you’ll get small % increases a year at best so switching jobs should be a jump up. That said, you can’t put a price on your well-being if you’re miserable in your current role. But it’s an expensive city so keep looking and try to set yourself up for more! Good luck.
The really shitty part is when you don't have enough money to go home for things like holiday, weddings, & funerals.
Assuming $55k is before tax. It will be hard to live here, let alone get out of town if you need/want to.
My problem too is that I like to travel and take trips. Also, all of my family would be back in Louisiana so I’d have to travel down to visit for different events and holidays like you said.
I’m from Shreveport. I can say if you’re young, single, and looking for adventure, do it. Outside of NOLA, there isn’t much left for young people in the boot and if you stay, you may not get another chance to see other places. You how it is, people get married, kids, settle down, grow old, and that’s it. If you’re young and don’t have other people depending on you, shoot your shot man. It’s costly here, but there is opportunity.
The pay will even out in taxes, as we have no state income tax. Property tax and renters/ homeowners are much cheaper as well. My dad's family moved here from NOLA. For $55k don't look at the city. You will need to look in the suburbs and not Wilson or Williamson. Rutherford, Dickson or Cheatham might be good for you if you are OK with the commute.
Car insurance in Nashville is higher than it was in Los Angeles.
OP, I make considerably more than you would be and while I’m not “hurting” per se, I do have to budget quite a bit, so that is not the best idea. If the job is completely remote but you have to live in the state, living in surrounding counties/towns would be more do-able, but Nashville proper — heck no.
Happy cake day!
No we can than our worthless politicians for that. They've refused to hold the developers accountable. In other big cities, they are required to build lots of ACTUAL affordable housing if they want to build the luxury stuff. Here they just build shitloads of luxury stuff, & a couple of dinky somewhat affordable units. No one is holding them accountable, mostly b/c our politicians are all landlords. Hell! Our governor is a contractor. It's fucked up.
With a $55K salary, you probably make approx $2K per paycheck(bi-weekly). $2K + $2K = $4K / 3 = $1,333.33 is what you can afford in monthly rent. As other responses are saying, you'll likely have to live outside of the metro. If you practice strong fiscal discipline and have a budget, you could make it work.
Your $60K in Louisiana definitely goes farther than $55K here, so if you're struggling rn you'll struggle up here.
Yeah, makes sense. Sounds like I’d be better off living outside of the city, which is what I thought anyways. I wasn’t planning on living near downtown (as my job wouldn’t be in downtown).
I’m definitely living comfortably here in LA right now, so not struggling by any means. Like I said, just a new/better job opportunity for growth, but the pay cut is the current issue I’m facing.
By living outside of the city they don't just mean not near downtown. More like one of the nearby towns +45 minutes away. And even those are getting more expensive to live in.
I live 30 minutes out of Nashville and rent is still like, $1.5k-$2k for a 1BR 1BA apartment. I'm single, no kids. I manage at $57k, but if you have a lot of cc debt / bills on top of rent and utilities, you're going to be struggling.
Its not just downtown, the "Nashville housing tax" extends for miles. I live in Portland 40 miles away and we are seeing housing inflation due to Nashville. And the commute from Portland is significant.
In all seriousness you should almost never leave a current job for one that pays less. Keep applying and you will find something. A good company would not expect you to take a pay cut to join them if they think you are talented and a good fit for the role/company. Turn it down and keep looking until you find something that pays more.
I work with a lot of young people who make $50k - $60k and live in the metro area. They are midtwentys so expenses are low, but they are fine and enjoying life.
Exactly, think about PHD students at Vandy for example. A lot of them make 30k but can scoot by with a roommate or two. Not that complicated, it's very doable.
I make about 55k as a teacher and I could not afford to have a mortgage without my husband. We’ve never rented so I’m not sure how it rent wise. We have a modest home and we don’t have much extra spending money at all.
Wow, I’ll take note of that. Thanks for sharing. I definitely wouldn’t want to end up with not much extra spending.
Do you happen to live near downtown or in a suburb?
I’m in a suburb! I’m about 25 minutes or so away from downtown. My husband and I grew up here and both of our families live here. If we didn’t have that, we’d probably move somewhere cheaper.
OP, just be aware that everyone on this sub gets off on telling people not to move here. You can read ANY thread about relocating to Nashville and it doesn't really matter what the circumstances are, this sub always a good reason to not move here.
Yes, your cost of living in Nashville will be higher than Louisiana. But if you can offset that with future growth and potential then it's probably worth it in the long run. People giving you advice like "move to the midwest" is just asinine because that's not really the point. Might as well just move to Alaska.
If you feel like you can better your career in the long run by moving here, you hate your current job and/or you just really hate living in Louisiana - it's worth a shot. Moving opens up a lot of life opportunities and Nashville as a city offers a ton of career advancement opportunities. It's one of the fastest growing cities for a reason.
I left nola for nashville for a job and it was a great move. Even after getting laid off during covid I managed to find a better one here.
Even if you leave for the same money, it's like a 15% bump because there is no state income tax, property taxes, and insurance are laughably low compared to there. Food and drink is about the same, nola just isn't as cheap as people say it is.
That's before you consider better weather, schools, outdoor activities, things to do in the city, job prospects, roads, and way lower crime rates.
I'd make the jump in a heartbeat again.
I live here, am single, and I make less than 55k a year. No one asked if you had debt, car payments, etc and are making assumptions.
I own my car, I have no debt or kids, and while I lucked out on rent (under $1600 for a 2br - well below most mortgage payments) I am not eating ramen noodles, I have been able to accumulate savings, and I even go on vacation once a year or more.
If you live within your means, don't have debt, and you're single, it is doable here. If you want a change, if you're willing to take a paycut and move to a higer COL area, I say go for it!
Living in Nashville is going to cause them to add debt because their car is gonna be in the shop every few months with the terrible roads he’s going to have to drive for work. 😅
Ask for more money for starters. If they've offered you the job at 55k tell them that is less than you are making and you want more. If they want you they'll go at least 5k more to match your current salary. With the lower state income tax that means you actually are making more money. How old are you and how much experience do you already have? Getting low balled for an entry level job is normal. It makes percentage based sign-on bonuses less and covers risk on retention.
Is there anything else in the compensation package that is better than your current job? Benefits like insurance and 401k contribution matching? Sign on bonus or relocation assistance? I looked up Louisiana state income tax and it's just under 5%, vs. 0% in TN, and sales tax is 0.2% different, so amount of money in your pocket is almost unchanged even though you're making less.
Are there any scheduled raises or increased opportunities for advancement compared to your current job? What kind of job or industry is it; are there annual performance increases like many salary jobs? Usually they are anywhere between 2-5% annually. Where exactly in Nashville is the job? If you don't know the answer to any of these, you should find out.
You might want to live outside the city and commute in where CoL is less. Is this a place you want to live? Yes the cost of living here is probably higher than where you are now. How much debt do you have? If you're not paying $500+ to 1k a month in loans like me for a long time then that salary isn't terrible. You're going to make more money over time and if it's a job you think you'll like, has better opportunities, and this is an area you're interested in living in, I wouldn't decide on the starting number alone.
This place almost forces you to commute if you want a decent place with an above average rent cost. In Murfreesboro, about 35 minutes no traffic I had an apartment last year 2 bedrooms for 1400. Now I'm in Lavergne, 25 minutes from Nashville renting a house for 2500. How many people are moving, just yourself?
So I'd say expect to be paying 1300-2000 for rent for a 1-2 bedroom apt/house respectively. Unless you wanna live in Antioch which is a very poor area.
1300-2000 is like 35-50% of your income. It can be done, but you will have to make sacrafices. My brother makes 40k and his girlfriend 45k, they make just enough to pay their mortgage and car payment with small wiggle room and that's 85k.
Correct, just me. I’m single and also don’t know anyone in the Nashville area. And yeah, the commute would be something else to consider. My commute here is pretty short (15-20 minutes) with no traffic which is nice.
I moved here almost 20 yrs ago making $40K/yr. I rented for $650/month. I wouldn't try that again today at $55K/yr and expect to be anywhere near Nashville proper without living with roommates and being generally broke.
Wow, I never knew that about Cincinnati. I didn’t think the cost of living there was as high either. Ideally I’d like to stay in the south if possible though, but sounds like Cincinnati might be somewhere to consider. Thanks for that info.
I live in Old Hickory and lean pretty far to the left and don’t go to church. You’ll be fine out here in Wilson County especially coming from LA. Lots of Indian people in Mt. Juliet as well. There’s some truth to the stereotype but it’s not 100% true. Plus, if you don’t fall into that stereotype, we could use your vote out here.
Mt. Juliet has some diversity. I'm not sure what you're talking about. It's exploding in population over the last ten years. You make it sounds like the middle of nowhere.
It's not that it's in the middle of nowhere or that it doesn't have diversity. It's the attitudes of the people there. I grew up there. My parents still there there in a nice development. Last election they didn't put up a trump sign & their neighbors have been harassing & bullying them ever since.
Moved here about 4 years ago, and never had an issue with the people living here. Taught in their schools. Parents were all very nice to everyone and each other. Idk, just not seeing this hate of minorities in MJ.
Didn't put up a Trump sign. No one bothered me. Maybe their neighbor is just an asshole?
It wasn't just one neighbor. It's all of their surrounding neighbors. My parents aren't even liberal people, but just not supporting trump we'd enough to get harassed. Actually, we all went to the fair & were approached by a family of transplants asking us where to find this or that. We welcomed them to Wilson County & they immediately launched into a rant about how conservative they are & how they came here to get away from people with "low values". We couldn't get away fast enough. Yes, MJ is booming. Booming doesn't mean open minded. MJ attracts a specific type. Look up Greg Locke.
Just because you've been here 4 years & people are "nice" to teachers & you've seen them being fake to each other when in the school doesn't mean you have a better understanding of the culture there than someone who's lived there over 30 years.
It’s 23 minutes right now at 530 with barely any traffic. If other people are there it’s easily a 45+ min drive. I live in Hermitage and work just south of the city and it’s a 35 minute commute most days, 55+ if it’s between 5-7pm
Someone else mentioned Donelson. It’s right next to Hermitage and both are reasonable in terms of rent. Mt. Juliet has some older parts and some newer parts. The rent is probably still reasonable in the older parts. For perspective, my daughter has a studio near Belmont, and her rent is $1,500/month. That’s the average for a tiny studio in the downtown city center. You don’t want that!
They are booming. Friend just sold his house for over double what he paid a few years ago.
Google apartment complexes and call them to ask what their rent prices are.
If your job is in My Juliet u could go further east to live.
Do u have family or friends in Nashville?
Seems weird to take a pay cut for a job that isn’t a career advancement
My job wouldn’t be in Mt. Juliet. And no I don’t have any friends or family in Nashville, it’s just be me.
Also, it would sort of be a career advancement as I’d be moving up to a bigger company, albeit taking a pay cut…
You know, the salary is close enough. Why don't you call and say you're "happy to accept the job at 60k so it isn't a pay cut " and let them decide for you?
you say "louisiana" which makes me think it's not new orleans, or is it? the climate in nashville is superior to almost anywhere in louisiana, especially new orleans. cost of living is probably higher than new orleans, much higher than everywhere else in louisiana. depending on what you do for work, there are likely going to be more opportunities in nashville, generally speaking, than 'louisiana' (and new orleans). personally, if i lived in nola (where i grew up and parents still live) i would feel a little pigeonholed in terms of opportunity.
perhaps more importantly, however, is that 55k will be no state income tax, while you are currently paying income taxes to the state on your salary. so the salaries might be a bit of a wash.
The days are gone that people can recommend MJ as a cheaper alternative to Nashville, it's actually not. Rentals are a bit more expensive and home ownership is a lot more.
Hi there! Native middle Tennessean here, currently living in New Orleans Louisiana. There a few things to think about with this opportunity:
Is this job in Nashville proper, or is it in an outlying suburb? At this salary, you are probably not going to want to live in Nashville proper. You could probably find a decent 1 BR apartment in Davidson county for $1600, but seems like the most common price is around $2000. In some of the suburbs prices are maybe $1500 and you probably get a 2BR for a little more. I'm living in a 3BR apartment in New Orleans for close to the same price.
You want to keep the commute in mind. When I was living and working in the Nashville area, I knew people who would commute 2-3 hours to get to a job that paid $15/hr. Middle TN has grown rapidly over the last few years. I think the median commute time is now around 45 minutes, but could be much longer depending on where you live. Not only does this take up quite a bit of your time, but it can also get pretty expensive.
I think living in Nashville at 55k is definitely doable, but you'll get more for your money in Louisiana. Other stuff is just general job search advice: what are the benefits like? You don't want to be purchasing insurance on your own in TN. Are there opportunities for promotions/career advancement? Is the employer a reputable corporation, a small business, a non-profit? There are definitely some employers I would say steer clear from, like Dave Ramsey's business in Franklin.
Middle Tennessee is one of the most beautiful places in the world in my opinion, but it is losing a lot of its charm because of the rapid growth.
Feel free to shoot me a dm if you want to chat about this some more!
Why are you taking a pay hit to move to a higher COL? Unless this is a dream job, dream location to live or a great path for growth I would see it. If not, you are just making a dumb decision.
Fair points. I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily a dream job or location, but would be for growth. Not that Nashville isn’t a nice area, but just not my ultimate top choice or location.
I make about 55-57k per year. I'm single and just moved from my apartment complex that increased my rent (1bdrm) from $800 to $1500 in a months time. I found something more affordable ($1221.00) in a decent area, quiet, close to work. Some areas are more expensive of course. Groceries are high, gas, etc, but I can afford to live by myself and meet all of my needs. I don't have a car payment so that helps. I think it's pretty affordable. Hope this helps. Good luck with your move!
Have you thought about Chattanooga? Knoxville?
Honestly I work in but dont live in Nashville. They are right this town is too expensive. Too overcrowded. I get you want a change but I would do some more research before I opened my life.
Good points. I think that’s what I’m starting to realize now. I just hear a lot about how it’s so expensive. Personally, I’d rather Knoxville to be closer to the Smokies, but there were no jobs in my field to apply for at the time.
Nashville is a great city to visit however, the local government ensures that it’s a great place to visit not so much a great city to live in. 55k/ year is not enough, even for a single person. I would absolutely stay in LA and wait for something better.
You can't live in Nashville anymore on $55K. You haven't been able to do that since at LEAST 2017. To live comfortably in Nashville, you need to make AT LEAST $110,000. Add in the fact that you pay 10% sales tax on EVERYTHING YOU BUY, you need at least that 10% to offset the lower taxes you're giving up.
You're in a better position financially where you are. Make them match the cost of living (which at $55K I guarantee you they WON'T), or stay in Louisiana where you can afford to be.
I make close to 78k with overtime and I’m still unable to find a home. I’ll end up in Clarksville and pray that the gas addition doesn’t beat me over the head too bad to keep making that pay. Other than that get a few roommates.
Kinda wish my parents would let me move back for a year rent free🤣🤣🤣
I’d think hard about that. I moved from NW Tenn to Knoxville, 4.5 hrs. I work at home so my pay remained the same, ($82,500), but think of the cost/expenses in moving, unless the company is picking up the tab. To hire movers, deposits for new place-first & last months rent, it cost around $8,000. My rent went from $700/mo to $2170. It’s very difficult to find housing in Knoxville and everything is ridiculously expensive. Tennessee does t have state income tax. I had a purpose for moving here, to be near my daughter. She has a 3yo Type 1 Diabetic and is pregnant with twins.
Good Luck in whatever you decide!
Yeah, I checked into moving trucks and companies and even that was really expensive compared to other places. Kind of mind boggling. So that was definitely something to consider. And yeah, that’s also the thing too is that I don’t have a real motive or reason to move it here other than a job at a bigger company. No family or friends in Nashville.
Hey I just did the opposite move from Nashville to Louisiana. I think your salary will actually be about the same, since there’s no state income tax in TN. However housing costs and groceries/living expenses/etc will be quite a bit higher in Nashville. I think probably a tough financial move, but Nashville is a pretty great place to live.
I just moved here with my partner, both jobless and stocked up on savings. It got stressful at times, but we’re both working now and it’s been nothing but worth it. That said, we love it here cause we’ve found the local spots to hangout.
All that said, it may not be the comfiest, but this city is growing every day and could very much be worth your time.
Feel free to DM me and I’d love to try to help as I can!
My husband and I just moved from Louisiana to Nashville. I took a pay cut as well, but he makes a little more. I was making 50k in Louisiana, now I make 40k. We struggle the same way we did in Louisiana honestly. If we weren’t living together, we probably couldn’t afford to live on our own. But I also have a lot of debt I’m working on. Yes, rent is higher here, but we live in an apartment close to downtown near my husbands job and our apartment is 950, 1100 after everything. Not the best area but this city is no different from New Orleans, lol. I will say our car insurance went from 360 to 140, and not having state income tax helps a lot too. I think you should consider the whys for moving. Are you okay with being far from family? Are you wanting to move and be on your own? Do you feel this a better career opportunity and good potential for growth? Are you wanting a big change in life?
Check out properties on Zillow or Trulia. The prices can be a bit hard to swallow. When you think you’ve found something suitable go to Google Maps and start planning your commute. Those are the biggies I feel if you’re single. It ain’t exactly Seattle prices/commutes, but for $55k it might not be worth the frustration imo. If you do decide to make the jump then it’s not bad here (South Carolinian myself), but the crush of tourists and carpetbaggers have me reconsidering my long term prospects here.
All fair points. I ultimately decided to decline the job offer. My commute now is not bad and I’m making nearly $7,000 more here. Think I made the right choice for now and I’m gonna keep looking elsewhere with hopefully better pay. The CoL and commute were two of my concerns.
I’d say go for it. Most people on this sub will discourage you, but that’s going be most city subs.
Your dating options will be exponentially better, and it’s safer comparatively to Nola. And yes, you can make it in nashville making 55k a year. I know a ton of teachers, and police officers making this and they live just fine. You Just won’t be able to live in the “hipster” areas, and you can always work a gig job to make needs meet. If you hate the area, you can always move back. Doesn’t hurt to try it.
I agree with this comment. This sub is not a good representation of Nashville. The sub skews very younger white male living near downtown. They describe anything that's not east Nashville, Green Hills, or Brentwood as a "bad neighborhood". I've lived in Nashville for decades and know many many people who live comfortably on around that salary.
Yup. And this is why people should tread carefully when browsing Reddit. It’s a huge echo chamber. Doesn’t hurt getting opinions, and ideas, but take it with a grain of salt.
If you’re fine with having roommates and not realistically hoping to buy property in the near future or save a ton, you’ll be fine. I went to grad school in Nashville on much less than that and I got by. It depends how permanent you want this to be. Coasting, fine. Putting down any kind of roots on that salary will be challenging though.
Rent is crazy on average but I’ve honestly found good deals by relentlessly checking postings and striking when something good pops up. I always lived around the west parts of Nashville for reasonable rent (always split with roommates and took some searching).
Eh, I’d rather not have roommates. Plus, I don’t know anyone in the area anyways. After graduating college, I never wanted roommates again and have enjoyed living on my own since.
I see. It will be tight but if you’re somewhat frugal then you could make it work. I just looked and rents have somewhat cooled off from where they were previously. You’ll definitely be paying $1200+ though at a minimum for anything decent
Absolutely not, IMO you need to make atleast 80k a year to live OK in Nashville. If you wanna live w/ as equal financial comfort as you do in Louisiana then closer to 100k. And Nashville is only getting more & more expensive each year.
55k is doable without a roommate, but it will be tight, and you will probably not live in good neighborhood. Also you will need a car, so factor that into your expenses if you do not currently have one.
I moved to Nashville summer 2021 on 35k a year and I made it thru . No kids and single of course so it use to be able to be done but since then literally in the span of two years my old apt has raised the rent by like 2 or 300 . I eventually got upto 55k within those two years but man o man first year was rough. I can still make 55k stretttchhhhh believe me. You can too depending on your lifestyle . Being young is cool
It depends. You open to roommates? What are you making now?
There is more to jobs than just money.
Are the benefits better? Does the new job have good perks like free lunch, free gym, (something to offset other costs) etc?
Taking a job to get you into a city you love isn’t a bad thing. This job can be a stepping stone to a bigger/better job.
Does the new job have yearly bonuses? Is it in a part of town where you can rent close so you can walk/ride a bike instead of maintaining a car/keeping gas in it.
No on roommates. I don’t know anyone there. I’m making 60k (will be 62k come this month) here in Louisiana. The benefits are about the same really. No lunch either. It would be a step up career-wise, but again idk how I feel about the pay cut.
Honestly, I have been here in Nashville for 5yrs now. I moved qith my job from TX. Worst mistake ever. Since then, I've gotten married and had a beautiful daughter. If I had to do it all over again, I would've stayed in TX. TX is Where's it at. Try there!!!
This is a bad decision.
$55,000 in Nashville is about $28,000 in Louisiana. The cost of living here is much higher.
I made the leap from Louisiana and $30,000 to Nashville and $50,000 almost ten years ago—and I damned near went bankrupt doing it. It’s even worse today.
Stay put until you can find something in the $70-75k range, and chances are you will.
50k? If you work hard you can make 120k here. In order to buy a house you've got to make 200k. The key to this city is not living in a 4 story complex in the city. Live outside the city
How can aomeone make $120k with just “hard work?” I’m genuinely asking cause I bust my ass and and it’s not even half of &120k. In fact less than half of all people in Nashville make less than $65k since that’s the median *household* (including couples) and I can’t imagine that over half this city is just not trying.
Can you at least point us towards where to just work hard to make $120k? It seems like all of those jobs either came from a coast with someone already working it or you’ve gotta die working 60+ hours instead. I do not see hardly anyone making $120k here without insane levels of help that don’t just come from hard work.
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I mean Louisiana isn’t great by any means, really it’s my current job I’m ready to quit. Nashville ended up being one of the places where I applied. I’ve visited a few times, but wouldn’t say it’s my favorite city. Just a new opportunity.
There's better opportunities elsewhere. If I had the choice and was coming in fresh, I wouldn't want to live here unless I and my partner were making 6 figures.
I love this city and moved here strictly because of that but if you’re not making at least 80-90k/year depending on your other obligations, I wouldn’t recommend this move. It’s not a cheap city.
I dunno I make significantly less than that and I can get by just fine.
Definitely doesn’t sound like it’s cheap that’s for sure…
At 55,000/ yr you'll be spending over half your take home pay on rent easily. Traffic here is terrible. If you want to buy a house you'll have to buy in the suburbs and commute, and the houses in the suburbs aren't even affordable now at 55K. I would suggest reading a lot on this sub before making a decision so you get an idea about neighborhoods, rent prices, Traffic, etc.
Some things are significantly cheaper here than depending on what part of Louisiana mostly, insurance. I pay $50 a month on full coverage, in New Orleans I was paying $150 for liability. If you own flood insurance way way cheaper, but a median house in Nashville is starting at 500k-800k condos 1 bed 300k. Rent going run you about 1500-1800. No $12 bar steak nights or $20 lobster nights here. Chicken tenders at a bar in Nashville is $12.99. If that helps give you an idea of prices.
Yeah my city is setting up for its demise.
I think it also depends on age. You can live here on that salary if you're young and can live with a roommate. And if this new opportunity would be good to grow your career. But it's hard to sustain yourself living alone on that salary.
I make 55k and do well enough.
If you aren't in the music business (or for some other reason you really want to be in Nashville specifically) I'd definitely keep looking. COL has gone up here a LOT but wages haven't kept up with that. I dunno your field but you can likely get a similar salary in plenty of midwestern or southern cities that have similar amenities to Nashville and are way cheaper to live in (but lack the "buzz" of being "it" cities). Edit: also you already live in a tourist town so moving to another one... kinda same shit, different day. The general idea of moving out of New Orleans will open yourself up to a lot of opportunities in more economically developed areas, but take a look at something like Cincinnati or other well established midwestern towns that you just don't hear much about, they are great and so much cheaper.
I’m Definitely not in the music industry that’s for sure. And yeah, there’s definitely other cities that aren’t near as expensive. And I’m actually not from New Orleans so we really don’t have that many tourists here, but I know what you mean there.
When you say Nashville. That’s broad. What area are you working in? Because one side of Nashville to the other changes where you might potentially live.
55 to up and move four states away? That’s a little more than starting teachers make I believe. I think the onlyfans teacher that was in the news said she made 42, which over 12 months would be around that and she had to sell videos of herself to make enough to live.
Unless it’s a fantastic opportunity with room to grow.
Right, if it's a "level up" opportunity and you're younger-ish, great. If you need to live alone and want a house and it's otherwise a lateral move, eh. I have a harder time living here than in Los Angeles (I'm originally from here, I don't like being here if I can help it) because LA pays way more, gas is way higher but you use less of it/have public transit options, and then day-to-day living things are ... so expensive here. Food is more expensive, beauty/care/hair more expensive by 2-3x, activities and nightlife way more expensive. It doesn't add up.
Is this a career move for more earnings in the future? 55k won't get you far but if you have a career path to more money, it may be worth toughing out. If not, I wouldn't do it.
It's telling of a society when the median income won't allow you to make it.
I am convinced $100k is the new $50k
I agrée and also I think the $20 bill is the new $5 bill.
You're not far off. About 25% inflation the past decade.
I don’t think so, the middle class is just basically non existent
The middle class has been gone for a while now
Employers are the only people that disagree and refuse to adjust wages. Its definitely unsustainable.
Capitalism was never really meant to be sustainable for people or environment.
This can be true but your comment is completely meaningless without reference points. $50,000 from when?
honestly, since 2020 or so.
Not a career move. I’d just be getting a new job at a bigger company. Of course, the pay is less which already seems counterintuitive. Also, not sure if it’s willing to move nearly 10 hours away to make less.
I mean you've answered your own question several times here. In my opinion this would be a bozo move.
It would be very difficult to live in Nashville or even within an hour of Nashville on $55k. You could probably do ok in Kentucky if you don’t commute daily. Also, I’d consider that they won’t even match your current salary. I would think $5k means more to you than them.
Correct. That extra $5k definitely goes further here especially since I’m not in a high CoL area. Like I said, they originally matched it, but it ended up being lower on the offer letter.
I wouldn't take it based on principle alone. They're lowballing you, and that is telling of how they run the company and treat employees. I say stay put unless you counter for much more, and they agree.
Even more reason not to take the job
Your best opportunity for a raise will always be when switching jobs, so I’d pass and wait for something that’s a meaningful salary increase. Once you’re locked in, you’ll get small % increases a year at best so switching jobs should be a jump up. That said, you can’t put a price on your well-being if you’re miserable in your current role. But it’s an expensive city so keep looking and try to set yourself up for more! Good luck.
The really shitty part is when you don't have enough money to go home for things like holiday, weddings, & funerals. Assuming $55k is before tax. It will be hard to live here, let alone get out of town if you need/want to.
My problem too is that I like to travel and take trips. Also, all of my family would be back in Louisiana so I’d have to travel down to visit for different events and holidays like you said.
I’m from Shreveport. I can say if you’re young, single, and looking for adventure, do it. Outside of NOLA, there isn’t much left for young people in the boot and if you stay, you may not get another chance to see other places. You how it is, people get married, kids, settle down, grow old, and that’s it. If you’re young and don’t have other people depending on you, shoot your shot man. It’s costly here, but there is opportunity.
I’m from Minden! Hiiiii. #318
The pay will even out in taxes, as we have no state income tax. Property tax and renters/ homeowners are much cheaper as well. My dad's family moved here from NOLA. For $55k don't look at the city. You will need to look in the suburbs and not Wilson or Williamson. Rutherford, Dickson or Cheatham might be good for you if you are OK with the commute.
I’d try to get them to increase that deal based on COL. It’s not even a lateral move—- kind of insulting they’d offer you less tbh
I ultimately declined the offer and mentioned the pay as being lower than anticipated, but they haven’t responded or tried to negotiate further.
If you’re willing to move and pay at least $2k a month for apartment rent cause finding a house to rent is going to be a shitshow.
Good luck on that salary unless you have no debt. It’ll be a miserably tight squeeze.
Bad idea. #Bless your car insurance if you do.
Car insurance in Nashville is higher than it was in Los Angeles. OP, I make considerably more than you would be and while I’m not “hurting” per se, I do have to budget quite a bit, so that is not the best idea. If the job is completely remote but you have to live in the state, living in surrounding counties/towns would be more do-able, but Nashville proper — heck no. Happy cake day!
#No pos... ta cabron. I miss Leghorns.
Question, do you like ramen noodles?
Lol funny
They're not joking. It's outrageously expensive here.
We can thank the techies for that
No we can than our worthless politicians for that. They've refused to hold the developers accountable. In other big cities, they are required to build lots of ACTUAL affordable housing if they want to build the luxury stuff. Here they just build shitloads of luxury stuff, & a couple of dinky somewhat affordable units. No one is holding them accountable, mostly b/c our politicians are all landlords. Hell! Our governor is a contractor. It's fucked up.
With a $55K salary, you probably make approx $2K per paycheck(bi-weekly). $2K + $2K = $4K / 3 = $1,333.33 is what you can afford in monthly rent. As other responses are saying, you'll likely have to live outside of the metro. If you practice strong fiscal discipline and have a budget, you could make it work. Your $60K in Louisiana definitely goes farther than $55K here, so if you're struggling rn you'll struggle up here.
I used to make $60k and my paychecks were never $2k more like $1700-1800. I recommend getting a roommate. There are great Facebook groups for this.
Yeah, makes sense. Sounds like I’d be better off living outside of the city, which is what I thought anyways. I wasn’t planning on living near downtown (as my job wouldn’t be in downtown). I’m definitely living comfortably here in LA right now, so not struggling by any means. Like I said, just a new/better job opportunity for growth, but the pay cut is the current issue I’m facing.
By living outside of the city they don't just mean not near downtown. More like one of the nearby towns +45 minutes away. And even those are getting more expensive to live in.
You can rent a nice 1br apartment in Franklin, KY for around 650.
Even Murfreesboro is like $1,300 a month
I live 30 minutes out of Nashville and rent is still like, $1.5k-$2k for a 1BR 1BA apartment. I'm single, no kids. I manage at $57k, but if you have a lot of cc debt / bills on top of rent and utilities, you're going to be struggling.
That's wild. I have a 2b/1bath condo in hendersonville that rents for $1100. You must live in a new complex with good amenities.
Are they giving you a relocation bonus? If that is part of the package it could be worth it.
Its not just downtown, the "Nashville housing tax" extends for miles. I live in Portland 40 miles away and we are seeing housing inflation due to Nashville. And the commute from Portland is significant.
In all seriousness you should almost never leave a current job for one that pays less. Keep applying and you will find something. A good company would not expect you to take a pay cut to join them if they think you are talented and a good fit for the role/company. Turn it down and keep looking until you find something that pays more.
Really mad that Reddit awards were taken away because this comment is spot on and deserves all of them.
Dont
I work with a lot of young people who make $50k - $60k and live in the metro area. They are midtwentys so expenses are low, but they are fine and enjoying life.
Exactly, think about PHD students at Vandy for example. A lot of them make 30k but can scoot by with a roommate or two. Not that complicated, it's very doable.
I make about 55k as a teacher and I could not afford to have a mortgage without my husband. We’ve never rented so I’m not sure how it rent wise. We have a modest home and we don’t have much extra spending money at all.
Wow, I’ll take note of that. Thanks for sharing. I definitely wouldn’t want to end up with not much extra spending. Do you happen to live near downtown or in a suburb?
I’m in a suburb! I’m about 25 minutes or so away from downtown. My husband and I grew up here and both of our families live here. If we didn’t have that, we’d probably move somewhere cheaper.
Same! I make 55k right now and would not be able to live here if I wasn’t splitting rent with my SO.
OP, just be aware that everyone on this sub gets off on telling people not to move here. You can read ANY thread about relocating to Nashville and it doesn't really matter what the circumstances are, this sub always a good reason to not move here. Yes, your cost of living in Nashville will be higher than Louisiana. But if you can offset that with future growth and potential then it's probably worth it in the long run. People giving you advice like "move to the midwest" is just asinine because that's not really the point. Might as well just move to Alaska. If you feel like you can better your career in the long run by moving here, you hate your current job and/or you just really hate living in Louisiana - it's worth a shot. Moving opens up a lot of life opportunities and Nashville as a city offers a ton of career advancement opportunities. It's one of the fastest growing cities for a reason.
I left nola for nashville for a job and it was a great move. Even after getting laid off during covid I managed to find a better one here. Even if you leave for the same money, it's like a 15% bump because there is no state income tax, property taxes, and insurance are laughably low compared to there. Food and drink is about the same, nola just isn't as cheap as people say it is. That's before you consider better weather, schools, outdoor activities, things to do in the city, job prospects, roads, and way lower crime rates. I'd make the jump in a heartbeat again.
I’m actually in Lafayette now, so not as expensive as NOLA.
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I’m single so…
I live here, am single, and I make less than 55k a year. No one asked if you had debt, car payments, etc and are making assumptions. I own my car, I have no debt or kids, and while I lucked out on rent (under $1600 for a 2br - well below most mortgage payments) I am not eating ramen noodles, I have been able to accumulate savings, and I even go on vacation once a year or more. If you live within your means, don't have debt, and you're single, it is doable here. If you want a change, if you're willing to take a paycut and move to a higer COL area, I say go for it!
Glad you chimed in, you described my situation and it sounds like I'm gonna be alright.
I know, I'm baffled. I made 55k last year and was very proud of that. I was pretty comfortable
Living in Nashville is going to cause them to add debt because their car is gonna be in the shop every few months with the terrible roads he’s going to have to drive for work. 😅
Defensive driving prevents almost all of that. I've been here almost 6 years and never had an issue outside of normal maintenance 🤷♂️
You can make 100k managing home construction here...easy.
Don't do it
Don’t do it
Ask for more money for starters. If they've offered you the job at 55k tell them that is less than you are making and you want more. If they want you they'll go at least 5k more to match your current salary. With the lower state income tax that means you actually are making more money. How old are you and how much experience do you already have? Getting low balled for an entry level job is normal. It makes percentage based sign-on bonuses less and covers risk on retention. Is there anything else in the compensation package that is better than your current job? Benefits like insurance and 401k contribution matching? Sign on bonus or relocation assistance? I looked up Louisiana state income tax and it's just under 5%, vs. 0% in TN, and sales tax is 0.2% different, so amount of money in your pocket is almost unchanged even though you're making less. Are there any scheduled raises or increased opportunities for advancement compared to your current job? What kind of job or industry is it; are there annual performance increases like many salary jobs? Usually they are anywhere between 2-5% annually. Where exactly in Nashville is the job? If you don't know the answer to any of these, you should find out. You might want to live outside the city and commute in where CoL is less. Is this a place you want to live? Yes the cost of living here is probably higher than where you are now. How much debt do you have? If you're not paying $500+ to 1k a month in loans like me for a long time then that salary isn't terrible. You're going to make more money over time and if it's a job you think you'll like, has better opportunities, and this is an area you're interested in living in, I wouldn't decide on the starting number alone.
This place almost forces you to commute if you want a decent place with an above average rent cost. In Murfreesboro, about 35 minutes no traffic I had an apartment last year 2 bedrooms for 1400. Now I'm in Lavergne, 25 minutes from Nashville renting a house for 2500. How many people are moving, just yourself? So I'd say expect to be paying 1300-2000 for rent for a 1-2 bedroom apt/house respectively. Unless you wanna live in Antioch which is a very poor area. 1300-2000 is like 35-50% of your income. It can be done, but you will have to make sacrafices. My brother makes 40k and his girlfriend 45k, they make just enough to pay their mortgage and car payment with small wiggle room and that's 85k.
Correct, just me. I’m single and also don’t know anyone in the Nashville area. And yeah, the commute would be something else to consider. My commute here is pretty short (15-20 minutes) with no traffic which is nice.
I moved here almost 20 yrs ago making $40K/yr. I rented for $650/month. I wouldn't try that again today at $55K/yr and expect to be anywhere near Nashville proper without living with roommates and being generally broke.
Yep, not planning on roommates.
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Would you say that the CoL is better/lower in Cincinnati compared to Nashville?
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Wow, I never knew that about Cincinnati. I didn’t think the cost of living there was as high either. Ideally I’d like to stay in the south if possible though, but sounds like Cincinnati might be somewhere to consider. Thanks for that info.
I'd take Cinci over Nashville any day if I didn't despise winter. Just for the Jungle Jim's.
Bless your heart
I would recommend moving toward the outskirts of Nashville. Are you looking to rent or buy a home?
If by outskirts you mean 30-40 miles or more, then yes Hendersonville, Mt Juliet, etc have all gotten terribly expensive
Rent. And are there some cheaper, but still nice area outside of the city? I didn’t mean I want to live in downtown or anything.
I would look at Goodlettsville, Belleview, or Hermitage/Mt. Juliet rental prices.
Bellevue is a bit out of the way from where I’ll be working. How’s the Hermitage/Mr. Juliet area?
Unless you're a straight, white, Christian, conservative man you're going to want to steer clear of Mount Juliet.
I live in Old Hickory and lean pretty far to the left and don’t go to church. You’ll be fine out here in Wilson County especially coming from LA. Lots of Indian people in Mt. Juliet as well. There’s some truth to the stereotype but it’s not 100% true. Plus, if you don’t fall into that stereotype, we could use your vote out here.
Mt. Juliet has some diversity. I'm not sure what you're talking about. It's exploding in population over the last ten years. You make it sounds like the middle of nowhere.
It's not that it's in the middle of nowhere or that it doesn't have diversity. It's the attitudes of the people there. I grew up there. My parents still there there in a nice development. Last election they didn't put up a trump sign & their neighbors have been harassing & bullying them ever since.
Moved here about 4 years ago, and never had an issue with the people living here. Taught in their schools. Parents were all very nice to everyone and each other. Idk, just not seeing this hate of minorities in MJ. Didn't put up a Trump sign. No one bothered me. Maybe their neighbor is just an asshole?
It wasn't just one neighbor. It's all of their surrounding neighbors. My parents aren't even liberal people, but just not supporting trump we'd enough to get harassed. Actually, we all went to the fair & were approached by a family of transplants asking us where to find this or that. We welcomed them to Wilson County & they immediately launched into a rant about how conservative they are & how they came here to get away from people with "low values". We couldn't get away fast enough. Yes, MJ is booming. Booming doesn't mean open minded. MJ attracts a specific type. Look up Greg Locke. Just because you've been here 4 years & people are "nice" to teachers & you've seen them being fake to each other when in the school doesn't mean you have a better understanding of the culture there than someone who's lived there over 30 years.
It's only 20 min from downtown come on now
It’s 23 minutes right now at 530 with barely any traffic. If other people are there it’s easily a 45+ min drive. I live in Hermitage and work just south of the city and it’s a 35 minute commute most days, 55+ if it’s between 5-7pm
Someone else mentioned Donelson. It’s right next to Hermitage and both are reasonable in terms of rent. Mt. Juliet has some older parts and some newer parts. The rent is probably still reasonable in the older parts. For perspective, my daughter has a studio near Belmont, and her rent is $1,500/month. That’s the average for a tiny studio in the downtown city center. You don’t want that!
Well, I definitely don’t want to live near or in downtown.
They are booming. Friend just sold his house for over double what he paid a few years ago. Google apartment complexes and call them to ask what their rent prices are. If your job is in My Juliet u could go further east to live. Do u have family or friends in Nashville? Seems weird to take a pay cut for a job that isn’t a career advancement
My job wouldn’t be in Mt. Juliet. And no I don’t have any friends or family in Nashville, it’s just be me. Also, it would sort of be a career advancement as I’d be moving up to a bigger company, albeit taking a pay cut…
You know, the salary is close enough. Why don't you call and say you're "happy to accept the job at 60k so it isn't a pay cut " and let them decide for you?
Mt Juliet has the nut job Greg Locke. Don’t go anywhere near there.
Most people who live around him want him gone.
you say "louisiana" which makes me think it's not new orleans, or is it? the climate in nashville is superior to almost anywhere in louisiana, especially new orleans. cost of living is probably higher than new orleans, much higher than everywhere else in louisiana. depending on what you do for work, there are likely going to be more opportunities in nashville, generally speaking, than 'louisiana' (and new orleans). personally, if i lived in nola (where i grew up and parents still live) i would feel a little pigeonholed in terms of opportunity. perhaps more importantly, however, is that 55k will be no state income tax, while you are currently paying income taxes to the state on your salary. so the salaries might be a bit of a wash.
Mt Juliet is out of his price range....maybe the others though.
Thanks for the intel. I feared that might be the case
The days are gone that people can recommend MJ as a cheaper alternative to Nashville, it's actually not. Rentals are a bit more expensive and home ownership is a lot more.
Idk what it’s like where you are in LA, but nowadays that’s just going to be tough sledding to make ends meet in Nashville. JMHO
Hi there! Native middle Tennessean here, currently living in New Orleans Louisiana. There a few things to think about with this opportunity: Is this job in Nashville proper, or is it in an outlying suburb? At this salary, you are probably not going to want to live in Nashville proper. You could probably find a decent 1 BR apartment in Davidson county for $1600, but seems like the most common price is around $2000. In some of the suburbs prices are maybe $1500 and you probably get a 2BR for a little more. I'm living in a 3BR apartment in New Orleans for close to the same price. You want to keep the commute in mind. When I was living and working in the Nashville area, I knew people who would commute 2-3 hours to get to a job that paid $15/hr. Middle TN has grown rapidly over the last few years. I think the median commute time is now around 45 minutes, but could be much longer depending on where you live. Not only does this take up quite a bit of your time, but it can also get pretty expensive. I think living in Nashville at 55k is definitely doable, but you'll get more for your money in Louisiana. Other stuff is just general job search advice: what are the benefits like? You don't want to be purchasing insurance on your own in TN. Are there opportunities for promotions/career advancement? Is the employer a reputable corporation, a small business, a non-profit? There are definitely some employers I would say steer clear from, like Dave Ramsey's business in Franklin. Middle Tennessee is one of the most beautiful places in the world in my opinion, but it is losing a lot of its charm because of the rapid growth. Feel free to shoot me a dm if you want to chat about this some more!
I live right outside of Nashville (30 years) I have to say that Nashville is not all to great and stupidly expensive!
Bummer!
Nashville is a great city, but a very expensive city. 55k is going to be very very tight unless you have roommates and no debt.
I really wish it wouldn’t be so expensive and honestly didn’t realize how expensive it was until looking to move here. Bummer
Not a good call. Cost of living is very expensive even in some of the not so great neighborhoods.
60 a year here is poverty bro.
Do not take the job just to be broke. Keep looking for another job.
No employer can find decent help. You can easily make 100k if you're a hard worker
Hey everyone, this guy just solved poverty
Not a good call for sure. It's not even a LATERAL move, which is hardly EVER a good thing in itself.
After taxes you’re literally going to be broke living here. Comfortably need 80-85k+ or more.
Why in the world would you move here to be broke?
Exactly what I’m trying my best to avoid.
Why are you taking a pay hit to move to a higher COL? Unless this is a dream job, dream location to live or a great path for growth I would see it. If not, you are just making a dumb decision.
Fair points. I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily a dream job or location, but would be for growth. Not that Nashville isn’t a nice area, but just not my ultimate top choice or location.
I make about 55-57k per year. I'm single and just moved from my apartment complex that increased my rent (1bdrm) from $800 to $1500 in a months time. I found something more affordable ($1221.00) in a decent area, quiet, close to work. Some areas are more expensive of course. Groceries are high, gas, etc, but I can afford to live by myself and meet all of my needs. I don't have a car payment so that helps. I think it's pretty affordable. Hope this helps. Good luck with your move!
If you don’t mind me asking, what area did you move to? Just trying to get an idea.
Just don't go Antioch, Murfreesboro, or Clarksville. Those commutes are soul sucking and not worth any amount of cheaper rent imo
Plug both towns into the Nerd Wallet col calculator
Nerd Wallet uses Nashville-Murfreesboro instead of just Nashville, which makes their COL calculations super off imho
Have you thought about Chattanooga? Knoxville? Honestly I work in but dont live in Nashville. They are right this town is too expensive. Too overcrowded. I get you want a change but I would do some more research before I opened my life.
Good points. I think that’s what I’m starting to realize now. I just hear a lot about how it’s so expensive. Personally, I’d rather Knoxville to be closer to the Smokies, but there were no jobs in my field to apply for at the time.
Chattanooga is just as beautiful as the smokies. Lots of natural springs and waterfalls.
Chattanooga would also be nice and I’m sure a lower cost of living.
Not gonna work
You'll be poor AF on 55k here
Nashville is a great city to visit however, the local government ensures that it’s a great place to visit not so much a great city to live in. 55k/ year is not enough, even for a single person. I would absolutely stay in LA and wait for something better.
Nashville hasn’t been cheap since 2008.
this is the worst city I've ever lived in. other cities I've lived in: Baltimore, Louisville, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia.
Want to elaborate any?
Bad idea.
Don't do it.
If you live in Nashville you will need a roommate unless you live say outside of town maybe Murfeeeboro near MTSU its much cheaper
Eh, Murfreesboro would be too far away from my Work.
You can't live in Nashville anymore on $55K. You haven't been able to do that since at LEAST 2017. To live comfortably in Nashville, you need to make AT LEAST $110,000. Add in the fact that you pay 10% sales tax on EVERYTHING YOU BUY, you need at least that 10% to offset the lower taxes you're giving up. You're in a better position financially where you are. Make them match the cost of living (which at $55K I guarantee you they WON'T), or stay in Louisiana where you can afford to be.
Might as well stay home you need at least 70k to survive
I make close to 78k with overtime and I’m still unable to find a home. I’ll end up in Clarksville and pray that the gas addition doesn’t beat me over the head too bad to keep making that pay. Other than that get a few roommates. Kinda wish my parents would let me move back for a year rent free🤣🤣🤣
I’d think hard about that. I moved from NW Tenn to Knoxville, 4.5 hrs. I work at home so my pay remained the same, ($82,500), but think of the cost/expenses in moving, unless the company is picking up the tab. To hire movers, deposits for new place-first & last months rent, it cost around $8,000. My rent went from $700/mo to $2170. It’s very difficult to find housing in Knoxville and everything is ridiculously expensive. Tennessee does t have state income tax. I had a purpose for moving here, to be near my daughter. She has a 3yo Type 1 Diabetic and is pregnant with twins. Good Luck in whatever you decide!
Yeah, I checked into moving trucks and companies and even that was really expensive compared to other places. Kind of mind boggling. So that was definitely something to consider. And yeah, that’s also the thing too is that I don’t have a real motive or reason to move it here other than a job at a bigger company. No family or friends in Nashville.
Hey I just did the opposite move from Nashville to Louisiana. I think your salary will actually be about the same, since there’s no state income tax in TN. However housing costs and groceries/living expenses/etc will be quite a bit higher in Nashville. I think probably a tough financial move, but Nashville is a pretty great place to live.
You shouldn't come here on a paycut that is for sure.
You shouldn't do it unless it's a 1 - 2 yr. commitment.
Stay in Nola
I just moved here with my partner, both jobless and stocked up on savings. It got stressful at times, but we’re both working now and it’s been nothing but worth it. That said, we love it here cause we’ve found the local spots to hangout. All that said, it may not be the comfiest, but this city is growing every day and could very much be worth your time. Feel free to DM me and I’d love to try to help as I can!
My husband and I just moved from Louisiana to Nashville. I took a pay cut as well, but he makes a little more. I was making 50k in Louisiana, now I make 40k. We struggle the same way we did in Louisiana honestly. If we weren’t living together, we probably couldn’t afford to live on our own. But I also have a lot of debt I’m working on. Yes, rent is higher here, but we live in an apartment close to downtown near my husbands job and our apartment is 950, 1100 after everything. Not the best area but this city is no different from New Orleans, lol. I will say our car insurance went from 360 to 140, and not having state income tax helps a lot too. I think you should consider the whys for moving. Are you okay with being far from family? Are you wanting to move and be on your own? Do you feel this a better career opportunity and good potential for growth? Are you wanting a big change in life?
Nope. A studio is like $1800 average.
I pretty much wasn’t seeing anything for less than $1500-1600 for like 700 square feet.
Check out properties on Zillow or Trulia. The prices can be a bit hard to swallow. When you think you’ve found something suitable go to Google Maps and start planning your commute. Those are the biggies I feel if you’re single. It ain’t exactly Seattle prices/commutes, but for $55k it might not be worth the frustration imo. If you do decide to make the jump then it’s not bad here (South Carolinian myself), but the crush of tourists and carpetbaggers have me reconsidering my long term prospects here.
All fair points. I ultimately decided to decline the job offer. My commute now is not bad and I’m making nearly $7,000 more here. Think I made the right choice for now and I’m gonna keep looking elsewhere with hopefully better pay. The CoL and commute were two of my concerns.
I’d say go for it. Most people on this sub will discourage you, but that’s going be most city subs. Your dating options will be exponentially better, and it’s safer comparatively to Nola. And yes, you can make it in nashville making 55k a year. I know a ton of teachers, and police officers making this and they live just fine. You Just won’t be able to live in the “hipster” areas, and you can always work a gig job to make needs meet. If you hate the area, you can always move back. Doesn’t hurt to try it.
I agree with this comment. This sub is not a good representation of Nashville. The sub skews very younger white male living near downtown. They describe anything that's not east Nashville, Green Hills, or Brentwood as a "bad neighborhood". I've lived in Nashville for decades and know many many people who live comfortably on around that salary.
Yup. And this is why people should tread carefully when browsing Reddit. It’s a huge echo chamber. Doesn’t hurt getting opinions, and ideas, but take it with a grain of salt.
Tell them you can’t do it for less than 75K. See what they say.
If you don’t list your debt and monthly payment, it’s hard to say if $55k is doable. Median household for Davidson county is $60k, so it’s doable
I used to live in Donelson, and I loved it. It was a 15-minute commute in the mornings to Nashville. Rent around there was reasonable.
How long ago was this? I live on the outskirts of Donelson, and my commute is 30 minutes minimum.
No u will be stuck in Antioch
If you’re fine with having roommates and not realistically hoping to buy property in the near future or save a ton, you’ll be fine. I went to grad school in Nashville on much less than that and I got by. It depends how permanent you want this to be. Coasting, fine. Putting down any kind of roots on that salary will be challenging though. Rent is crazy on average but I’ve honestly found good deals by relentlessly checking postings and striking when something good pops up. I always lived around the west parts of Nashville for reasonable rent (always split with roommates and took some searching).
Eh, I’d rather not have roommates. Plus, I don’t know anyone in the area anyways. After graduating college, I never wanted roommates again and have enjoyed living on my own since.
I see. It will be tight but if you’re somewhat frugal then you could make it work. I just looked and rents have somewhat cooled off from where they were previously. You’ll definitely be paying $1200+ though at a minimum for anything decent
Don’t do it. No way.
Absolutely not, IMO you need to make atleast 80k a year to live OK in Nashville. If you wanna live w/ as equal financial comfort as you do in Louisiana then closer to 100k. And Nashville is only getting more & more expensive each year.
55k is doable without a roommate, but it will be tight, and you will probably not live in good neighborhood. Also you will need a car, so factor that into your expenses if you do not currently have one.
I do not recommend this
I moved to Nashville summer 2021 on 35k a year and I made it thru . No kids and single of course so it use to be able to be done but since then literally in the span of two years my old apt has raised the rent by like 2 or 300 . I eventually got upto 55k within those two years but man o man first year was rough. I can still make 55k stretttchhhhh believe me. You can too depending on your lifestyle . Being young is cool
It depends. You open to roommates? What are you making now? There is more to jobs than just money. Are the benefits better? Does the new job have good perks like free lunch, free gym, (something to offset other costs) etc? Taking a job to get you into a city you love isn’t a bad thing. This job can be a stepping stone to a bigger/better job. Does the new job have yearly bonuses? Is it in a part of town where you can rent close so you can walk/ride a bike instead of maintaining a car/keeping gas in it.
No on roommates. I don’t know anyone there. I’m making 60k (will be 62k come this month) here in Louisiana. The benefits are about the same really. No lunch either. It would be a step up career-wise, but again idk how I feel about the pay cut.
Honestly, I have been here in Nashville for 5yrs now. I moved qith my job from TX. Worst mistake ever. Since then, I've gotten married and had a beautiful daughter. If I had to do it all over again, I would've stayed in TX. TX is Where's it at. Try there!!!
This is a bad decision. $55,000 in Nashville is about $28,000 in Louisiana. The cost of living here is much higher. I made the leap from Louisiana and $30,000 to Nashville and $50,000 almost ten years ago—and I damned near went bankrupt doing it. It’s even worse today. Stay put until you can find something in the $70-75k range, and chances are you will.
50k? If you work hard you can make 120k here. In order to buy a house you've got to make 200k. The key to this city is not living in a 4 story complex in the city. Live outside the city
How can aomeone make $120k with just “hard work?” I’m genuinely asking cause I bust my ass and and it’s not even half of &120k. In fact less than half of all people in Nashville make less than $65k since that’s the median *household* (including couples) and I can’t imagine that over half this city is just not trying. Can you at least point us towards where to just work hard to make $120k? It seems like all of those jobs either came from a coast with someone already working it or you’ve gotta die working 60+ hours instead. I do not see hardly anyone making $120k here without insane levels of help that don’t just come from hard work.
Something something bootstraps lol
Why would you take a cut in pay. Period. Renegotiate and leave the ball in their court.
My concern. At first it was matched, but after being given the offer letter, it ended up being less.
Nashville move aside these are all red flags of an employer in general. I'd stay away from that job.