Chesapeake vs Murfreesboro
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $378,400 in Chesapeake and $402,100 in Murfreesboro.
- Households earn more in Chesapeake ($95,373 vs $80,108 median).
- Murfreesboro is growing faster: +12% since 2020 vs +2.4%.
- Tennessee has no state income tax on wages; Virginia's top rate is 5.75%.
Side by side
| Chesapeake, VA | Murfreesboro, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 255,332 | 171,178 |
| Growth since 2020 | +2.4% | +12% |
| People per square mile | 754 | 2,652 |
| Median age | 37.9 | 31.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37% | 43% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $95,373 | $80,108 |
| Median home value | $378,400 | $402,100 |
| Home value to income | 4.0× | 5.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,586 | $1,481 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 97.9 | 96.3 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 99.8 | 104.6 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $73,500 | $72,300 |
| Homeowners | 74% | 52% |
| Top state income tax | 5.75% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 5.77% | 9.61% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 25.8 | 26.7 |
| Work from home | 13% | 16% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.9% | 4.3% |
| Poverty rate | 9.4% | 8.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 51° / 34° | 48° / 28° |
| July high / low | 89° / 73° | 89° / 68° |
| Precipitation per year | 49 in | 56 in |
| Snowfall per year | 6 in | 2 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 36 | 48 |
| Nights below freezing | 41 | 89 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 2 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Low | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 80.9 | 91.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 78% | 51% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.6% | +1.6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +43.4% | +45.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Chesapeake: April to June and October to November. Murfreesboro: September to October.
Full monthly tables: Chesapeake weather by month and Murfreesboro weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $73,500 in Chesapeake and $72,300 in Murfreesboro. Moving from Chesapeake to Murfreesboro, you would need about $73,800 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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