Is Murfreesboro, TN a Good Place to Live? The Pros, Cons and How It Compares (2026)

Quick answer (as of November 2026) Murfreesboro, TN costs far less to buy into than the Williamson County towns, and it works best when your job sits along I-24 or in Rutherford County. In October 2026 the single-family median sale price for homes with a Murfreesboro address was $439,995, against $894,108 in Thompson's Station and $1,322,124 in Franklin. Inside city limits the 2026 property tax rate is $2.2414 per $100 of assessed value, one of the higher combined rates around, though the lower prices keep the bill down. Downtown Nashville is 33.4 miles and about 45 minutes away with no traffic, almost all of it on I-24, and Franklin is about 44 minutes.

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Property tax figures are the county and city rates published for the year shown and are for planning only. Your actual bill depends on the assessed value, any exemptions and the city or district the home sits in. Confirm with the county assessor or trustee and your tax professional before you rely on a number.

You've seen the price gap. A house in Murfreesboro costs about half of one in Franklin, and the listing sites make it look like an easy call. What they leave out is the tax rate inside the city, the drive on I-24, and what it costs to get to Franklin or Thompson's Station if your job or your people are over there.

I made the move from California to Middle Tennessee myself, and I live in Thompson's Station. I help buyers in Murfreesboro and across Williamson and Maury counties, so here's Murfreesboro next to Franklin, Thompson's Station and Spring Hill, using county, city, Census and Realtracs records. For homes for sale, ZIP codes and the school districts, see my Murfreesboro area guide.

Is Murfreesboro, TN a good place to live?

Murfreesboro is a good place to live if you want more house for the money and your commute runs along I-24. It's a harder fit if you'd drive to Franklin or Cool Springs every day. Here's how it scores as of November 2026.

How much does a house cost in Murfreesboro compared with Franklin, Thompson's Station and Spring Hill?

A single-family home with a Murfreesboro address sold for a median of $439,995 in October 2026, down 4% from $459,000 a year earlier. That's the lowest of the five places below and less than half of Thompson's Station.

Murfreesboro had 198 single-family closings in October, with an average of 29 days on market and 4.75 months of supply. One month can swing a median hard, and Franklin's October number ran well above its usual range, so use these as a snapshot. These figures go by mailing address, which takes in some homes outside each city's limits.

Based on information from Realtracs® for the period October 1, 2025 through October 31, 2026.

What are property taxes in Murfreesboro, TN compared with Williamson and Maury County towns?

For 2026, a home inside Murfreesboro city limits pays Rutherford County's $1.4885 plus the city's $0.7529, or $2.2414 per $100 of assessed value. A home outside the city pays the county rate only. Tennessee assesses a home at 25% of its appraised value.

Both Murfreesboro rates dropped this year because 2026 was Rutherford County's reappraisal year. The county's rate came down from $1.8762 and the city's from $0.9526, and a rate reset after a reappraisal is set to raise about the same total tax as the year before. Your bill depends on how much your own appraisal went up.

Here's the same math across the towns I'm comparing, at one price and at each town's October median. The median column assumes the appraisal matches the sale price.

The rate inside Murfreesboro sits near the top of this list, and the lower prices still give it the smallest bill at the median. On the same $400,000 house, Thompson's Station comes in about $838 a year lower than Murfreesboro. The county rates come from Rutherford County's June 22, 2026 budget release, Williamson County's 2026 rate chart and Maury County Resolution 07-26-29. Spring Hill's split is covered in my Spring Hill property tax guide.

Property tax figures are the county and city rates published for the year shown and are for planning only. Your actual bill depends on the assessed value, any exemptions and the city or district the home sits in. Confirm with the county assessor or trustee and your tax professional before you rely on a number.

If you're weighing Murfreesboro against a Williamson County town, send me two addresses and I'll run the tax, the drive and the utilities on both. DM, text or call 615-392-1186.

How long is the commute from Murfreesboro to Nashville and Franklin?

Downtown Nashville is 33.4 miles and about 45 minutes from Murfreesboro City Hall with no traffic, almost all of it on I-24. Franklin's Public Square is 31.6 miles and about 44 minutes, across I-840. I measured every drive below with OpenStreetMap routing on November 5, 2026.

From Murfreesboro City Hall it's also about 40 minutes to Nashville International Airport and about 43 minutes to Thompson's Station Town Hall. Those are free-flow times, so drive your real commute at the hour you'd leave before you write an offer.

What's changing on I-24?

TDOT's I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes project will add two new lanes in each direction along about 26 miles of I-24 between Nashville and Murfreesboro. Drivers can pay to use the new lanes, and the existing lanes stay free. The Federal Highway Administration signed off on the environmental finding on June 16, 2026, TDOT reached commercial close with its private partner on September 30, 2026, and financial close is set for 2027. Construction comes after that, so plan on work zones on that stretch for a while.

Is MTSU a big part of life in Murfreesboro?

Yes. Middle Tennessee State University is in Murfreesboro and has more than 20,000 students. The city also has a bigger share of rental homes than the Williamson County towns. In the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 survey, 52.4% of occupied homes in Murfreesboro were owner-occupied, against 63.8% in Franklin, 73.4% in Spring Hill and 81.3% in Thompson's Station.

If a subdivision's leasing rules matter to you, read the HOA documents before you write an offer.

Who provides utilities in Murfreesboro, TN?

Inside Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee Electric supplies power and Atmos Energy supplies natural gas, per the city. Water and sewer come from one of two providers, depending on the address.

The trash fee is in year three of an eight-year plan to make the city's solid waste service pay for itself. The city has said the closing of Middle Point Landfill could add tipping, transfer station and recycling costs down the road.

For a full monthly budget with these bills, taxes and the commute, see my guide to the cost of living in Murfreesboro.

What is there to do outside in Murfreesboro?

The Murfreesboro Greenway is the main draw, with 15 miles of trails in seven sections and 16 trailheads, per the city. The longest piece, the Stones River Trail, follows the West Fork Stones River for 10.5 miles from the Thompson Lane trailhead to Barfield Crescent Park.

Stones River National Battlefield, the Public Square, Cannonsburgh Village and the rest are in my guide to things to do in Murfreesboro.

What's the weather like in Murfreesboro?

Murfreesboro has hot summers, short winters and very little snow, per NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the Murfreesboro station.

How fast is Murfreesboro growing?

Murfreesboro grew from 108,755 people in the 2010 census to an estimated 171,178 on July 1, 2025, about 57% in 15 years, per the Census Bureau. Rutherford County reached an estimated 386,352 people and issued 3,169 building permits in 2025.

You'll see that growth in new subdivisions and road work. The city's fiscal 2027 budget puts $71 million into roadway maintenance and construction.

What are the downsides of living in Murfreesboro?

The biggest downsides are the in-city tax rate, a commute that leans on one interstate, the distance to the Williamson County side and a list of things to check on every address.

• The in-city rate of $2.2414 is above Thompson's Station ($1.403), Franklin outside its special school district ($1.566) and both sides of Spring Hill.
• I-24 carries most trips to Nashville, and Choice Lanes construction is still ahead, with financial close set for 2027.
• Franklin is 44 minutes away with no traffic. If your job or your people are on the Williamson County side, you'll make that drive often.
• City limits, the water provider and the school districts all change by address. Murfreesboro City Schools runs pre-K through 6th grade at 13 schools, and older grades are in Rutherford County Schools, so check an address in both.
• The city trash fee rose $2 a month this year, and the city's plan runs five more years.

Should you choose Murfreesboro, Franklin, Thompson's Station or Spring Hill?

Start with where you'll drive every day, then weigh price and tax.

Read the Franklin side in is Franklin, TN a good place to live, see Thompson's Station, or read about living in Spring Hill. To widen the search, compare the towns around Nashville or start with moving to Tennessee.

If you're buying from out of state, I'll record a video walkthrough of any home you're serious about and send it as an unlisted YouTube link you can rewatch as often as you need. Before you write an offer, I check the county, the city limits, the tax rate and the water provider for that address. Here's how I work with relocation buyers.

Tell me where you'd work and what you want to spend, and I'll lay Murfreesboro next to the Williamson County towns on real addresses. DM, text or call 615-392-1186, or use the form below.

Frequently asked questions

Is Murfreesboro, TN a good place to live?

Murfreesboro is a good place to live if you want more house for the money and your commute runs along I-24. The October 2026 single-family median was $439,995, and downtown Nashville is about 45 minutes away with no traffic.

Is Murfreesboro cheaper than Franklin?

Yes. In October 2026 the single-family median was $439,995 in Murfreesboro and $1,322,124 in Franklin, per Realtracs.

What is the property tax rate in Murfreesboro, TN?

For 2026, a home inside Murfreesboro city limits pays $2.2414 per $100 of assessed value: Rutherford County's $1.4885 plus the city's $0.7529. Homes outside the city pay the county rate only, and Tennessee assesses a home at 25% of its appraised value.

How far is Murfreesboro from Nashville?

Downtown Nashville is 33.4 miles and about 45 minutes from Murfreesboro City Hall with no traffic, almost all of it on I-24.

How far is Murfreesboro from Franklin, TN?

Franklin's Public Square is 31.6 miles and about 44 minutes from Murfreesboro City Hall with no traffic, by I-24, I-840 and SR 96.

What are the downsides of living in Murfreesboro?

The biggest downsides are the $2.2414 in-city tax rate, a commute that leans on I-24 with Choice Lanes construction still ahead, a 44-minute drive to Franklin, and more to check on each address, from city limits to the water provider.

Property tax figures are the county and city rates published for the year shown and are for planning only. Your actual bill depends on the assessed value, any exemptions and the city or district the home sits in. Confirm with the county assessor or trustee and your tax professional before you rely on a number.

Based on information from Realtracs® for the period October 1, 2025 through October 31, 2026.