Can households afford energy in Tennessee?
25th of 51. All Tennessee households: 2.4% ($2,042 of $85,780). Same income group, U.S.: 8.3%. Under 30% of median: 19.1% on $8,510. Renters 2.9%, owners 2.2%.
Tennessee burden by income bracket
At or above 6% in Tennessee: under 30%, 30% to 60%. Together 27% of homes (725,013 of 2,713,635).
Tennessee burden, % of income
- 19.1Under 30%
- 6.930% to 60%
- 4.560% to 80%
- 3.580% to 100%
- 1.7Over 100%
Getting the average under-30% household in Tennessee down to 6% takes $1,112 off its $1,623 energy cost, or $18,540 more income.
Tennessee income, cost and burden
| Bracket | Tennessee homes | Share | Tennessee income | Electric | All energy | Tennessee burden | U.S. burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30% | 292,042 | 11% | $8,510 | $1,352 | $1,623 | 19.1% | 17.0% |
| 30% to 60% | 432,971 | 16% | $26,015 | $1,492 | $1,795 | 6.9% | 6.3% |
| 60% to 80% | 290,588 | 11% | $42,621 | $1,570 | $1,912 | 4.5% | 4.3% |
| 80% to 100% | 265,872 | 10% | $56,381 | $1,614 | $1,967 | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Over 100% | 1,432,162 | 53% | $133,819 | $1,752 | $2,242 | 1.7% | 1.6% |
| All | 2,713,635 | 100% | $85,780 | $1,634 | $2,042 | 2.4% | 2.2% |
Renters, owners and fuel in Tennessee
Renters pay $1,419 on $48,340 (2.9%); owners $2,348 on $104,172 (2.2%); U.S. 2.4% and 2.2%. Most common fuel: electricity, 63% of homes. Heaviest burden: fuel oil, 7.2%.
| Tennessee heating fuel | Homes | Share | Tennessee income | All energy | Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 1,706,776 | 62.9% | $75,256 | $1,829 | 2.4% |
| Utility gas | 847,337 | 31.2% | $110,454 | $2,386 | 2.2% |
| Bottled gas (propane) | 98,604 | 3.6% | $79,345 | $2,910 | 3.7% |
| Fuel oil | 8,403 | 0.3% | $36,679 | $2,650 | 7.2% |
| Wood, coal, solar and other | 52,515 | 1.9% | $49,645 | $1,669 | 3.4% |
Your burden against Tennessee
Help and shutoff rules in Tennessee
FY2024 LIHEAP heating help: 67,409 homes, 9 per 100 under 60% of median.
FY2026 funding snapshot $69,833,695, $96 per such home.
Eligibility listed: 60% State Median Income Weatherization: 200% Federal Poverty Level.
Benefits listed: Heating and Cooling: $174 minimum, $750 maximum Crisis: $750 maximum.
Programs named for Tennessee: On Track.
- Tennessee LIHEAP office, phone 1-800-228-8432
- Clearinghouse snapshot, Tennessee
- Tennessee help with your bill
Cold-weather clause: No season or temperature ban found in the text read.
Read: Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1220-04-04-.19 (cited in the PDF as 1220-4-4-.19, Tennessee Regulatory Authority rules, ch. 1220-4-4, July 2006 revision), with .03, .20, .23, checked 2026-10-02; some utilities only.
Not legal advice. Ask your Tennessee utility.
Highest-burden Tennessee counties
95 counties with 1,000+ homes; top: Carroll County at 4.2%, lowest of the 95: Williamson County at 1.5%.
| Tennessee county | Homes | Income | All energy | Burden | Under 60% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll County | 11,038 | $67,289 | $2,797 | 4.2% | 12.7% |
| Hardeman County | 9,009 | $57,951 | $2,331 | 4.0% | 10.9% |
| Chester County | 6,106 | $67,177 | $2,675 | 4.0% | 12.1% |
| Clay County | 3,035 | $52,209 | $2,062 | 4.0% | 11.0% |
| Pickett County | 2,205 | $53,969 | $2,101 | 3.9% | 11.9% |
| Campbell County | 16,255 | $60,010 | $2,328 | 3.9% | 10.5% |
| Cocke County | 14,547 | $57,921 | $2,234 | 3.9% | 10.6% |
| McNairy County | 9,683 | $60,715 | $2,313 | 3.8% | 10.2% |
Next to Tennessee in the ranking
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Sources
DOE LEAD 2022; LIHEAP Clearinghouse; CSV.
Questions
How much of income do Tennessee households spend on energy?
2.4% for all households ($2,042 of $85,780) and 9.1% under 60% of median income. U.S.: 2.2%, 8.3%.
Who is hit hardest in Tennessee?
Households under 30% of median income: 19.1%, 292,042 homes spending $1,623 on $8,510.
How many Tennessee homes get LIHEAP heating help?
67,409 in FY2024, 9 per 100 homes under 60% of median; not a take-up rate.
Is electricity the whole Tennessee energy burden?
No: electricity is 1.9% of 2.4%; gas and other fuel are the rest.