Is Bartlett Safe, Pros and cons of living in Bartlett
Is it Safe to Live in Bartlett?
Bartlett, Tennessee, presents a complex picture regarding safety, with crime rates that are notably lower than the national average according to some analyses, while others indicate a higher-than-average risk for property crime. The city recorded an average violent crime rate of 40.8 per 100,000 residents between 2019 and 2023, which is 61.5% below the national average (as reported by Crime Explorer). Property crime in Bartlett averages 90.5 per 100,000 residents, also below the national average (as reported by Crime Explorer). However, another assessment suggests that your chance of being a victim of violent crime in Bartlett is 1 in 408, and property crime is 1 in 80, indicating a risk that is higher than in many communities nationwide (as reported by NeighborhoodScout).
When examining crime statistics, it’s important to consider the source and methodology. For instance, one report indicates that Bartlett has a crime rate that is 27.6% lower than the national average overall, with violent crime being 30.3% lower and property crime being 27.1% lower than the U.S. average (as reported by AreaVibes). Conversely, another analysis states that Bartlett’s crime rate is considerably higher than the national average across all communities, though not among the highest, with a rate of 15 crimes per thousand residents (as reported by NeighborhoodScout). The FBI UCR data for 2023 shows 138 violent crimes and 1,030 property crimes in Bartlett (as reported by FBI UCR).
Cost of Living and Housing
The cost of living in Bartlett, TN, is generally considered affordable, with some sources indicating it is 15% less expensive than the national average (as reported by ERI Economic Research Institute). However, other data suggests Bartlett is among the more expensive cities globally, ranking 1678th out of 9294 cities worldwide and 15th out of 33 in Tennessee, with an average cost of living at $2,129 (as reported by LivingCost.org). Rent prices in Bartlett are currently 7% lower than the national average, with the average rent for an apartment being $1,530 per month as of May 2026 (as reported by Apartments.com).
The median home price in Bartlett was approximately $310,400 in 2024, reflecting a 9.41% increase from the previous year (as reported by Data USA). By March 2026, Zillow reported the average home value in Bartlett at $321,267, with a slight decrease of 0.6% over the past year (as reported by Zillow). Redfin indicated that in March 2026, Bartlett home prices were up 6.2% compared to the previous year, with a median price of $329,000 (as reported by Redfin). The homeownership rate in Bartlett is notably high at 85.6% (as reported by Data USA).
Job Market and Economy
Bartlett’s job market is robust, with a median household income of $102,070 as of 2024 (as reported by Data USA). The average salary in Bartlett is around $50,258 annually, or approximately $24.16 per hour (as reported by ZipRecruiter). Most salaries in Bartlett fall between $34,250 and $64,569 annually (as reported by ZipRecruiter). The employment sectors with the most residents working in them are Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, and Retail Trade (as reported by Data USA).
From 2023 to 2024, employment in Bartlett saw a slight decline of 0.343%, with the number of employees decreasing from 28,000 to 27,900 (as reported by Data USA). However, from 2022 to 2023, employment in Bartlett grew by 2.18% (as reported by Data USA). The unemployment rate in Bartlett was 3.6% as of February 2026 (as reported by Data Commons). The unemployment rate in Tennessee was also 3.6% in February 2026, which was lower than the U.S. overall rate at that time (as reported by USAFacts).
Climate and Weather
Bartlett experiences a climate characterized by long, hot, and muggy summers, with short, cold, wet, and windy winters, and is partly cloudy year-round (as reported by Weather and Climate). The average daily high temperature during the hot season, from May 25 to September 21, is above 83°F, with July being the hottest month, averaging a high of 91°F and a low of 73°F (as reported by Weather and Climate). The cool season, from November 28 to February 26, has average daily high temperatures below 58°F, with January being the coldest month, with an average low of 34°F and a high of 50°F (as reported by Weather and Climate).
Annual precipitation in Bartlett averages 55 inches (as reported by WorldWeatherOnline and myPerfectWeather). The wettest month is typically May, with an average rainfall of 4.9 inches (as reported by Weather and Climate) or 166 mm (6.5 inches) over 12 rainy days (as reported by Weather and Climate and Rainfall in Bartlett). The driest month is August, with an average rainfall of 2.3 inches (as reported by Weather and Climate), or October, with approximately 76 mm of rainfall over 9 rainy days (as reported by Weather and Climate).
Education and Demographics
Bartlett is served by a high-performing school district, with Bartlett High School ranking 63rd out of 389 Tennessee high schools and receiving a 4-star rating (as reported by Niche). Bon Lin Elementary School is the highest-performing elementary school in the district, ranking 65th out of 1,009 Tennessee elementary schools and receiving a 5-star rating (as reported by Niche). However, the district-wide chronic absenteeism rate is 18.9%, which is significantly higher than the state average (as reported by Niche).
The population of Bartlett was estimated at 56,708 in 2024 (as reported by Data USA). The racial makeup of Bartlett is predominantly White, with 39.1k White (Non-Hispanic) residents, followed by 11.2k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents and 2.19k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents (as reported by Data USA). As of 2024, 97.3% of Bartlett residents were U.S. citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2% (as reported by Data USA). The median age in Bartlett is 41.2 years (as reported by Data Commons and World Population Review).