Representative example: Nashville (1,000 kWh + 5,000 gal)
Davidson County operates under the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County (“Metro Nashville”), a consolidated city–county structure in which most residents reference Nashville addresses for utilities. Retail electric delivery for the large majority of in-city modeled accounts is provided by Nashville Electric Service (NES), a not-for-profit, locally governed distributor that sets retail rates and charges approved by its board; virtually all of NES’s wholesale power is supplied by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) under long-standing power-supply arrangements, with pass-through components such as the monthly Fuel Cost Adjustment visible on NES rate schedules.
$206.49
Modeled for Nashville — your address may use different providers.
Utilities here are about 10% lower than the Tennessee city average, driven mainly by trash.
Potable water and sanitary sewer service for most Metro customers are billed by Metro Water Services under consolidated water and wastewater rate resolutions published by Metro Finance—volumetric tiers, meter minimums, and stormwater-related line items can appear as separate charges depending on parcel classification. Residential solid waste is structured around Metro’s Urban Services District (USD), where eligible single-family properties typically receive weekly curbside trash and every-other-week recycling as a tax-supported service without a separate monthly cart fee on the utility bill; properties in the General Services District (GSD) and other edge cases may instead arrange subscription service with permitted private haulers—confirm your notice and tax district before comparing monthly cash outlays to other metros.
NES bills most Nashville–Davidson residential accounts on published residential schedules that combine a monthly service (customer) charge that scales with usage tiers, a grid access component, and per-kWh energy charges that include a base energy rate plus NES’s monthly Fuel Cost Adjustment tied to TVA wholesale power costs—always use the effective rate sheet for the billing month you are modeling.
NES is independent of Metro Water Services; outages, deposits, and budget billing programs are administered through NES channels, while TVA operates the underlying bulk transmission and generation portfolio that feeds NES’s system.
Adjacent counties or small enclaves may occasionally overlap other distributors—if your bill header is not NES, follow the named utility’s tariff rather than this Nashville-centric summary.
Official sources
Metro Water Services provides treated drinking water across the consolidated service area using metered residential schedules with a monthly minimum based on meter size and volumetric blocks measured in CCF (hundred cubic feet); irrigation meters and large outdoor uses may be structured separately—match the rate table effective date to your bill.
Stormwater, impervious-area, or water-quality fees sometimes appear as distinct line items from potable water—read Metro’s current fee resolutions if your property is non-residential or carries auxiliary meters.
Small municipal enclaves within Davidson can maintain supplemental franchise or billing arrangements—compare the legal payee on your statement to Metro Water Services before budgeting.
Official sources
Sanitary sewer charges for Metro customers on public sewer typically pair volumetric wastewater rates with meter-based minimums; summer irrigation or pool fills may qualify for sewer adjustments when water does not return to the sanitary system—follow Metro’s published adjustment procedures.
Industrial pretreatment, grease interceptors, or package plants are outside typical residential schedules—those accounts should reference Metro’s non-residential tariff sheets.
Septic systems still serve isolated parcels; they are not interchangeable with Metro sewer line items in monthly models.
Official sources
Metro Public Works/Waste Services describes curbside trash and recycling programs for the Urban Services District as a tax-supported service for qualifying single-family homes—there is usually no separate monthly refuse invoice comparable to franchise-fee cities, though overall housing cost still reflects property tax millage.
General Services District and other addresses may require subscription to a permitted private hauler with cart fees set by contract—confirm your tax district and collection notice before assuming USD rules.
Bulk pickup, brush, and holiday schedules differ by corridor; use Metro’s published collection calendar for the service year in question.
Official sources
Summaries rely on Nashville Electric Service retail rate publications, Tennessee Valley Authority public materials describing bulk power relationships, Metro Water Services and Metro Finance rate resolutions as linked from nashville.gov, and Metro Waste Services program descriptions as of the last verified date. NES seasonal energy components and TVA wholesale cost pass-throughs can move monthly; USD versus GSD solid-waste economics differ materially from subscription-billing cities. This overview supports research—not a substitute for a metered bill, tax bill, or hauler contract.
Internet service varies widely—many providers, different plans, introductory offers, and bundles make it hard to compare apples to apples. That's why we don't estimate internet on this page like we do for electric, water, sewer, and trash. Use our tool to compare providers for your address or ZIP code.
$206.49
Nashville
Full line-item breakdown: Nashville utility page. County overview cards above cite additional regional sources.
Wondering if solar makes sense for you? Try our solar payback calculator to find out.
Totals use each city's modeled usage and tariffs on file—see the city page for electric, water, sewer, and trash breakdowns.
| City | Est. total/mo |
|---|---|
| Nashville (example) | $206.49 |
More in Tennessee
For tips on understanding your bill, comparing cities, and how electric and utility rates work by state, see our blog. Compare Nashville with another city side-by-side, or see how we calculate estimates.