Utility rates & providers in Rutherford County, TN

Representative example: Murfreesboro (1,000 kWh + 5,000 gal)

Rutherford County is one of Tennessee’s fastest-growing counties: Murfreesboro is the county seat and primary market in our dataset, while La Vergne, Smyrna, and unincorporated growth corridors each maintain separate municipal utility publishers. Retail electric service for most modeled Murfreesboro and county addresses is provided by Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation (MTE), a member-owned cooperative that takes TVA wholesale power and passes through monthly Fuel Cost Adjustment components on residential bills—effective per-kWh totals can move month to month even when base rate sheets are stable.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$188.77

Modeled for Murfreesboro — your address may use different providers.

Data freshness: last verified 2026-02-11
  • Electric $129.02 (68%)
  • Water $18.75 (10%)
  • Sewer $27.50 (15%)
  • Trash $13.50 (7%)

Utilities here are about 20% lower than the Tennessee city average, driven mainly by sewer.

  • In Tennessee, heating and cooling often makes electric the largest share of the bill.
  • Trash is provided by private haulers; residents choose their own. Our estimate reflects typical rates for the area—contact haulers for exact pricing.

Water and wastewater are city-specific: Murfreesboro Water Resources publishes volumetric water and sewer schedules with higher multipliers for addresses outside the corporate limits; Smyrna, La Vergne, and Eagleville maintain their own adopted fees. Solid waste is similarly jurisdiction-specific—Murfreesboro bills a published monthly residential garbage fee for city collection, while county addresses may contract with private haulers or use county convenience centers under Rutherford County Solid Waste programs—always match your tax district and collection notice before comparing monthly cash outlays.

Electricity

Confirmed — MTE Schedule RS (TVA FCA varies monthly)

Middle Tennessee Electric publishes residential Schedule RS tariffs that combine a monthly basic (access) charge with per-kWh energy components reflecting TVA wholesale power costs, including the monthly Fuel Cost Adjustment—model the billing month you care about, not a single blended average.

MTE serves Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne, and broad portions of Rutherford County; always confirm the cooperative account number and rate rider lines on your statement.

Solar, net metering, and optional time-of-use pilots may change line items—use MTE’s current tariff PDFs for enrolled accounts.

Official sources

Water

Confirmed — Murfreesboro Water Resources schedules; other cities publish separately

Murfreesboro Water Resources bills potable water with volumetric tiers and meter minimums; the city’s rates and fees pages note higher volumetric multipliers for meters outside the city limits—match the correct column before comparing to a Smyrna or La Vergne bill.

Smyrna, La Vergne, and Eagleville publish independent utility schedules for addresses inside those municipalities.

Wells and small mutual systems still serve some parcels—do not assume Murfreesboro volumetrics.

Official sources

Sewer / wastewater

Confirmed — Murfreesboro volumetric sewer tied to metered water (city limits vs outside)

Murfreesboro sewer charges are generally tied to metered water consumption with published minimums; outside-city multipliers may apply—read the city’s current rate schedule for your meter class.

Septic parcels should not use city sewer volumetrics without a connection letter.

Commercial and industrial strength waste uses separate schedules.

Official sources

Trash & recycling

Confirmed — Murfreesboro Solid Waste fee vs county programs

Murfreesboro publishes a monthly residential garbage collection fee for qualifying city accounts with weekly pickup—confirm cart size and holiday schedules on the city Solid Waste page.

Rutherford County Solid Waste operates convenience centers, recycling, and disposal programs for county residents with published rules; private haulers also serve many unincorporated addresses.

Apartment and commercial accounts typically contract privately—confirm whether waste is bundled in rent.

Official sources

Summaries rely on Middle Tennessee Electric published residential tariffs, City of Murfreesboro Water Resources and Solid Waste pages, and Rutherford County Solid Waste materials as of the last verified date. La Vergne, Smyrna, and Eagleville schedules differ; cooperative FCA pass-throughs move monthly. This overview supports research—not a substitute for a metered bill or hauler contract.

Check Internet pricing & availability in Rutherford County

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.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$188.77

Murfreesboro

What changes your bill most?

  • Electric is about 68% of your estimated utilities here.
  • Every 100 kWh changes your total by about $10.72.
  • Each additional 1,000 gallons of water adds about $9.25 to your water and sewer bills combined (water ~$3.75 + wastewater ~$5.50).

Assumptions

  • Electric: 1000 kWh/month
  • Water: 5,000 gallons/month

What these labels mean

  • Confirmed — From this area's rate schedule.
  • Benchmark — From an official typical (e.g. state commission 1,000 kWh); not city-specific.
  • Delivery only — Regulated delivery charges only (e.g. Texas); supply varies by plan.
  • Estimated — From other or incomplete sources; use as a rough guide.
Sources

Full line-item breakdown: Murfreesboro 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.

Cities in Rutherford County

Estimated monthly utility totals

Totals use each city's modeled usage and tariffs on file—see the city page for electric, water, sewer, and trash breakdowns.

CityEst. total/mo
Murfreesboro (example)$188.77

More in Tennessee

Tennessee utility costsElectric providers in TennesseeMurfreesboro utility page

FAQ

We use base charges and per-unit rates from official provider and municipal sources for each city in Rutherford County. Electric uses city or provider tariff data; water, sewer, and trash use city or provider rate schedules. Each city page shows assumed usage (kWh, gallons) and source links.
Cities in the same county can have different electric providers, municipal water and sewer systems, and trash contracts. Rates and fee structures vary, so estimated monthly totals differ. Use the comparison table and city links to see details.
Each city page shows a 'last verified' date and links to official sources. Always confirm current rates on the provider's or city's website before making decisions.
No. MTE is the electric cooperative for many Rutherford County meters, while Murfreesboro Water Resources is a city department for water and wastewater inside Murfreesboro’s service rules—bill payees and portals differ.
We merge FCC National Broadband Map filings from Murfreesboro’s coordinate and a second point near Smyrna (35.983°N, 86.520°W) so Middle Tennessee ISP plant from multiple labor markets appears in one county-level research view—confirm availability for your exact address.

Learn more

For tips on understanding your bill, comparing cities, and how electric and utility rates work by state, see our blog. Compare Murfreesboro with another city side-by-side, or see how we calculate estimates.