Tennessee Cost of Living
Housing costs and affordability data for 95 counties.
Average Monthly Rent
$860/mo
Average Home Value
$201,611
Average Owner Cost
$770/mo
County cost atlas
Tennessee housing costs by county
Compare rent, entry-price context, owner costs, and cost score in one state view. Pin a county, switch layers, then open the full county profile when a place needs closer review.
Counties
95
Avg rent
$860/mo
Owner cost
$770/mo
Avg score
60.8
Higher means lower cost pressure
Atlas layers use U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. Rent, owner cost, and home value are county medians. Cost score rewards lower rent and lower owner costs, but affordability still depends on income, household size, commute, debt, and personal finances. Use this as decision context, not personalized financial advice.
State Cost Summary
Use these state averages as a starting point, then scan the atlas and rankings for the county-level spread behind them.
Housing Costs in Tennessee: An Overview
The median rent in Tennessee is $860 per month, which is 26% below the national median of $1,163. That is useful statewide context, but rent burden still depends on local income, household size, commute, and the county a household chooses.
Within Tennessee, housing costs vary significantly by county. Williamson County has the highest median rent in this dataset at $1,895 per month and a median home value of $673,700. Lake County has the lowest reported median rent at $472 per month and a median home value of $107,000.
The average home value across Tennessee counties is $201,611, 28% lower than the national median of $281,900. Median household income is roughly $58,994, so home values should be read alongside local wages, financing costs, taxes, insurance, and supply.
Before comparing places in Tennessee, start with the county-level pattern. Costs can swing dramatically between rural and urban counties. Use the atlas, rankings, and county links below to compare rent, home values, owner costs, and rent burden before opening a specific county profile.
Distribution
Rent Distribution in Tennessee
How median rents are spread across 95 counties
Highest Median Rent Counties
Lowest Median Rent Counties
All Tennessee Counties
Sorted by median rent, highest first. A higher cost score means lower rent and owner cost pressure within the national scoring model.
| County | Median Rent | Home Value | Owner Cost | Cost Score | Rent/Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williamson County | Expensive$1,895/mo | $673,700 | $2,024/mo | 2.3 | 28.0% |
| Davidson County | Moderate$1,485/mo | $386,600 | $1,458/mo | 8.3 | 30.0% |
| Rutherford County | Moderate$1,405/mo | $346,400 | $1,392/mo | 10.1 | 30.0% |
| Wilson County | Moderate$1,370/mo | $397,000 | $1,521/mo | 8.9 | 28.0% |
| Sumner County | Moderate$1,339/mo | $364,000 | $1,356/mo | 11.6 | 29.0% |
| Cheatham County | Moderate$1,274/mo | $291,400 | $1,155/mo | 16.6 | 25.0% |
| Montgomery County | Moderate$1,219/mo | $248,300 | $1,304/mo | 14.3 | 28.0% |
| Maury County | Moderate$1,206/mo | $307,500 | $1,103/mo | 19.3 | 28.0% |
| Knox County | Moderate$1,180/mo | $279,700 | $1,088/mo | 20.4 | 29.0% |
| Robertson County | Moderate$1,176/mo | $296,700 | $1,239/mo | 16.4 | 26.0% |
| Shelby County | Moderate$1,170/mo | $229,700 | $1,211/mo | 17.3 | 31.0% |
| Hamilton County | Moderate$1,163/mo | $282,100 | $1,082/mo | 21.1 | 28.0% |
| Madison County | Moderate$1,076/mo | $189,700 | $913/mo | 30.6 | 33.0% |
| Blount County | Moderate$1,042/mo | $275,700 | $969/mo | 29.3 | 25.0% |
| Sevier County | Moderate$1,013/mo | $259,500 | $750/mo | 44.3 | 25.0% |
| Tipton County | Moderate$1,007/mo | $220,100 | $1,064/mo | 27.0 | 26.0% |
| Loudon County | Affordable$995/mo | $292,600 | $904/mo | 34.7 | 24.0% |
| Dickson County | Affordable$972/mo | $272,700 | $1,021/mo | 30.5 | 23.0% |
| Anderson County | Affordable$960/mo | $215,800 | $878/mo | 38.3 | 27.0% |
| Bradley County | Affordable$959/mo | $230,800 | $953/mo | 34.3 | 28.0% |
| Washington County | Affordable$951/mo | $231,700 | $895/mo | 37.8 | 29.0% |
| Marshall County | Affordable$924/mo | $246,100 | $885/mo | 40.2 | 26.0% |
| Bedford County | Affordable$917/mo | $255,300 | $1,013/mo | 34.3 | 28.0% |
| Coffee County | Affordable$885/mo | $227,300 | $806/mo | 49.0 | 27.0% |
| Fayette County | Affordable$883/mo | $316,000 | $1,042/mo | 36.1 | 28.0% |
| Putnam County | Affordable$881/mo | $246,800 | $846/mo | 46.5 | 29.0% |
| Jefferson County | Affordable$880/mo | $210,000 | $767/mo | 52.0 | 24.0% |
| Hickman County | Affordable$877/mo | $192,000 | $778/mo | 51.5 | 27.0% |
| Smith County | Affordable$877/mo | $224,500 | $769/mo | 52.1 | 23.0% |
| Franklin County | Affordable$863/mo | $215,700 | $827/mo | 49.8 | 26.0% |
| Crockett County | Affordable$854/mo | $134,100 | $667/mo | 62.4 | 24.0% |
| Sullivan County | Affordable$850/mo | $190,800 | $737/mo | 57.7 | 27.0% |
| Union County | Affordable$849/mo | $186,300 | $680/mo | 62.1 | 26.0% |
| Meigs County | Affordable$845/mo | $185,500 | $564/mo | 70.3 | 27.0% |
| Sequatchie County | Affordable$842/mo | $217,800 | $603/mo | 67.7 | 39.0% |
| Marion County | Affordable$840/mo | $173,600 | $702/mo | 60.8 | 26.0% |
| Hamblen County | Affordable$838/mo | $188,800 | $731/mo | 59.2 | 29.0% |
| White County | Affordable$838/mo | $190,200 | $616/mo | 67.3 | 26.0% |
| Stewart County | Affordable$837/mo | $182,700 | $610/mo | 67.8 | 19.0% |
| Giles County | Affordable$836/mo | $204,100 | $773/mo | 56.2 | 23.0% |
| Overton County | Affordable$833/mo | $171,700 | $505/mo | 74.5 | 27.0% |
| Humphreys County | Affordable$830/mo | $186,900 | $679/mo | 64.2 | 26.0% |
| Cumberland County | Affordable$829/mo | $228,000 | $694/mo | 62.8 | 23.0% |
| Hardeman County | Affordable$818/mo | $116,800 | $748/mo | 60.2 | 31.0% |
| Henderson County | Affordable$812/mo | $156,000 | $592/mo | 71.8 | 25.0% |
| Macon County | Affordable$805/mo | $211,200 | $789/mo | 58.8 | 26.0% |
| Trousdale County | Affordable$805/mo | $284,100 | $1,025/mo | 45.3 | 24.0% |
| Jackson County | Affordable$804/mo | $135,200 | $468/mo | 79.1 | 35.0% |
| Gibson County | Affordable$797/mo | $149,700 | $785/mo | 60.2 | 27.0% |
| Rhea County | Affordable$796/mo | $178,500 | $652/mo | 70.3 | 25.0% |
| McMinn County | Affordable$792/mo | $190,400 | $746/mo | 63.8 | 26.0% |
| Benton County | Affordable$788/mo | $123,400 | $569/mo | 76.8 | 26.0% |
| Cocke County | Affordable$787/mo | $141,800 | $575/mo | 76.4 | 24.0% |
| Lincoln County | Affordable$782/mo | $209,100 | $766/mo | 63.2 | 22.0% |
| Cannon County | Affordable$781/mo | $227,600 | $627/mo | 73.7 | 27.0% |
| Bledsoe County | Affordable$779/mo | $165,400 | $463/mo | 82.6 | 24.0% |
| Warren County | Affordable$775/mo | $173,900 | $593/mo | 76.7 | 28.0% |
| DeKalb County | Affordable$773/mo | $206,600 | $799/mo | 62.4 | 31.0% |
| Hardin County | Affordable$770/mo | $154,000 | $597/mo | 77.2 | 26.0% |
| Obion County | Affordable$770/mo | $122,700 | $646/mo | 74.3 | 25.0% |
| Roane County | Affordable$767/mo | $212,300 | $842/mo | 60.4 | 28.0% |
| Dyer County | Affordable$760/mo | $159,500 | $747/mo | 67.8 | 25.0% |
| Weakley County | Affordable$760/mo | $136,300 | $599/mo | 78.0 | 26.0% |
| Carroll County | Affordable$757/mo | $122,100 | $587/mo | 79.5 | 26.0% |
| Pickett County | Affordable$755/mo | $162,200 | $505/mo | 84.2 | 23.0% |
| Perry County | Affordable$747/mo | $113,800 | $505/mo | 84.9 | 24.0% |
| Moore County | Affordable$746/mo | $259,300 | $913/mo | 57.5 | 26.0% |
| Hawkins County | Affordable$744/mo | $166,900 | $600/mo | 79.7 | 25.0% |
| Morgan County | Affordable$742/mo | $144,000 | $585/mo | 81.2 | 28.0% |
| Henry County | Affordable$741/mo | $145,200 | $606/mo | 79.8 | 24.0% |
| Carter County | Affordable$738/mo | $157,200 | $542/mo | 84.3 | 25.0% |
| Claiborne County | Affordable$736/mo | $148,000 | $536/mo | 84.8 | 27.0% |
| Lawrence County | Affordable$736/mo | $176,700 | $695/mo | 74.2 | 27.0% |
| Lewis County | Affordable$735/mo | $157,800 | $701/mo | 73.7 | 26.0% |
| Lauderdale County | Affordable$729/mo | $122,100 | $699/mo | 74.5 | 28.0% |
| Grainger County | Affordable$726/mo | $172,000 | $518/mo | 86.8 | 29.0% |
| Haywood County | Affordable$725/mo | $119,600 | $687/mo | 76.3 | 29.0% |
| Grundy County | Affordable$723/mo | $133,400 | $551/mo | 85.8 | 27.0% |
| Decatur County | Affordable$716/mo | $133,900 | $552/mo | 86.5 | 23.0% |
| Campbell County | Affordable$715/mo | $169,500 | $725/mo | 74.5 | 26.0% |
| Chester County | Affordable$714/mo | $155,200 | $692/mo | 77.1 | 24.0% |
| Greene County | Affordable$713/mo | $186,400 | $654/mo | 80.2 | 24.0% |
| McNairy County | Affordable$706/mo | $151,100 | $600/mo | 84.0 | 23.0% |
| Van Buren County | Affordable$705/mo | $149,200 | $590/mo | 84.9 | 23.0% |
| Monroe County | Affordable$699/mo | $199,700 | $629/mo | 82.8 | 28.0% |
| Scott County | Affordable$691/mo | $116,800 | $499/mo | 90.9 | 26.0% |
| Houston County | Affordable$685/mo | $150,100 | $612/mo | 85.0 | 22.0% |
| Polk County | Affordable$668/mo | $136,400 | $587/mo | 87.8 | 30.0% |
| Unicoi County | Affordable$665/mo | $168,200 | $648/mo | 84.1 | 30.0% |
| Johnson County | Affordable$639/mo | $175,500 | $453/mo | 95.4 | 27.0% |
| Wayne County | Affordable$619/mo | $126,600 | $537/mo | 93.2 | 36.0% |
| Fentress County | Affordable$614/mo | $151,800 | $506/mo | 94.8 | 29.0% |
| Hancock County | Affordable$592/mo | $118,000 | $395/mo | 98.0 | 31.0% |
| Clay County | Affordable$546/mo | $136,900 | $466/mo | 97.8 | 24.0% |
| Lake County | Affordable$472/mo | $107,000 | $559/mo | 94.5 | 28.0% |
Compare Tennessee to Other States
See how Tennessee counties stack up against counties in other states. Compare rent, home values, and affordability side by side.
Start a ComparisonFrequently Asked Questions About Tennessee Housing Costs
What is the most affordable county in Tennessee?
What is the most expensive county to live in Tennessee?
How does Tennessee's cost of living compare to the national average?
What is the average home value in Tennessee?
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Compare Moving QuotesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.