CostBy County

Cost of Living in Madison County, Tennessee

$1,123/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$211,800
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$1,123/mo
26% above state average
Median Home Value
$211,800
36% below national
Census GRAPI
32.3%
Median gross rent as % of renter income

Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)

Affordability Rating
Stretched
Median gross rent is 30–50% of renter household income

These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.

How Madison County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Madison County$1,123/mo
Tennessee Average$893/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$1,123/mo
Median Gross Rent
$211,800
Median Home Value
$912/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
32.3%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Madison County ranks #2,199 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 30%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Madison County Rent Percentage Reaches 32.3% of Household Income

Madison County's official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) is 32.3%, which is 5.4 percentage points higher than the Tennessee unweighted county mean of 26.9%. The median gross rent in the county was estimated at $1,123 per month, exceeding the state unweighted county mean of $893 by $230. Median renter-household income was recorded at $38,911. For owner-occupied properties, the median home value was $211,800, which is $11,585 below the state unweighted county mean of $223,385. Median selected monthly owner costs for all owner-occupied units were $912, compared to the state unweighted county mean of $788. These statistics represent a point-in-time profile of housing costs in Madison County according to the 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates and are not intended as market forecasts. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Madison County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 32.3% of renter household income in Madison County, which is between the 30% and 50% rent-burden benchmarks. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.

Rent vs. Own

Median gross rent is $1,123 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $912. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $44,920 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.

Regional Context

The Tennessee unweighted mean of county median rents is $893 per month. Madison County's $1,123 median is 25.8% above that comparison value.

Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Madison County

$

Rent Burden

22.4%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,401

per month

Owner Cost Burden

18.2%

of gross income

The median home in Madison County may be a stretch

Median home value is $211,800. Estimated monthly cost: $1,691 vs. your max of $1,401.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income22.4%
Recommended max30.0%

Income Needed Calculator

See how much you need to earn to comfortably afford housing

$
Rent Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $60,042Needed: $44,920
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $60,042Needed: $39,086
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $60,042Needed: $49,292

Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Madison County, Tennessee?
Madison County, Tennessee has a median monthly rent of $1,123/mo and a median home value of $211,800. The affordability rating is Stretched, with median gross rent equal to approximately 32.3% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Madison County?
The median gross rent in Madison County is $1,123/mo. This is 26% above state average for Tennessee.
Is Madison County affordable?
Madison County is rated Stretched using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 32.3%. Median gross rent is 30–50% of renter household income.
How does Madison County's rent compare to the state average?
Madison County's median rent of $1,123/mo is 26% above state average of $893/mo for Tennessee.
What is the median home value in Madison County?
The median home value in Madison County, Tennessee is $211,800. This is 36% below the national median home value of $332,700.

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Published by the CostByCounty Editorial Team. See our methodology and corrections policy.Data build reviewed 2026-07-09; first published 2026-03-10.

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.

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