Cost of Living in Rhea County, Tennessee
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
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 Rhea County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Rhea County ranks #946 of 3,142 counties for affordability (top 30%)
Sourced county brief
Rhea County Median Home Value Estimated at 206,000 Dollars
The median home value in Rhea County, Tennessee, is $206,000, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. This figure is $17,385 below the Tennessee unweighted county mean of $223,385. The official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) is 26.4 percent, which is 0.5 percentage points lower than the state unweighted county mean of 26.9 percent. Median gross rent for the county was estimated at $839 per month, compared to an unweighted state mean of $893. Median selected monthly owner costs for all owner-occupied units is $660, while the unweighted state mean for counties is $788. Renter-households in the county have a median income of $34,015. This snapshot utilizes ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates for all reported housing and income statistics. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Rhea County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 26.4% of renter household income in Rhea County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $839 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $660. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $33,560 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. Rhea County's $839 median is 6.0% below that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Rhea County
Rent Burden
18.3%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,284
per month
Owner Cost Burden
14.4%
of gross income
The median home in Rhea County may be a stretch
Median home value is $206,000. Estimated monthly cost: $1,645 vs. your max of $1,284.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
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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
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See Today's RatesData: 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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