Most affordable counties to rent in Tennessee

Ranked by how much of the typical renter household's income the typical rent takes. Houston County is the most affordable at 16.4%; DeKalb County the least affordable at 36.5%.

CountyRent-to-incomeMedian gross rentMedian renter incomeRenters paying 30%+2 BR FMR FY2027
1. Houston County16.4%$735$53,91723%$995
2. Dickson County21.5%$1,015$56,76733%$1,798
3. Grundy County21.6%$636$35,39139%$995
4. Hawkins County22.3%$785$42,31938%$1,091
5. Macon County22.4%$846$45,40142%$995
6. Fayette County22.5%$902$48,12246%$1,301
7. Stewart County22.7%$945$49,95232%$995
8. Lincoln County23.4%$857$43,91341%$995
9. Decatur County23.5%$757$38,66726%$995
10. Campbell County24.0%$716$35,82841%$995
11. Coffee County24.1%$913$45,38339%$1,088
12. Gibson County24.2%$819$40,66644%$995
13. Jefferson County24.4%$904$44,45341%$1,153
14. Blount County24.7%$1,090$53,05540%$1,475
15. Johnson County24.7%$674$32,76937%$995
16. Roane County24.9%$785$37,80141%$1,048
17. Franklin County24.9%$894$43,04740%$1,060
18. Carroll County25.0%$755$36,27243%$995
19. Smith County25.0%$922$44,19037%$1,146
20. Cumberland County25.2%$839$40,02035%$1,039
21. Carter County25.3%$739$35,11737%$1,211
22. Claiborne County25.3%$745$35,29143%$995
23. Dyer County25.4%$782$36,88442%$995
24. White County25.6%$849$39,76334%$1,021
25. Obion County25.6%$770$36,02939%$995
26. Giles County25.8%$862$40,11037%$1,105
27. McMinn County26.2%$803$36,82145%$995
28. Warren County26.3%$827$37,67345%$1,051
29. Tipton County26.4%$1,013$46,00638%$1,301
30. Greene County26.5%$737$33,37242%$995
31. Sevier County27.1%$1,072$47,39241%$1,213
32. Crockett County27.2%$857$37,78842%$1,093
33. McNairy County27.3%$723$31,73227%$995
34. Benton County27.6%$768$33,44439%$995
35. Loudon County27.7%$1,062$46,02143%$1,475
36. Henry County27.7%$761$32,96637%$1,011
37. Scott County28.0%$686$29,41248%$995
38. Bedford County28.4%$1,051$44,36647%$1,112
39. Anderson County28.4%$1,031$43,49045%$1,475
40. Williamson County28.5%$1,969$82,76349%$1,798
41. Lawrence County29.2%$763$31,40047%$1,008
42. Hardeman County29.2%$812$33,32855%$995
43. Marion County29.3%$853$34,92341%$1,340
44. Montgomery County29.3%$1,308$53,53346%$1,307
45. Sullivan County29.4%$889$36,31344%$1,091
46. Marshall County29.4%$946$38,54840%$1,106
47. Sumner County29.6%$1,424$57,72749%$1,798
48. Bradley County29.6%$1,030$41,74545%$1,270
49. Maury County29.7%$1,300$52,56646%$1,474
50. Wilson County29.7%$1,486$60,07249%$1,798
51. Putnam County29.7%$908$36,64749%$1,102
52. Washington County29.7%$1,005$40,53849%$1,211
53. Hamilton County29.8%$1,253$50,53845%$1,340
54. Hamblen County29.8%$857$34,56245%$1,153
55. Robertson County29.9%$1,199$48,11648%$1,798
56. Lauderdale County29.9%$774$31,01750%$995
57. Union County30.0%$847$33,86853%$1,475
58. Grainger County30.6%$746$29,25044%$995
59. Cocke County30.6%$798$31,26348%$995
60. Rutherford County31.0%$1,502$58,14852%$1,798
61. Cheatham County31.0%$1,345$52,02649%$1,798
62. Chester County31.2%$756$29,10438%$1,375
63. Monroe County31.2%$714$27,42652%$995
64. Weakley County32.8%$803$29,35543%$995
65. Knox County33.1%$1,261$45,72150%$1,475
66. Shelby County33.5%$1,232$44,08854%$1,301
67. Davidson County33.8%$1,582$56,13354%$1,798
68. Madison County34.6%$1,123$38,91154%$1,375
69. DeKalb County36.5%$839$27,57661%$1,016

Rent-to-income = median gross rent × 12 ÷ median household income of renters. Both are medians of different households, so this is an area comparison, not the burden of any one household. 26 of 95 counties are left out because they have fewer than 500 renter households, a Census margin of error is too large (coefficient of variation above 15%) or a figure is not published.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2020–2024 and 2015–2019 (tables B25064, B25119, B25070). ± = margin of error at 90% confidence. Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation. FMR: HUD FY2027.

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