Crockett County

Crockett County sits at a median home price of $199,868 with 8.92% year-over-year appreciation, which is the headline number that defines this market. The cash flow score of 0 is the other headline, and investors need to read both together. No cap rate or rent-to-price ratio is available in the data, which limits precision on the income side of the ledger, but the appreciation score of 83 out of 100 and an overall score of 74 placing the county in the 91st percentile nationally and 3rd in Tennessee tell you clearly where this market's edge lies. With a median price under $200,000 and an affordability index of 87, you're buying into a market that is still accessible, still appreciating at a near-9% annual clip, and carrying a stability score of 50 that warrants honest attention. This is a market where price trajectory is the return driver, not monthly spread.

The investor profile this county suits is an appreciation buyer or a patient buy-and-hold operator comfortable accepting thin or neutral cash flow in exchange for equity accumulation at a price point that keeps absolute dollar risk manageable. At $199,868 with a 20% down payment of roughly $39,974 and a 6.85% rate, monthly mortgage payments are meaningful relative to whatever rents the market supports, and the cash flow score of 0 signals you should not underwrite this on spread. A value-add operator might find opportunity here given the low median price, since renovation dollars can move a $200,000 asset into a different rent tier with relatively modest capital, but the thin stability score of 50 means demand absorption after a renovation is not guaranteed. This is not the county for an investor whose business model depends on day-one positive cash flow.

Combined monthly taxes and insurance on a median-priced asset run $178, based on Tennessee's state-average effective property tax rate of 0.71% and an insurance rate of 0.36%, together producing $1,419 in annual tax and $720 in annual insurance. The 0.71% tax rate is flagged as normal, so it is not a meaningful headwind or tailwind, but at $178 per month it is still a real carry cost that belongs on the expense line of every pro forma. The honest caveat here is that 0.71% is a state-average estimate from Tax Foundation 2024 data, and actual Crockett County or township-level rates may differ, so pull the county assessor's figures before finalizing any underwrite.

The stability score of 50 is the number that should anchor the risk section of any underwriting conversation about Crockett. At a population of 13,955, this is a small rural county, and small rural markets carry concentration risk by definition. A single large employer reducing headcount, or a shift in agricultural or industrial activity in the area, can move vacancy rates and rental demand materially without much cushion from population density. No economic anchors are provided in the data, so the specific employment base cannot be characterized here, but any investor evaluating Crockett should independently verify what is driving that 8.92% appreciation, whether it reflects genuine demand from a growing resident or investor base, or a thin-market statistical artifact on low transaction volume. Both are possible at this population size, and the answer changes the investment thesis significantly.

Compared to its neighboring counties, Crockett's strongest argument is price. Carroll County comes in cheaper at $180,314 with an overall score of 63, which is 11 points below Crockett's 74, making Crockett the clearly preferred option between those two on a risk-adjusted basis. Claiborne County matches Crockett's overall score of 74 at a higher median of $228,611, so Crockett offers equivalent scoring at roughly $29,000 less in purchase price. Rhea County and Lincoln County both score 68 at medians of $266,373 and $257,281 respectively, making them more expensive and lower-scored than Crockett. Anderson County scores 62 with a median of $301,800 and a rent-to-price ratio of 0.0636, which translates to approximately $1,601 in median rent, making Anderson the only neighboring county with published rent data. An investor explicitly targeting cash flow should examine Anderson more carefully despite its higher price and lower overall score, since at least the rent-to-price ratio there is documented. Crockett is the right choice over its neighbors when the investment thesis is appreciation-led, price entry is a constraint, and the investor has the financial durability to carry a neutral cash flow position while equity builds.