Tennessee · Free comparisons

Find your Tennessee rent vs buy calculator

Choose a city, enter comparable homes, and test the cost of moving sooner or staying longer.

16 city comparisons start from 12 county datasets. Cities in the same county share reference values. These are regional housing indices, not city medians or a statewide average.

Browse all cities ↓Use my own numbers →

16 city pages. Open a location, then replace the starting values with homes you would actually rent or buy.

Start with a city

Nashville, TNMemphis, TNMurfreesboro, TN

Published by RentalCalcs · Content and usability reviewed .

Data periods and program effective dates are shown separately. Report a correction.

City calculators, grouped by their county reference

Home values use Zillow ZHVI; monthly rents use Zillow ZORI. Each has its own observation date. Open a city to adjust price, rent, financing and your time horizon.

Bradley County

Home value · ZHVI
$313,180
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,409

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Davidson County

Home value · ZHVI
$424,273
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,820

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Hamilton County

Home value · ZHVI
$348,511
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,515

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Knox County

Home value · ZHVI
$376,337
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,729

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Madison County

Home value · ZHVI
$222,721
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,419

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Montgomery County

Home value · ZHVI
$318,644
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,371

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Sullivan County

Home value · ZHVI
$257,715
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,319

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Part of Johnson City is also in Sullivan County. Its city calculator starts with Washington County values; replace them with your own comparable properties.

Williamson County

Home value · ZHVI
$916,175
Monthly rent · ZORI
$2,122

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Part of Smyrna is also in Williamson County. Its city calculator starts with Rutherford County values; replace them with your own comparable properties.

Turn a regional reference into your decision

  1. 1. Compare similar homes. Match bedrooms, property type, condition and location. The home-value and rent indices cover different housing stocks; their ratio alone cannot tell you which option is better.
  2. 2. Check the property's costs. Replace the illustrative tax rate, insurance and HOA assumptions. Use the Tennessee county assessors and trustees directory to request an estimate after purchase.

    Tennessee assesses residential property at 25% of its appraised value, and published tax rates are per $100 of assessed value. Those rates are not the percentage of purchase price used here. Follow the Comptroller's tax calculation guide. Confirm the applicable county, city and special school district charges for the address with the local offices; a mailing city does not establish its taxing district.

    Enter estimated annual property taxes ÷ purchase price × 100. A $3,600 annual bill on a $400,000 purchase is 0.90%, or $300 a month. After this conversion, leave Assessed Value at 100% in the full calculator; applying 25% again would understate the bill. Ask about the current appraisal and any scheduled reappraisal. This model does not determine local assessments, tax relief, freezes or future rate changes; later years use an illustrative tax-growth rate.

  3. 3. Test more than one exit date. Each city calculator compares the monthly budget, cash at closing and wealth after selling costs. Try a shorter stay and less favorable growth assumptions before opening the full calculator.

Coverage and sources

These 12 counties are the starting references for the listed cities; this is not complete coverage of Tennessee. City pages include the source series, county FIPS, observation month, retrieval date and download links. Read Zillow's index definitions. Download dates do not make the underlying observations newer.

County references were checked against the U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Tennessee place-by-county table. Check your actual address before using a county source.

Cities spanning counties: Johnson City starts with Washington County only; Kingsport starts with Sullivan County only; Smyrna starts with Rutherford County only. Each city page explains the boundary and the alternate reference path.

There is no statewide buy-or-rent verdict here. Results depend on the properties and assumptions you enter. The comparisons are free; the full calculator also offers an optional paid report.