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VoucherMatch

Section 8 Housing in Tennessee

37,604 active Housing Choice Vouchers across 10 markets. Rent limits, housing authorities, waitlist status, and voucher rights for every metro in Tennessee.

Markets covered
10
Active vouchers
37,604
31,289 occupied
Housing authorities
85
statewide
Voucher protection
State preempts
Tennessee has no source-of-income protection

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Tennessee?

Yes. Tennessee law blocks local governments from requiring voucher acceptance, so landlords in Tennessee can legally decline Section 8 applicants. Listing on a voucher-friendly marketplace is the fastest way to find the landlords who do accept.

Tennessee has no source-of-income protection

Tennessee has NO statewide source-of-income protection. The state legislature has been aggressive about preempting local anti-discrimination measures. Landlords can legally decline voucher applicants. Voucher tenants remain a solid financial option — guaranteed monthly rent, often above local market — but the choice is voluntary.

View statute →

Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.

Compare HUD rent benchmarks across Tennessee

Use the county tables to compare areas, then ask the administering housing authority for its adopted payment standard, utility allowance and household calculation.

Local voucher discrimination laws in Tennessee

Tennessee law preempts local source-of-income rules, so the ordinances below may not be enforceable. Ask the local human-rights office before relying on one.

Source: PRRAC, Appendix B: State, Local, and Federal Laws Barring Source of Income Discrimination (updated March 2026), plus the ordinances linked above. Informational only, not legal advice.

Landlord and investor tools for Tennessee

RentalCalcs

Free calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.

All Section 8 markets in Tennessee

Sorted by active voucher count. Each metro page has HUD Fair Market Rent by bedroom, the housing authorities that administer vouchers there, and waitlist status.

Section 8 by county in Tennessee

County pages show the local voucher count, housing authorities, and metro rollup. Useful when you are looking at a specific address.

Section 8 in Tennessee: common questions

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Tennessee?
Yes. Tennessee law blocks local governments from requiring voucher acceptance, so landlords in Tennessee can legally decline Section 8 applicants. Listing on a voucher-friendly marketplace is the fastest way to find the landlords who do accept.
How many Section 8 vouchers are there in Tennessee?
HUD data shows about 37,604 Housing Choice Vouchers across the 10 Tennessee markets we track, administered by 85 housing authorities statewide.
How do I apply for Section 8 in Tennessee?
You apply to a local housing authority, not to the state or to HUD. Each of Tennessee's housing authorities runs its own waitlist and opens it on its own schedule, and applying is always free. Pick your metro or county on this page to see the housing authorities that serve it and their current waitlist status.

Find Section 8 apartments in Tennessee

VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. The administering housing authority must approve the actual unit, rent and household assistance calculation.

Browse voucher-friendly listings in TennesseeList your unit free

Other states

Section 8 in AlabamaSection 8 in AlaskaSection 8 in ArizonaSection 8 in Arkansas