Housing decision brief
Carter County, TN Housing Market
Carter County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
31st lowest home value out of 95 Tennessee counties with data | 25th lowest rent out of 95
Median home value
$157,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$738/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$542/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
25.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$196/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$157,200 median home value is 16% below Tennessee county median
Lower rent
$738/mo is 8% below Tennessee county median
Rent burden below pressure line
25.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $196/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$48,435 median income is 16% below Tennessee county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.53% effective property-tax rate is 5% above Tennessee county median
Health context
Health score is 22.6 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Carter County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $157,200 | $186,300 | $281,900 | 16% favorable16% below Tennessee county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $738 | $804 | $1,163 | 8% favorable8% below Tennessee county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $542 | $695 | $1,672 | 22% favorable22% below Tennessee county median |
Median household income | $48,435 | $57,408 | $74,755 | 16% pressure16% below Tennessee county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.53% | 0.50% | 1.02% | 5% pressure5% above Tennessee county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 25.00% | 26.00% | N/A | Near state median25.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$18,915
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$25,206
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Carter County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $738/month , about 18.3% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Carter County pay $738/month on average, compared to $542/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 27%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,520/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $23,229/year. With a median household income of $48,435, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 25.0% of renter households in Carter County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Tennessee, Carter County is more affordable than Houston County by roughly 8% ($738/mo vs $685/mo).
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis County, TN | $157,800 | $735/mo | Same-state comparison near $157,800 home value and $735/mo rent. |
| Hardin County, TN | $154,000 | $770/mo | Same-state comparison near $154,000 home value and $770/mo rent. |
| Henry County, TN | $145,200 | $741/mo | Same-state comparison near $145,200 home value and $741/mo rent. |
| Claiborne County, TN | $148,000 | $736/mo | Same-state comparison near $148,000 home value and $736/mo rent. |
| Bledsoe County, TN | $165,400 | $779/mo | Same-state comparison near $165,400 home value and $779/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Carter County
Is Carter County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Carter County?
How much income do you need for housing in Carter County?
What should I double-check before moving to Carter County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.