Housing decision brief
Meigs County, TN Housing Market
Meigs County screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a manageable 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.
47th lowest home value out of 95 Tennessee counties with data | 62nd lowest rent out of 95
Median home value
$185,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$845/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$564/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
27.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$281/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
$185,500 median home value is At the Tennessee county median
Rent burden below pressure line
27.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $281/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 87.3 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Health context
Health score is 31.8 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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- 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 Meigs 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. | $185,500 | $186,300 | $281,900 | Near state medianAt the Tennessee county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $845 | $804 | $1,163 | 5% pressure5% above Tennessee county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $564 | $695 | $1,672 | 19% favorable19% below Tennessee county median |
Median household income | $58,395 | $57,408 | $74,755 | Near state median2% above Tennessee county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.39% | 0.50% | 1.02% | 22% favorable22% below Tennessee county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 27.00% | 26.00% | N/A | Near state median27.00% 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
+$24,595
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$34,224
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Meigs County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $845/month representing approximately 17.4% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 27.0%.
Rent vs own
At $845/month rent versus $564/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $281/month cheaper , a 33% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $33,800/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $24,171/year. With a median household income of $58,395, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in Meigs County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Tennessee, Meigs County is more affordable than McMinn County by roughly 7% ($845/mo vs $792/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Humphreys County, TN | $186,900 | $830/mo | Same-state comparison near $186,900 home value and $830/mo rent. |
| Sullivan County, TN | $190,800 | $850/mo | Same-state comparison near $190,800 home value and $850/mo rent. |
| Union County, TN | $186,300 | $849/mo | Same-state comparison near $186,300 home value and $849/mo rent. |
| Marion County, TN | $173,600 | $840/mo | Same-state comparison near $173,600 home value and $840/mo rent. |
| Stewart County, TN | $182,700 | $837/mo | Same-state comparison near $182,700 home value and $837/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Meigs County
Is Meigs County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Meigs County?
How much income do you need for housing in Meigs County?
What should I double-check before moving to Meigs County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.