Housing decision brief
Shelby County, TN Housing Market
Shelby County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
72nd lowest home value out of 95 Tennessee counties with data | 85th lowest rent out of 95
Median home value
$229,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,170/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,211/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
31.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$41/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
No signal
No strong positive housing signal was available in the current dataset.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.03% effective property-tax rate is 106% above Tennessee county median
Health context
Health score is 26.4 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
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
Poor Fit For
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- 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 Shelby 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. | $229,700 | $186,300 | $281,900 | 23% pressure23% above Tennessee county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,170 | $804 | $1,163 | 46% pressure46% above Tennessee county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,211 | $695 | $1,672 | 74% pressure74% above Tennessee county median |
Median household income | $62,337 | $57,408 | $74,755 | 9% favorable9% above Tennessee county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.03% | 0.50% | 1.02% | 106% pressure106% above Tennessee county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 31.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 19% pressure31.00% 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
+$15,537
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$10,437
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Shelby County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $1,170/month in gross rent, with 31.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
At $1,170/month rent versus $1,211/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $41/month cheaper , a 3% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $46,800/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $51,900/year. With a median household income of $62,337, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 31.0% of renter households in Shelby County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Madison County where rent averages $1,076/month, Shelby County is approximately 9% more expensive.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley County, TN | $230,800 | $959/mo | Same-state comparison near $230,800 home value and $959/mo rent. |
| Washington County, TN | $231,700 | $951/mo | Same-state comparison near $231,700 home value and $951/mo rent. |
| Montgomery County, TN | $248,300 | $1,219/mo | Same-state comparison near $248,300 home value and $1,219/mo rent. |
| Anderson County, TN | $215,800 | $960/mo | Same-state comparison near $215,800 home value and $960/mo rent. |
| Sevier County, TN | $259,500 | $1,013/mo | Same-state comparison near $259,500 home value and $1,013/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Shelby County
Is Shelby County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Shelby County?
How much income do you need for housing in Shelby County?
What should I double-check before moving to Shelby County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.