Rental DSCR · Tennessee
Where rent covers the loan in Tennessee
At a 7% example rate, a 3-bedroom rental on a mid-market home covers its full payment in 41 of 95 Tennessee counties (43%). The typical Tennessee county has a DSCR of 0.94. Among markets with at least 2,500 renter homes and a loan of $55,000 or more, the highest DSCRs are in Hardeman County at 1.55, Obion County at 1.25 and Claiborne County at 1.22.
The biggest rental markets
In Tennessee’s largest rental markets, the rent covers the payment in Shelby County (DSCR 1.08, break-even 7.9%), while the rent falls short of the payment in Davidson County (DSCR 0.93, break-even 6.2%) and Knox County (DSCR 0.90, break-even 5.8%).
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Financing a rental in Tennessee? Read Pinnacle Funding Network’s Tennessee DSCR loan guide.
Every Tennessee county, ranked
Ranked by DSCR at a 7% example rate on a mid-market home, 75% loan. † A 75% loan there is under $55,000, the smallest DSCR loan through Pinnacle Funding Network. * Small survey sample; treat as rough.
| # | County | Renter homes | 3-bed rent | Home price | DSCR at 7% (example) | Break-even rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hardeman County | 2,578 | $1,131 | $115,900 | 1.55 | 13.3% |
| 2 | Lake County* | 1,080 | $866 | $96,400 | 1.40 | 11.7% |
| 3 | Decatur County | 1,172 | $1,119 | $136,100 | 1.35 | 11.0% |
| 4 | Scott County* | 2,490 | $1,045 | $126,000 | 1.35 | 11.0% |
| 5 | Clay County* | 893 | $1,078 | $133,600 | 1.30 | 10.5% |
| 6 | Benton County | 1,770 | $1,122 | $144,400 | 1.28 | 10.2% |
| 7 | Grundy County* | 841 | $1,110 | $147,400 | 1.26 | 9.9% |
| 8 | Obion County | 3,994 | $1,016 | $132,300 | 1.25 | 9.9% |
| 9 | McNairy County | 2,014 | $1,130 | $154,800 | 1.22 | 9.5% |
| 10 | Claiborne County | 3,818 | $1,036 | $139,300 | 1.22 | 9.5% |
| 11 | Perry County | 945 | $938 | $126,400 | 1.20 | 9.4% |
| 12 | Hancock County* | 718 | $942 | $129,100 | 1.20 | 9.3% |
| 13 | Gibson County | 6,347 | $1,100 | $149,100 | 1.19 | 9.2% |
| 14 | Madison County | 15,255 | $1,464 | $205,900 | 1.18 | 9.1% |
| 15 | Lewis County* | 973 | $1,174 | $166,200 | 1.17 | 9.0% |
| 16 | Haywood County | 2,820 | $1,111 | $153,800 | 1.17 | 9.0% |
| 17 | Crockett County | 1,563 | $1,161 | $162,400 | 1.17 | 9.0% |
| 18 | Lauderdale County | 3,324 | $1,036 | $144,400 | 1.16 | 8.9% |
| 19 | Wayne County | 1,186 | $869 | $122,400 | 1.15 | 8.8% |
| 20 | Polk County | 1,218 | $1,088 | $156,000 | 1.15 | 8.7% |
| 21 | Carter County | 6,059 | $1,173 | $169,600 | 1.14 | 8.7% |
| 22 | Carroll County | 2,938 | $1,026 | $149,700 | 1.12 | 8.4% |
| 23 | Morgan County | 1,086 | $1,169 | $173,100 | 1.11 | 8.3% |
| 24 | Chester County | 1,580 | $1,202 | $178,900 | 1.11 | 8.3% |
| 25 | Cocke County | 3,951 | $1,046 | $153,800 | 1.11 | 8.3% |
| 26 | Hardin County | 2,421 | $1,013 | $155,000 | 1.09 | 8.0% |
| 27 | Shelby County | 166,362 | $1,446 | $211,300 | 1.08 | 7.9% |
| 28 | Dyer County | 5,633 | $1,072 | $162,600 | 1.07 | 7.8% |
| 29 | Cannon County* | 1,249 | $1,615 | $260,200 | 1.07 | 7.8% |
| 30 | Houston County | 638 | $1,109 | $175,700 | 1.04 | 7.5% |
| 31 | Jackson County* | 907 | $970 | $154,600 | 1.04 | 7.5% |
| 32 | Johnson County* | 1,643 | $1,036 | $168,000 | 1.04 | 7.4% |
| 33 | Fentress County* | 1,365 | $952 | $155,600 | 1.03 | 7.4% |
| 34 | Pickett County* | 359 | $1,046 | $171,000 | 1.03 | 7.3% |
| 35 | Grainger County | 2,210 | $1,133 | $184,300 | 1.03 | 7.3% |
| 36 | Campbell County | 5,293 | $1,097 | $181,500 | 1.02 | 7.3% |
| 37 | Montgomery County | 33,457 | $1,736 | $285,700 | 1.02 | 7.2% |
| 38 | Weakley County | 4,510 | $937 | $152,400 | 1.01 | 7.2% |
| 39 | Henry County | 3,561 | $975 | $160,600 | 1.01 | 7.1% |
| 40 | Hawkins County | 4,684 | $1,086 | $177,900 | 1.01 | 7.1% |
| 41 | Henderson County | 2,928 | $1,049 | $173,800 | 1.00 | 7.0% |
| 42 | Overton County* | 2,093 | $993 | $170,400 | 0.98 | 6.8% |
| 43 | Anderson County | 9,271 | $1,415 | $245,600 | 0.97 | 6.7% |
| 44 | Meigs County | 997 | $1,009 | $177,900 | 0.96 | 6.5% |
| 45 | Unicoi County | 2,113 | $1,129 | $198,500 | 0.95 | 6.4% |
| 46 | Cheatham County | 3,006 | $1,790 | $326,500 | 0.94 | 6.4% |
| 47 | Hamblen County | 7,907 | $1,163 | $209,600 | 0.94 | 6.3% |
| 48 | Dickson County | 4,292 | $1,655 | $302,100 | 0.94 | 6.3% |
| 49 | Warren County | 4,465 | $1,071 | $193,400 | 0.93 | 6.2% |
| 50 | Davidson County | 153,381 | $2,232 | $409,700 | 0.93 | 6.2% |
| 51 | Van Buren County | 349 | $887 | $159,400 | 0.93 | 6.1% |
| 52 | Marion County | 2,547 | $1,076 | $196,400 | 0.92 | 6.1% |
| 53 | White County | 2,596 | $1,095 | $202,600 | 0.92 | 6.0% |
| 54 | Rutherford County | 45,536 | $2,036 | $386,500 | 0.91 | 6.0% |
| 55 | Stewart County | 1,008 | $1,017 | $187,100 | 0.91 | 5.9% |
| 56 | Sullivan County | 19,199 | $1,162 | $212,400 | 0.91 | 5.9% |
| 57 | Union County | 1,571 | $1,224 | $232,000 | 0.91 | 5.9% |
| 58 | Bledsoe County | 850 | $999 | $187,800 | 0.90 | 5.8% |
| 59 | Knox County | 70,029 | $1,735 | $335,500 | 0.90 | 5.8% |
| 60 | Jefferson County | 5,275 | $1,243 | $236,700 | 0.90 | 5.8% |
| 61 | Greene County | 6,501 | $1,103 | $209,300 | 0.89 | 5.7% |
| 62 | Rhea County | 3,843 | $1,094 | $208,000 | 0.89 | 5.7% |
| 63 | Bradley County | 13,946 | $1,393 | $268,800 | 0.89 | 5.7% |
| 64 | Washington County | 20,123 | $1,344 | $257,900 | 0.88 | 5.6% |
| 65 | Sequatchie County | 1,362 | $1,131 | $217,600 | 0.88 | 5.6% |
| 66 | Humphreys County | 1,570 | $1,042 | $200,400 | 0.87 | 5.4% |
| 67 | Hickman County | 1,960 | $1,112 | $217,600 | 0.86 | 5.3% |
| 68 | Smith County | 1,832 | $1,253 | $248,400 | 0.86 | 5.3% |
| 69 | Lawrence County | 3,814 | $978 | $190,600 | 0.85 | 5.2% |
| 70 | Hamilton County | 55,650 | $1,585 | $315,000 | 0.85 | 5.1% |
| 71 | Monroe County | 5,489 | $1,146 | $233,200 | 0.84 | 5.1% |
| 72 | Macon County* | 2,483 | $1,112 | $226,900 | 0.84 | 5.1% |
| 73 | Cumberland County | 5,581 | $1,237 | $258,600 | 0.84 | 5.1% |
| 74 | Coffee County | 7,160 | $1,257 | $252,400 | 0.84 | 5.0% |
| 75 | Putnam County | 13,039 | $1,357 | $277,800 | 0.83 | 5.0% |
| 76 | Giles County | 3,219 | $1,077 | $221,700 | 0.83 | 4.9% |
| 77 | Roane County | 4,989 | $1,198 | $244,700 | 0.83 | 4.9% |
| 78 | Wilson County | 13,592 | $2,025 | $429,300 | 0.82 | 4.9% |
| 79 | Sevier County | 11,825 | $1,378 | $294,600 | 0.82 | 4.9% |
| 80 | Maury County | 12,311 | $1,716 | $362,500 | 0.82 | 4.9% |
| 81 | Sumner County | 22,037 | $1,888 | $397,600 | 0.82 | 4.8% |
| 82 | Robertson County | 6,323 | $1,578 | $334,900 | 0.81 | 4.7% |
| 83 | Franklin County | 3,942 | $1,190 | $248,600 | 0.81 | 4.6% |
| 84 | Tipton County | 5,366 | $1,131 | $237,000 | 0.81 | 4.6% |
| 85 | Lincoln County | 3,590 | $1,113 | $238,000 | 0.80 | 4.5% |
| 86 | Bedford County | 5,488 | $1,337 | $288,500 | 0.79 | 4.5% |
| 87 | McMinn County | 5,140 | $1,024 | $225,200 | 0.78 | 4.3% |
| 88 | Blount County | 12,778 | $1,486 | $328,000 | 0.78 | 4.4% |
| 89 | Marshall County | 3,159 | $1,280 | $289,800 | 0.75 | 4.0% |
| 90 | DeKalb County | 2,370 | $1,049 | $245,700 | 0.74 | Under 4% |
| 91 | Trousdale County* | 945 | $1,272 | $308,300 | 0.72 | Under 4% |
| 92 | Loudon County | 4,745 | $1,353 | $352,800 | 0.67 | Under 4% |
| 93 | Fayette County | 3,196 | $1,150 | $321,100 | 0.63 | Under 4% |
| 94 | Williamson County | 19,543 | $2,635 | $769,200 | 0.60 | Under 4% |
| 95 | Moore County* | 479 | $1,141 | $325,700 | 0.60 | Under 4% |
Rates on this page are a 7% example, not a quote or an offer. DSCR here is 3-bedroom rent divided by principal, interest, property tax and insurance on a 75% loan with a 30-year fixed payment. At 1.00 the rent pays all of it. Figures are estimates from public data, for education only.
Questions
In how many Tennessee counties does a 3-bedroom rental cover the payment at 7%?
At a 7% example rate, a 3-bedroom rental on a mid-market home covers its full payment in 41 of 95 Tennessee counties (43%). The typical Tennessee county has a DSCR of 0.94. Move the example rate and the count changes: 54 counties cover at 6%, 41 at 7% and 26 at 8%.
Where in Tennessee does rent go furthest against the payment?
Among markets with at least 2,500 renter homes and a loan of $55,000 or more, the highest DSCRs are in Hardeman County at 1.55, Obion County at 1.25 and Claiborne County at 1.22.
Do Tennessee’s biggest rental markets cover the payment?
In Tennessee’s largest rental markets, the rent covers the payment in Shelby County (DSCR 1.08, break-even 7.9%), while the rent falls short of the payment in Davidson County (DSCR 0.93, break-even 6.2%) and Knox County (DSCR 0.90, break-even 5.8%).
How is this calculated?
Rent is HUD’s FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a 3-bedroom, adjusted to each county. Home prices are about the 40th percentile of local values from the Census Bureau’s 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, brought to mid-2026 with the FHFA house price index. Property tax uses each county’s effective rate and insurance starts from NAIC 2023 average premiums. DSCR is rent divided by principal, interest, tax and insurance on a 75% loan at a 7% example rate, which is not a quote or an offer.
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