Rent vs. Buy in Smith County, TN

Should you rent or buy in Smith County? Here are the numbers.

Median Home Price

$200,500

Median Rent

$809/mo

Price-to-Rent Ratio

20.7x

Homeownership Rate

74.8%

Monthly Cost Comparison

Buying (20% down, 6.5% rate)

Mortgage (P&I)$1,014
Property Tax$82
Insurance$67

Total Monthly$1,163

Renting

Monthly Rent$809
Renter's Insurance$25

Total Monthly$834

In Smith County, buying costs approximately $354/mo more than renting. This doesn't account for equity buildup, tax deductions, or home appreciation.

About Smith County, Tennessee

Smith County in Tennessee has a median household income of $57,677 and an effective property tax rate of 0.5%. With a price-to-rent ratio of 20.7x, renting may be more cost-effective in the short term.

These are starting estimates based on county-level medians. Your actual costs depend on the specific property, your credit score, down payment, and dozens of other variables. Our Monte Carlo simulation models 10,000 scenarios to give you probability-weighted answers, not single-point estimates.

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Other Counties in Tennessee

County-level data from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2022 5-Year Estimates. Additional sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Housing Finance Agency. Estimates are based on county-level medians and may not reflect specific neighborhoods or property types. This is not financial advice — consult a licensed professional before making housing decisions.