Rents are 4% below what Kingsport's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,309 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
Rent in Kingsport is 1.7% below its high of $1,332 in June 2026, at $1,309 as of September 2026.
Rent in Kingsport changed +3.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 51 Tennessee cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.0%.
Rent has fallen 3 months in a row, and rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($52,490) is $1,312 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,030); a 3-bedroom is $1,323.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Kingsport, 37664 ($1,516/mo), costs 1.5 times the cheapest, 37663 ($995/mo).
Greeneville, 29 miles away, rents for 12% less ($1,149/mo), about $1,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Kingsport. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Kingsport, TN is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income below the national average, 31.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Kingsport, TN has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Kingsport, TN has shifted from $1,129 to $1,309, up 15.9% since 2023. Median household income climbed from $43,025 to $52,490 between 2021 and 2024, a 22.0% shift. With wages climbing faster than rent over the same window, renters here have a bit more breathing room than they did five years back. Census counts show Kingsport, TN adding about 1,243 residents over the five-year window, up 2.3% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 28.5% to 31.5% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in Kingsport, TN reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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Can you afford rent in Kingsport on your salary?
At $1,309/mo, how Kingsport rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Kingsport rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Kingsport. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Kingsport
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Kingsport is $1,309/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $737/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,030/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $813/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,323/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($52,490/yr), Kingsport ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Is rent going up or down in Kingsport?
Which Kingsport neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Kingsport rent compare to other cities in Tennessee?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Kingsport?
At $1,309/mo, rent takes ~30% of Kingsport's median household income ($52,490/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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