The Tennessee rental market
Tennessee tracks median rent across 66 cities, ranging from Brownsville at $867/mo to Arlington at $2,334/mo. The state average of $1,632/mo runs about 16% below the national median of $1,932/mo.
Across Tennessee cities, rents are rising, changing an average of +2.6% over the past year. 16 of 72 tracked cities are priced above the national median, while 56 fall below it. The largest rental markets are Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville.
What the numbers show
Rent fell in 9 of 66 Tennessee cities Zillow tracks over the year to September 2026, and rose in the rest.
17 cities are at the highest rent in at least three years of Zillow records. See the list.
Among cities with 15,000+ residents, Arlington ($2,334/mo) costs 2.1 times as much as Dyersburg ($1,117/mo).
Across 19 Tennessee cities with five or more years of data, asking rents usually bottom out in December and peak in July, a typical swing of 1.8%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent grew faster than median household income in 15 of 15 Tennessee cities with both figures. See where the gap is widest.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Tennessee cities, as of September 2026. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates).
Tennessee rent questions
What is the average rent in Tennessee?
The average median rent across 66 tracked cities in Tennessee is $1,632/mo, about 16% below the national median of $1,932/mo.
Which Tennessee city has the highest rent?
Arlington has the highest median rent in Tennessee at $2,334/mo.
Which Tennessee city has the most affordable rent?
Brownsville is the most affordable tracked city in Tennessee, with a median rent of $867/mo.
Are rents rising or falling in Tennessee?
Across Tennessee cities, median rents are rising, changing an average of +2.6% over the past year.
How does Tennessee rent compare to the rest of the country?
16 of 72 tracked Tennessee cities have a median rent above the national median of $1,932/mo, and 56 fall below it.
What are the largest rental markets in Tennessee?
By population, the largest rental markets in Tennessee are Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville. Each has its own rent data, trends, and ZIP-level breakdowns on RentDataNow.