Editor’s Note: This is not investment advice, and we are not financial advisers.
Suppose real estate is the most significant investment a majority of people make in their lifetime. In that case, it’s best to understand the places in Tennessee with best potential return on investment.
After working in real estate adjacent roles for over a decade, I had the hypothesis that the best place to buy for a return on investment would be up-and-coming cities. Smaller cities where crime might be high now, but people still move to.
To test my hypothesis, we are going to look at places in Tennessee that are growing faster than average, but where home prices are below average, and crime rates are higher than average.
In everyday terms, these might be “deals”. The best deal in Tennessee at the moment according to Saturday Night Science? That would be Medina.
2.6% population growth · 0.3% home price growth
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
3.2% population growth · 0.4% home price growth
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
2.0% population growth · 1.8% home price growth
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
2.5% population growth · 2.0% home price growth
Data | Movers
1.1% population growth · 3.3% home price growth
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
-0.5% population growth · -2.7% home price growth
Bolivar is a city in Hardeman County, Tennessee, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,417. It is the county seat of Hardeman County. The town was named for South American revolutionary leader Simn Bolvar.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
2.4% population growth · 0.9% home price growth
Dunlap is a city in and the county seat of Sequatchie County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 4,173 at the 2000 census and 4,815 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1.5% population growth · 1.8% home price growth
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
-0.6% population growth · 5.2% home price growth
Located in
Hawkins County, Tennessee
Mount Carmel is a town located in Hawkins County, Tennessee. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 5,429, an increase of 634 since the 2000 census. It is part of the Kingsport-Bristol -Bristol Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area – commonly known as the “Tri-Cities” region.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1.0% population growth · 3.1% home price growth
Located in
Roane County, Tennessee
Rockwood is a city in Roane County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was 5,562 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Harriman, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Tennessee’s statewide median.
Tennessee statewide median: $333,651
On the map
Where Tennessee’s best buys are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine the best places to buy a home in Tennessee for 2026?
We were in real estate for almost five years and have worked on this site for over a decade. Suffice it to say we’ve put a lot of thought into finding an excellent place to buy a home.
So all that thinking has come to this moment where we get to spell out how we’d approach finding an up-and-coming place to live in Tennessee. Put differently, the analysis will try to find places in Tennessee with undervalued homes relative to pent-up demand using Saturday Night Science.
To do that, we looked at the most recent American Community Survey Census data for 2020-2024 and compared it to the previous vintage. Specifically, we used the following criteria:
- Y-o-Y Change In Population (People want to live here)
- Y-o-Y Change In Median Home Prices (People are willing to pay for it)
- Home Prices Relative To The State Average (It’s still kinda cheap)
We want places that are growing, have seen home prices increase in recent years, and are still “cheap” for Tennessee, with these caveats: home prices had to be within 20% of the state average, home prices increased in the last year, and the city had above 5,000 people.
So of the 427 cities and towns in Tennessee, only 101 places made it through our initial filters to even be considered.
We then ranked each place from 1 to 101 for the above criteria, with 1 being the best. We averaged the rankings to create a “best place to buy” index, with the place having the lowest index being the best.
Turns out that Medina is the best potential gem in the not-so-rough in the Volunteer State. The median Tennessee home is 38 years old — old enough that it pays to compare home warranty plans before something expensive breaks.
The full plate
Best Places To Buy A Home In Tennessee
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Home Price | Population Change | Home Price Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medina | 5,407 | $320,515 | 2.6% | 0.3% |
| 2 | Pleasant View | 5,276 | $416,777 | 3.2% | 0.4% |
| 3 | Ashland City | 5,424 | $349,646 | 2.0% | 1.8% |
| 4 | Smithville | 5,288 | $285,425 | 2.5% | 2.0% |
| 5 | Madisonville | 5,241 | $286,953 | 1.1% | 3.3% |
| 6 | Bolivar | 5,144 | $147,015 | -0.5% | -2.7% |
| 7 | Dunlap | 5,678 | $273,219 | 2.4% | 0.9% |
| 8 | Lafayette | 5,727 | $269,410 | 1.5% | 1.8% |
| 9 | Mount Carmel | 5,472 | $262,492 | -0.6% | 5.2% |
| 10 | Rockwood | 5,566 | $230,191 | 1.0% | 3.1% |
| 11 | McKenzie | 5,631 | $189,718 | -1.3% | 3.0% |
| 12 | Jonesborough | 6,232 | $334,165 | 2.9% | 2.1% |
| 13 | Sweetwater | 6,532 | $256,822 | 1.1% | 2.1% |
| 14 | Erwin | 5,988 | $223,111 | -0.2% | -1.3% |
| 15 | Kingston | 6,224 | $329,855 | 3.0% | 1.4% |
| 16 | Munford | 6,588 | $287,684 | 2.0% | 1.8% |
| 17 | Thompson’s Station | 8,294 | $815,216 | 5.6% | 5.9% |
| 18 | Harriman | 6,090 | $239,088 | 1.1% | 4.6% |
| 19 | Pigeon Forge | 6,375 | $423,694 | 0.5% | 2.0% |
| 20 | Henderson | 6,411 | $177,752 | 1.0% | -0.7% |
| 21 | Millersville | 5,836 | $360,650 | -0.8% | -0.2% |
| 22 | Church Hill | 7,139 | $261,209 | 1.2% | 3.8% |
| 23 | La Follette | 7,273 | $161,647 | -0.5% | 18.5% |
| 24 | Greenbrier | 6,971 | $382,696 | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| 25 | Newport | 6,881 | $227,027 | 0.0% | 3.7% |
| 26 | Savannah | 7,412 | $196,053 | 2.7% | 4.4% |
| 27 | Fayetteville | 7,057 | $254,902 | 0.3% | 2.3% |
| 28 | Dayton | 7,625 | $264,804 | 6.0% | 2.8% |
| 29 | Pulaski | 8,285 | $250,196 | -0.2% | 0.4% |
| 30 | Milan | 8,244 | $181,686 | 0.6% | 1.9% |
| 31 | Lexington | 7,962 | $216,845 | 0.2% | 5.3% |
| 32 | Ripley | 7,658 | $140,001 | -0.8% | 7.2% |
| 33 | Oakland | 9,979 | $353,491 | 4.6% | -0.4% |
| 34 | Humboldt | 7,787 | $155,460 | -0.2% | 0.3% |
| 35 | Jefferson City | 8,579 | $304,012 | 1.3% | 0.2% |
| 36 | Signal Mountain | 8,860 | $623,275 | -0.0% | 0.3% |
| 37 | Winchester | 9,799 | $359,609 | 2.1% | -0.5% |
| 38 | Covington | 8,587 | $208,119 | -0.3% | 3.6% |
| 39 | Fairview | 10,009 | $560,109 | 2.6% | 5.1% |
| 40 | Lenoir City | 11,110 | $411,984 | 4.0% | 1.9% |
| 41 | Nolensville | 15,074 | $836,736 | 3.6% | 1.8% |
| 42 | Atoka | 10,385 | $350,767 | 1.4% | 0.5% |
| 43 | Brownsville | 9,622 | $163,990 | -0.1% | -4.1% |
| 44 | Alcoa | 12,222 | $314,718 | 5.0% | 1.9% |
| 45 | Clinton | 10,239 | $332,661 | 1.0% | 3.3% |
| 46 | Paris | 10,338 | $213,854 | 0.2% | 3.5% |
| 47 | Union City | 10,982 | $167,472 | -0.5% | 3.5% |
| 48 | Martin | 10,915 | $214,361 | 0.5% | 2.3% |
| 49 | Millington | 11,289 | $238,393 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| 50 | Manchester | 12,944 | $325,769 | 2.3% | 1.2% |
| 51 | Hartsville/Trousdale County | 11,957 | $392,887 | 1.3% | 7.4% |
| 52 | Lawrenceburg | 11,844 | $240,472 | 1.0% | 1.6% |
| 53 | Collegedale | 11,330 | $418,364 | 1.3% | -0.7% |
| 54 | Crossville | 12,428 | $304,997 | 1.3% | -0.9% |
| 55 | Arlington | 15,205 | $409,250 | 1.4% | -0.4% |
| 56 | Red Bank | 12,010 | $307,145 | 0.4% | -1.2% |
| 57 | Lewisburg | 12,861 | $299,243 | 2.0% | 1.2% |
| 58 | White House | 14,631 | $388,293 | 5.4% | 0.3% |
| 59 | Lakeland | 14,192 | $445,695 | 0.9% | -1.0% |
| 60 | Portland | 13,449 | $332,794 | 0.9% | 0.7% |
| 61 | Soddy-Daisy | 13,231 | $359,449 | 0.9% | 0.1% |
| 62 | Elizabethton | 14,374 | $229,442 | 0.1% | -0.9% |
| 63 | McMinnville | 13,844 | $255,402 | 0.6% | 1.7% |
| 64 | Athens | 14,471 | $260,344 | 1.6% | 2.9% |
| 65 | Greeneville | 15,646 | $248,040 | 0.7% | 2.1% |
| 66 | Dickson | 16,424 | $344,966 | 1.1% | 0.9% |
| 67 | Dyersburg | 15,979 | $165,487 | -0.6% | 2.4% |
| 68 | Goodlettsville | 17,597 | $389,925 | -0.0% | -0.1% |
| 69 | Springfield | 19,255 | $331,464 | 1.4% | 1.8% |
| 70 | Sevierville | 18,397 | $417,023 | 1.6% | 1.1% |
| 71 | Tullahoma | 21,103 | $293,828 | 2.1% | 0.9% |
| 72 | East Ridge | 22,070 | $257,872 | 0.2% | -0.0% |
| 73 | Shelbyville | 24,661 | $313,350 | 2.2% | 0.5% |
| 74 | Farragut | 24,634 | $688,601 | 1.3% | 0.9% |
| 75 | Bristol | 27,636 | $234,603 | 0.5% | 1.1% |
| 76 | Oak Ridge | 32,693 | $322,990 | 1.9% | 1.4% |
| 77 | Maryville | 32,392 | $390,045 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| 78 | Morristown | 31,527 | $266,073 | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| 79 | Cookeville | 36,088 | $320,762 | 1.5% | 2.0% |
| 80 | Lebanon | 44,788 | $443,605 | 6.8% | 0.0% |
| 81 | La Vergne | 40,243 | $346,622 | 3.3% | -0.7% |
| 82 | Mount Juliet | 42,073 | $562,745 | 3.0% | 1.0% |
| 83 | Germantown | 40,673 | $485,879 | -0.3% | 1.3% |
| 84 | Columbia | 45,441 | $374,476 | 3.3% | 1.4% |
| 85 | Gallatin | 48,532 | $435,264 | 4.0% | 0.9% |
| 86 | Spring Hill | 55,765 | $523,264 | 4.1% | 0.4% |
| 87 | Brentwood | 45,556 | $1,393,273 | 0.6% | 1.9% |
| 88 | Cleveland | 48,829 | $311,237 | 1.3% | 0.5% |
| 89 | Collierville | 51,515 | $509,893 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| 90 | Smyrna | 56,692 | $403,723 | 3.0% | 0.6% |
| 91 | Kingsport | 56,262 | $254,341 | 0.8% | 0.4% |
| 92 | Hendersonville | 63,091 | $521,094 | 1.1% | 1.4% |
| 93 | Bartlett | 56,876 | $321,267 | -0.2% | -0.2% |
| 94 | Johnson City | 72,222 | $292,485 | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| 95 | Jackson | 68,435 | $227,078 | 0.5% | 2.3% |
| 96 | Franklin | 87,133 | $922,855 | 1.8% | 1.8% |
| 97 | Murfreesboro | 161,445 | $426,292 | 2.5% | 0.7% |
| 98 | Clarksville | 176,456 | $318,206 | 2.7% | -0.4% |
| 99 | Chattanooga | 185,783 | $319,579 | 1.6% | 0.1% |
| 100 | Knoxville | 195,185 | $369,216 | 0.8% | 0.9% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024 via Saturday Night Science. 101 Tennessee cities cleared the filters.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Purchase A House In Tennessee for 2026
There’s our analysis of the best places to buy a house in Tennessee. And, to be clear, we aren’t necessarily saying these places are the best places to live, just that it looks like they might be in a couple of years based on the data.
In fact, every place in the following table meets our criteria, so even though it may not look super long, remember we started off with all 427 places in the state.
The best cities to buy a house in Tennessee are Medina, Pleasant View, Ashland City, Smithville, Madisonville, Bolivar, Dunlap, Lafayette, Mount Carmel, and Rockwood.
So if we could rent or buy in these cities, we’d definitely buy. Not sold on Tennessee? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Places To Buy A House In Tennessee FAQs
What is the best city in Tennessee to buy a house?
Medina is the best place to buy a house in Tennessee for 2026. Its population is growing, home values are rising, and the median home still costs $320,515. Pleasant View and Ashland City are next on the list.
What are the best cities to buy a home in Tennessee?
The best cities to buy a house in Tennessee are Medina, Pleasant View, Ashland City, Smithville, Madisonville, Bolivar, Dunlap, Lafayette, Mount Carmel, and Rockwood. Only 101 of the 427 places in Tennessee cleared our filters on growth and home prices.
How much does a house cost in Medina?
The median home value in Medina is $320,515, versus $333,651 across Tennessee. Across the full top ten, the median home runs $279,322.
How do you pick the best places to buy a home in Tennessee?
We look for Tennessee places where the population is growing, home prices are climbing, and homes are still cheap relative to the state average, using Census American Community Survey data. Cities that hit all three get the highest Buy Index scores.
Is this a guarantee home values will go up?
No. This is not investment advice — just where the data points to potential value. The Buy Index says these markets look healthier than most of Tennessee, not that any single house is a good deal.
