Property Tax in Tennessee by County
Homeowners in Tennessee pay a median of $1,400 a year in real estate taxes on a median home value of $256,800, according to the US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023. The table below covers all 95 counties in the state for which the Census Bureau publishes figures. That state median is about 53% lower than the US median of $2,969.
Within Tennessee, the highest median tax bill is in Williamson County, TN at $2,891, and the lowest is in Fentress County, TN at $519. The gap mostly reflects differences in home values and in the local rates set by counties, school districts and municipalities.
How do the counties compare with the nation? 0 of the 95 counties listed here sit above the US median bill of $2,969. Take the county medians themselves and the middle one is $865; the full range runs from $519 (Fentress County) up to $2,891 (Williamson County).
Two reference points for the state's geography: Shelby County is Tennessee's most populous county with 922,195 residents, while Shelby County is the largest by land area at 753 square miles. Both appear in the table with their own median figures.
Where people live in Tennessee: Shelby County leads with 922,195 residents (median tax $2,376, median home $229,700), followed by Davidson County (709,846; $2,390 on $386,600) and Knox County (487,401; $1,332 on $279,700).
Tennessee counties: median property tax
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williamson County, TN | $2,891 | $673,700 | 0.43% | 254,609 |
| Davidson County, TN | $2,390 | $386,600 | 0.62% | 709,846 |
| Shelby County, TN | $2,376 | $229,700 | 1.03% | 922,195 |
| Sumner County, TN | $1,944 | $364,000 | 0.53% | 200,553 |
| Hamilton County, TN | $1,888 | $282,100 | 0.67% | 370,913 |
| Rutherford County, TN | $1,757 | $346,400 | 0.51% | 351,591 |
| Wilson County, TN | $1,743 | $397,000 | 0.44% | 153,587 |
| Montgomery County, TN | $1,671 | $248,300 | 0.67% | 227,957 |
| Robertson County, TN | $1,547 | $296,700 | 0.52% | 74,291 |
| Cheatham County, TN | $1,479 | $291,400 | 0.51% | 41,500 |
| Maury County, TN | $1,476 | $307,500 | 0.48% | 104,855 |
| Blount County, TN | $1,387 | $275,700 | 0.50% | 137,747 |
| Coffee County, TN | $1,378 | $227,300 | 0.61% | 58,940 |
| Dickson County, TN | $1,369 | $272,700 | 0.50% | 55,197 |
| Marshall County, TN | $1,334 | $246,100 | 0.54% | 35,276 |
| Anderson County, TN | $1,333 | $215,800 | 0.62% | 78,175 |
| Knox County, TN | $1,332 | $279,700 | 0.48% | 487,401 |
| Putnam County, TN | $1,299 | $246,800 | 0.53% | 81,366 |
| Washington County, TN | $1,278 | $231,700 | 0.55% | 134,693 |
| Bedford County, TN | $1,274 | $255,300 | 0.50% | 51,291 |
| Moore County, TN | $1,252 | $259,300 | 0.48% | 6,611 |
| Franklin County, TN | $1,218 | $215,700 | 0.56% | 43,478 |
| Sullivan County, TN | $1,205 | $190,800 | 0.63% | 159,693 |
| Trousdale County, TN | $1,200 | $284,100 | 0.42% | 11,805 |
| Bradley County, TN | $1,174 | $230,800 | 0.51% | 109,743 |
| Roane County, TN | $1,172 | $212,300 | 0.55% | 54,403 |
| Loudon County, TN | $1,163 | $292,600 | 0.40% | 56,996 |
| Madison County, TN | $1,161 | $189,700 | 0.61% | 98,845 |
| Tipton County, TN | $1,158 | $220,100 | 0.53% | 61,339 |
| Fayette County, TN | $1,092 | $316,000 | 0.35% | 42,653 |
| Cannon County, TN | $1,091 | $227,600 | 0.48% | 14,661 |
| Hickman County, TN | $1,089 | $192,000 | 0.57% | 25,229 |
| Smith County, TN | $1,047 | $224,500 | 0.47% | 20,196 |
| Gibson County, TN | $1,016 | $149,700 | 0.68% | 50,610 |
| Lincoln County, TN | $991 | $209,100 | 0.47% | 35,617 |
| Jefferson County, TN | $990 | $210,000 | 0.47% | 55,835 |
| Sequatchie County, TN | $986 | $217,800 | 0.45% | 16,409 |
| Dyer County, TN | $966 | $159,500 | 0.61% | 36,681 |
| Unicoi County, TN | $960 | $168,200 | 0.57% | 17,779 |
| Giles County, TN | $953 | $204,100 | 0.47% | 30,442 |
| Stewart County, TN | $951 | $182,700 | 0.52% | 13,859 |
| Hawkins County, TN | $940 | $166,900 | 0.56% | 57,446 |
| Lawrence County, TN | $940 | $176,700 | 0.53% | 44,901 |
| Cocke County, TN | $911 | $141,800 | 0.64% | 36,503 |
| Humphreys County, TN | $895 | $186,900 | 0.48% | 19,074 |
| Monroe County, TN | $887 | $199,700 | 0.44% | 47,054 |
| Grainger County, TN | $871 | $172,000 | 0.51% | 23,929 |
| Crockett County, TN | $865 | $134,100 | 0.65% | 13,937 |
| Hamblen County, TN | $863 | $188,800 | 0.46% | 64,930 |
| Houston County, TN | $861 | $150,100 | 0.57% | 8,293 |
| Macon County, TN | $858 | $211,200 | 0.41% | 25,793 |
| Haywood County, TN | $854 | $119,600 | 0.71% | 17,672 |
| Clay County, TN | $841 | $136,900 | 0.61% | 7,621 |
| Chester County, TN | $837 | $155,200 | 0.54% | 17,452 |
| Morgan County, TN | $837 | $144,000 | 0.58% | 21,193 |
| Carter County, TN | $833 | $157,200 | 0.53% | 56,462 |
| Rhea County, TN | $825 | $178,500 | 0.46% | 33,299 |
| Sevier County, TN | $815 | $259,500 | 0.31% | 98,802 |
| Carroll County, TN | $809 | $122,100 | 0.66% | 28,461 |
| White County, TN | $809 | $190,200 | 0.42% | 27,764 |
| Lauderdale County, TN | $808 | $122,100 | 0.66% | 24,933 |
| Greene County, TN | $803 | $186,400 | 0.43% | 70,919 |
| Lewis County, TN | $795 | $157,800 | 0.50% | 12,784 |
| Warren County, TN | $777 | $173,900 | 0.45% | 41,587 |
| Marion County, TN | $771 | $173,600 | 0.44% | 29,010 |
| Polk County, TN | $770 | $136,400 | 0.56% | 17,702 |
| Hardeman County, TN | $762 | $116,800 | 0.65% | 25,477 |
| Lake County, TN | $758 | $107,000 | 0.71% | 6,691 |
| DeKalb County, TN | $747 | $206,600 | 0.36% | 20,551 |
| Weakley County, TN | $737 | $136,300 | 0.54% | 32,959 |
| Henderson County, TN | $732 | $156,000 | 0.47% | 27,906 |
| Claiborne County, TN | $728 | $148,000 | 0.49% | 32,221 |
| Meigs County, TN | $727 | $185,500 | 0.39% | 13,076 |
| Union County, TN | $720 | $186,300 | 0.39% | 20,141 |
| Benton County, TN | $717 | $123,400 | 0.58% | 15,948 |
| McMinn County, TN | $707 | $190,400 | 0.37% | 54,135 |
| Henry County, TN | $700 | $145,200 | 0.48% | 32,345 |
| Cumberland County, TN | $699 | $228,000 | 0.31% | 62,529 |
| Obion County, TN | $697 | $122,700 | 0.57% | 30,570 |
| Wayne County, TN | $683 | $126,600 | 0.54% | 16,251 |
| Overton County, TN | $676 | $171,700 | 0.39% | 22,807 |
| Johnson County, TN | $673 | $175,500 | 0.38% | 18,073 |
| Bledsoe County, TN | $671 | $165,400 | 0.41% | 14,905 |
| Jackson County, TN | $671 | $135,200 | 0.50% | 11,882 |
| Hardin County, TN | $666 | $154,000 | 0.43% | 26,939 |
| Perry County, TN | $660 | $113,800 | 0.58% | 8,561 |
| Decatur County, TN | $654 | $133,900 | 0.49% | 11,499 |
| Campbell County, TN | $651 | $169,500 | 0.38% | 39,568 |
| Scott County, TN | $616 | $116,800 | 0.53% | 21,969 |
| Pickett County, TN | $606 | $162,200 | 0.37% | 5,062 |
| Van Buren County, TN | $596 | $149,200 | 0.40% | 6,293 |
| McNairy County, TN | $589 | $151,100 | 0.39% | 25,933 |
| Grundy County, TN | $563 | $133,400 | 0.42% | 13,665 |
| Hancock County, TN | $533 | $118,000 | 0.45% | 6,790 |
| Fentress County, TN | $519 | $151,800 | 0.34% | 18,948 |
*Derived rate = median taxes paid ÷ median home value — an estimate from two survey medians, not an official rate. Counties in bold detail pages are linked; all figures: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023.
How assessment and appeals work in Tennessee
Property tax in Tennessee is administered locally. As in almost every state, the process starts with an assessment: a local assessor (in most places a county official) estimates the market value of your property. That value, minus any exemptions you qualify for — homestead exemptions are the most common — is multiplied by the combined rates of the local taxing districts where the property sits: typically the county, a municipality, a school district, and sometimes special districts such as fire or water districts.
If your assessment notice shows a value that looks too high, you can usually appeal. Start by asking the assessor's office for your property record card and checking it for simple errors — wrong square footage, an extra bathroom, a missed exemption. If the value still looks wrong, gather evidence: recent sales of similar homes nearby, or an independent appraisal. Appeals go to the local review board named on your notice, and the deadline on that notice controls — appeal windows are typically short.
One caution applies everywhere in Tennessee: the median figures on this page describe the typical owner-occupied household across the whole state. Your own bill depends on your assessed value, your exemptions, and your exact combination of local districts, so use these numbers as a benchmark and confirm specifics with your county assessor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Tennessee?
The median real estate tax paid in Tennessee is $1,400 per year, on a median home value of $256,800 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
Which Tennessee county has the highest property taxes?
Among counties with published Census data, Williamson County has the highest median real estate taxes paid at $2,891 per year.
Which Tennessee county has the lowest property taxes?
Among counties with published Census data, Fentress County has the lowest median real estate taxes paid at $519 per year.
How do I appeal a property tax assessment in Tennessee?
Assessments in Tennessee are handled locally, usually by the county assessor or an equivalent local office. If you believe your assessed value is too high, request your property record card, check it for errors, and file an appeal with the local board named on your assessment notice before the deadline printed on that notice — appeal windows are short, often 30 to 90 days.