Property Tax in Rutherford County, Tennessee
Homeowners in Rutherford County, Tennessee pay a median of $1,757 a year in real estate taxes, on a median home value of $346,400. Those are the Census Bureau's published medians for the county (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023) — the typical bill and the typical home value for owner-occupied households.
What the Rutherford County numbers mean
The median is the midpoint of the county's actual bills: half of Rutherford County homeowners pay more than $1,757 a year and half pay less. The exact bill for any one home depends on its assessed value, exemptions, and which school, municipal and special districts cover it.
Set against the median home value of $346,400, the median bill works out to a derived effective rate of 0.51%. That rate is an estimate computed from the two medians — no county publishes a rate calculated this way — but it adjusts for home prices, which makes comparisons between counties more meaningful.
The key figures for Rutherford County
| Measure | Rutherford County |
|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid per year | $1,757 |
| Median home value | $346,400 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.51% |
| Equivalent monthly tax | $146 |
| Tax per $100,000 of value (derived) | $507 |
| Illustrative tax on a $400,000 home (derived rate) | $2,028 |
For context, the Tennessee medians are $1,400 of tax on $256,800 of value, and the US medians are $2,969 on $303,400. *Derived figures are estimates from Census medians, not official rates.
Rutherford County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Tennessee: #6 of 95 counties
- Median home value rank in Tennessee: #5 of 95
- Population rank in Tennessee: #5 of 95 (351,591 residents)
- Population density rank: #5 of 95 (568 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Tennessee: #8 of 95 (619 sq mi, 1.5% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $146; per $1,000 of home value: $0.51
How Rutherford County compares
Of the 95 Tennessee counties with published data, 5 have a higher median property tax bill than Rutherford County's $1,757, putting the county at #6 in the state. Its bill is about 26% higher than the state median of $1,400 and about 41% lower than the national median of $2,969.
Rates and values pull in opposite directions: an expensive housing market can produce big bills at ordinary rates. Here the derived rate is 0.51%, versus 0.98% derived nationally, and the median home value ranks #5 within Tennessee.
Some extra context for Rutherford County: the median bill works out to about $146 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $507 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 351,591 people — the #5 most populous county in Tennessee, spread over 619 square miles, a density of about 568 people per square mile. Its median home value, $346,400, ranks #5 among the state's 95 counties with data.
Nationally, Rutherford County's median bill of $1,757 ranks #1324 of 3133 counties with published data — inside the top 42% of counties by tax paid. The county accounts for about 5.0% of Tennessee's population, its median home value is about 35% above the state median, and at the derived rate the median home would hand over roughly 5.07% of its value in tax across a decade. Within the state, the distance from Rutherford County to the most expensive county, Williamson County ($2,891), is $1,134 a year.
Counties nearest Rutherford County in the Tennessee ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumner County, TN | $1,944 | $364,000 | 0.53% |
| Hamilton County, TN | $1,888 | $282,100 | 0.67% |
| Wilson County, TN | $1,743 | $397,000 | 0.44% |
| Montgomery County, TN | $1,671 | $248,300 | 0.67% |
How the tax is worked out
The bill is built in stages. First the assessor puts a market value on the property. Exemptions — a homestead exemption above all — then reduce the taxable amount. Finally the combined local rate is applied. To see the scale: at the county's derived rate of 0.51%, each $100,000 of value corresponds to about $507 of tax a year, and a $400,000 home to roughly $2,028. Real bills use the official assessment and district rates, not this derived figure, so treat the example as a sense of scale only.
Checking your assessment in Rutherford County
If your bill looks wrong, work through these steps:
1. Get your property record card from the assessor and check the basics — living area, lot size, bedrooms, condition, and any exemptions you should have.
2. Compare your assessed value with recent sale prices of similar homes in Rutherford County.
3. Talk to the assessor's office informally first; clear errors are often fixed without a hearing.
4. If needed, file a formal appeal with the local review board before the deadline on your assessment notice, with your evidence attached.
5. Keep paying the bill as issued while the appeal runs, unless your notice says otherwise — unpaid taxes accrue penalties regardless of an appeal.
More Tennessee counties
Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Rutherford County, Tennessee?
The median real estate tax paid in Rutherford County, Tennessee is $1,757 per year, on a median home value of $346,400 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Rutherford County, Tennessee?
Dividing Rutherford County's median tax bill ($1,757) by its median home value ($346,400) gives a derived effective rate of 0.51%. This is an estimate computed from two Census survey medians — it is not the county's official tax rate.
How does Rutherford County compare with the rest of Tennessee?
By median taxes paid, Rutherford County stands at #6 among the 95 Tennessee counties the Census publishes figures for. Its $1,757 median bill is about 26% higher than the state median ($1,400), and 5 counties in the state record a higher median.
How are property taxes calculated in Rutherford County, Tennessee?
Three steps produce the bill: an assessment of market value by the local assessor, a reduction for exemptions you qualify for (a homestead exemption is the common one), and multiplication by the combined rates of the county, municipality, school district and any special districts covering the property. The median result in Rutherford County is $1,757 of tax on a $346,400 median home value.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Rutherford County, Tennessee?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the Rutherford County assessor's property record card for your home, correct any factual errors, and back your case with comparable recent sales. Formal appeals go to the review board named on your assessment notice and must be filed by its deadline, typically within 30 to 90 days.