Homesteading in Tennessee
Explore 95 counties and state-level regulations for homesteaders in Tennessee.
Tennessee uses a Riparian water rights system , enforces statewide IRC building codes , and has constitutional carry. The effective property tax rate is 0.56%.
State Regulations
Water Rights
System: Riparian
Follows riparian doctrine for surface water. The Water Resources Information Act requires registration of withdrawals exceeding 10,000 gallons per day.
Statute: Tenn. Code Ann. § 69-3-101 et seq.
Building Codes
Statewide IRC: Yes (statewide)
Mandatory statewide residential building codes adopted under the State Fire Marshal's office; IRC is the base residential code.
Statute: Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-120-101 et seq.
Gun Laws
Open Carry: Yes
Constitutional Carry: Yes
Permitless carry for persons 21 and older (18 for military). Open carry of handguns and long guns permitted without a permit.
Statute: Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1307; Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1351
Right to Farm
Protected: Yes
Protects farming operations from nuisance suits if the operation has been in existence for at least one year and was not a nuisance when it began. Covers livestock, crop, and forestry operations.
Statute: Tenn. Code Ann. § 43-26-101 et seq.
Counties in Tennessee
95 counties · Click column headers to sort
| County | Population | Median Home | Property Tax | Growing Days | Overall Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson County | 77,337 | $193,900 | $1,319 | 106 | Relatively Low |
| Bedford County | 50,533 | $221,200 | $1,202 | 101 | Relatively Low |
| Benton County | 15,933 | $112,000 | $684 | 98 | Very Low |
| Bledsoe County | 14,816 | $153,700 | $630 | 101 | Very Low |
| Blount County | 135,951 | $247,600 | $1,338 | 108 | Relatively Low |
| Bradley County | 108,859 | $209,800 | $1,100 | 111 | Relatively Low |
| Campbell County | 39,397 | $142,100 | $619 | 105 | Relatively Low |
| Cannon County | 14,481 | $217,700 | $1,114 | 100 | Very Low |
| Carroll County | 28,381 | $117,500 | $799 | 99 | Relatively Low |
| Carter County | 56,315 | $145,000 | $816 | 106 | Relatively Low |
| Cheatham County | 41,184 | $262,200 | $1,427 | 98 | Relatively Low |
| Chester County | 17,392 | $136,700 | $803 | 102 | Relatively Low |
| Claiborne County | 32,092 | $135,400 | $665 | 104 | Relatively Low |
| Clay County | 7,592 | $132,500 | $787 | 96 | Very Low |
| Cocke County | 36,186 | $137,000 | $925 | 107 | Relatively Low |
| Coffee County | 58,080 | $203,400 | $1,312 | 101 | Relatively Low |
| Crockett County | 13,955 | $127,000 | $810 | 100 | Relatively Low |
| Cumberland County | 61,552 | $199,800 | $676 | 107 | Relatively Low |
| Davidson County | 709,786 | $354,700 | $2,232 | 98 | Relatively High |
| Decatur County | 11,483 | $128,600 | $653 | 101 | Very Low |
| DeKalb County | 20,209 | $183,100 | $706 | 99 | Very Low |
| Dickson County | 54,563 | $243,800 | $1,329 | 98 | Relatively Low |
| Dyer County | 36,818 | $148,900 | $949 | 98 | Relatively Moderate |
| Fayette County | 42,228 | $282,600 | $996 | 103 | Relatively Low |
| Fentress County | 18,642 | $137,000 | $500 | 105 | Very Low |
| Franklin County | 42,980 | $192,400 | $1,155 | 103 | Relatively Low |
| Gibson County | 50,455 | $130,900 | $977 | 99 | Relatively Moderate |
| Giles County | 30,317 | $172,500 | $938 | 103 | Relatively Low |
| Grainger County | 23,648 | $151,200 | $761 | 106 | Very Low |
| Greene County | 70,399 | $166,500 | $766 | 106 | Relatively Low |
| Grundy County | 13,550 | $126,400 | $565 | 102 | Very Low |
| Hamblen County | 64,531 | $166,300 | $822 | 106 | Relatively Low |
| Hamilton County | 367,193 | $250,900 | $1,833 | 103 | Relatively Moderate |
| Hancock County | 6,726 | $112,600 | $539 | 104 | Very Low |
| Hardeman County | 25,519 | $112,700 | $781 | 102 | Relatively Low |
| Hardin County | 26,824 | $142,300 | $676 | 103 | Relatively Low |
| Hawkins County | 57,107 | $153,800 | $932 | 105 | Relatively Low |
| Haywood County | 17,806 | $116,900 | $809 | 101 | Relatively Low |
| Henderson County | 27,845 | $139,600 | $696 | 100 | Relatively Low |
| Henry County | 32,305 | $141,000 | $714 | 97 | Relatively Moderate |
| Hickman County | 24,996 | $163,900 | $987 | 100 | Relatively Low |
| Houston County | 8,253 | $149,200 | $903 | 98 | Very Low |
| Humphreys County | 19,032 | $175,600 | $872 | 99 | Relatively Low |
| Jackson County | 11,730 | $126,100 | $685 | 97 | Very Low |
| Jefferson County | 55,017 | $183,800 | $937 | 106 | Relatively Low |
| Johnson County | 17,982 | $156,400 | $648 | 105 | Very Low |
| Knox County | 481,406 | $248,200 | $1,300 | 107 | Relatively Moderate |
| Lake County | 6,898 | $111,900 | $707 | 97 | Relatively Low |
| Lauderdale County | 25,171 | $110,800 | $810 | 100 | Relatively Low |
| Lawrence County | 44,377 | $156,500 | $912 | 102 | Relatively Low |
| Lewis County | 12,637 | $139,100 | $700 | 101 | Very Low |
| Lincoln County | 35,365 | $186,300 | $921 | 103 | Relatively Low |
| Loudon County | 55,507 | $263,800 | $1,112 | 108 | Relatively Low |
| McMinn County | 53,532 | $173,300 | $686 | 110 | Relatively Low |
| McNairy County | 25,895 | $125,400 | $566 | 103 | Relatively Low |
| Macon County | 25,365 | $185,100 | $829 | 96 | Very Low |
| Madison County | 98,644 | $170,700 | $1,101 | 101 | Relatively Moderate |
| Marion County | 28,852 | $153,000 | $722 | 103 | Relatively Low |
| Marshall County | 34,567 | $218,500 | $1,262 | 101 | Relatively Low |
| Maury County | 102,002 | $273,400 | $1,408 | 101 | Relatively Low |
| Meigs County | 12,839 | $163,000 | $635 | 109 | Very Low |
| Monroe County | 46,489 | $174,800 | $829 | 110 | Relatively Low |
| Montgomery County | 222,305 | $226,400 | $1,576 | 96 | Relatively Moderate |
| Moore County | 6,558 | $256,700 | $1,188 | 102 | Very Low |
| Morgan County | 21,124 | $133,000 | $840 | 106 | Very Low |
| Obion County | 30,670 | $119,500 | $700 | 97 | Relatively Moderate |
| Overton County | 22,576 | $156,000 | $655 | 97 | Very Low |
| Perry County | 8,432 | $122,900 | $693 | 100 | Very Low |
| Pickett County | 5,042 | $149,300 | $597 | 96 | Very Low |
| Polk County | 17,620 | $128,200 | $750 | 111 | Very Low |
| Putnam County | 80,157 | $221,200 | $1,241 | 98 | Relatively Low |
| Rhea County | 33,031 | $155,800 | $806 | 109 | Relatively Low |
| Roane County | 53,777 | $193,400 | $1,166 | 108 | Relatively Low |
| Robertson County | 73,297 | $271,300 | $1,503 | 96 | Relatively Low |
| Rutherford County | 343,727 | $305,100 | $1,654 | 100 | Relatively Moderate |
| Scott County | 21,917 | $113,900 | $619 | 105 | Very Low |
| Sequatchie County | 16,065 | $184,600 | $933 | 102 | Very Low |
| Sevier County | 98,455 | $239,800 | $810 | 108 | Relatively Low |
| Shelby County | 926,440 | $206,100 | $2,312 | 103 | Relatively High |
| Smith County | 20,034 | $200,500 | $992 | 98 | Very Low |
| Stewart County | 13,724 | $163,700 | $985 | 96 | Very Low |
| Sullivan County | 158,722 | $173,000 | $1,159 | 104 | Relatively Low |
| Sumner County | 196,845 | $332,700 | $1,837 | 96 | Relatively Moderate |
| Tipton County | 61,116 | $203,500 | $1,112 | 101 | Relatively Moderate |
| Trousdale County | 11,596 | $217,400 | $1,204 | 97 | Very Low |
| Unicoi County | 17,845 | $150,600 | $937 | 106 | Very Low |
| Union County | 19,860 | $164,400 | $707 | 106 | Very Low |
| Van Buren County | 6,182 | $132,700 | $573 | 100 | Very Low |
| Warren County | 41,163 | $149,700 | $738 | 100 | Relatively Low |
| Washington County | 133,282 | $211,100 | $1,269 | 105 | Relatively Low |
| Wayne County | 16,325 | $129,000 | $639 | 102 | Relatively Low |
| Weakley County | 32,946 | $123,100 | $717 | 97 | Relatively Low |
| White County | 27,420 | $161,500 | $736 | 99 | Very Low |
| Williamson County | 248,897 | $611,100 | $2,770 | 99 | Relatively Moderate |
| Wilson County | 149,096 | $358,900 | $1,693 | 98 | Relatively Low |
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