Tennessee Housing Needs

Tennessee Housing Needs 

Tennessee's housing needs Analysis of 2023 ACS 1-year PUMS estimates reveals that Tennessee had an estimated absolute shortage of 52,866 rental units that were affordable to extremely low-income households (e.g. households that are below 30% of the Area Median Income [AMI]). For more information, scroll down to access our regional needs assessments, market analyses, and county-level housing indicators.

In addition to an overall shortage of units for extremely low-income renter households, the income categories of many renter households did not match the affordability category of the units in which they lived, contributing to a cost-burden rate of 67.1% for extremely low-income renter households. For more information, sroll down to access our regional needs assessments, market analyses, and county-level housing indicators.

Regional Needs Assessments and Market Analyses 

Ideally, all Tennesseans would have a full continuum of housing options available in their communities, from supportive housing to market-rate homeownership. A full continuum of housing options available enables households to move toward greater levels of housing stability and wealth. In addition, a full continuum of housing options ensures experiencing hardships do not necessitate housing instability.

The Tennessee Housing Development Agency, on behalf of the State of Tennessee, conducted a housing needs assessment and market analysis for each of Tennessee's nine development districts as part of the State's 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan. The assessment included analysis of publicly available data, like the American Community Survey (ACS) and Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS), as well as the results of a survey of Tennesseans' housing needs and focus groups on housing affordability, homelessness, and fair housing. 

The regional needs assessments & market analyses (released March 2025), as well as video recordings from THDA's August 2024 presentations at regional meetings are available here by development district: 

County Housing Indicators Dashboard

THDA's Housing Indicators is a GIS dashboard designed to help users explore and interact with a range of housing-related metrics for Tennessee's 95 counties. Users can explore trends in Tennessee's population, households, renter housing and households, owner housing and households, overall housing stock, home sales, transportation, and experiences of cost burden. This dashboard was released in March 2025, using the most recently available data at the time. Please check back for updates!