Market guide
Best Real Estate Markets in Tennessee (2026): Metros Above 150,000 People
Generated from live Alpha Scores · updates automatically
LocalAlpha scores every Tennessee metro on a 0–100 scale that combines five housing-market forces into a single number. The table below ranks the 7 highest-scoring metros above this page's population floor — scores here run from 36 to 51. The floor is applied BEFORE the ranking, so a metro below it is left out however it scores, and 2 excluded metros currently outrank everything here. Each market links to its full breakdown.
| # | Market | Alpha Score | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jackson, TN metro areametro | 51 | Balanced |
| 2 | Clarksville, TN metro areametro | 43 | Balanced |
| 3 | Kingsport, TN metro areametro | 41 | Balanced |
| 4 | Knoxville, TN metro areametro | 40 | Buyer's |
| 5 | Memphis, TN metro areametro | 39 | Buyer's |
| 6 | Johnson City, TN metro areametro | 38 | Buyer's |
| 7 | Nashville, TN metro areametro | 36 | Buyer's |
Alpha Score blends price momentum, inventory health, affordability, economic strength, and rental yield. Higher = stronger overall conditions. Ranked among metros above this page's population floor.
The top 3 metros on this list, and what each one is good at
Jackson, TN metro area scores 51 out of 100, which puts it in a balanced market. Against the other top Tennessee metros on this list, it stands out most on rental yield at 60 — about 29 points above the average for the other 6 metros on this list with measured data. That is a comparison within this list, not against Tennessee as a whole. See the full breakdown for Jackson, TN metro area.
Clarksville, TN metro area scores 43 out of 100, which puts it in a balanced market. Against the other top Tennessee metros on this list, it stands out most on price momentum at 67 — about 23 points above the average for the other 6 metros on this list with measured data. That is a comparison within this list, not against Tennessee as a whole. See the full breakdown for Clarksville, TN metro area.
Kingsport, TN metro area scores 41 out of 100, which puts it in a balanced market. Against the other top Tennessee metros on this list, it stands out most on rental yield at 51 — about 19 points above the average for the other 6 metros on this list with measured data. That is a comparison within this list, not against Tennessee as a whole. See the full breakdown for Kingsport, TN metro area.
What is driving these Tennessee metros right now
Averaged across the metros on this list with measured data, the highest average is economic strength at 62 out of 100 (7 metros), and the lowest is affordability at 30 (7 metros). Both are averages over this list, not over Tennessee. Two states can post the same headline score on a completely different mix, which is why the breakdown matters more than the rank. On market regime, 4 are in a buyer's market, 3 are balanced.
Key takeaways
- Jackson, TN metro area leads this list of Tennessee metros with an Alpha Score of 51.
- Across the metros on this list with measured data, the highest average is economic strength (62, n=7) and the lowest is affordability (30, n=7).
- Only metros above 150,000 population are included in this ranking, so a thin market cannot top it on a handful of sales.
- Scores update as new Redfin, Census, BLS, and FHFA data lands — check back as markets move.
Tennessee real estate market questions
What is the best real estate market in Tennessee right now?
Jackson, TN metro area ranks first on this list of Tennessee metros, at 51 out of 100 on LocalAlpha's Alpha Score. The Alpha Score combines price momentum, inventory health, affordability, economic strength and rental yield into a single 0–100 measure, recomputed as new Redfin, Census, BLS and FHFA data lands.
How are the best Tennessee real estate markets ranked?
This list ranks Tennessee metros by Alpha Score, a 0–100 composite of five housing forces: price momentum (20%), inventory health (25%), affordability (20%), economic strength (20%) and rental yield (15%). Only metros above a population floor of 150,000 are included in this ranking, so a thin micro-market cannot top it on a handful of sales — LocalAlpha scores those smaller markets too and the floor excludes them regardless of score; 2 of them currently outscore every metro on this list. Treat this as the ranking above the floor rather than the best of Tennessee. Scores are computed from public data — Redfin, the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FHFA.
What is a good Alpha Score for a Tennessee metro?
On this list of the top 7 Tennessee metros, Alpha Scores run from 36 to 51. The Alpha Score is a 0–100 composite of price momentum, inventory health, affordability, economic strength and rental yield, computed from Redfin, Census, BLS and FHFA data.
What is driving housing market strength in Tennessee?
Among the Tennessee metros on this list with measured data, the highest-scoring Alpha Score dimension is economic strength, averaging 62 out of 100 across 7 metros, while the lowest is affordability at 30 across 7 metros. Dimensions with no measured data, and dimensions measured in fewer than 3 of these metros, are left out rather than averaged in as a neutral placeholder. That gap is what separates Tennessee from states where the same headline score is built on a different mix.
Is Tennessee a buyer's or seller's market?
It varies by market rather than statewide. Of the 7 Tennessee metros on this list, 4 are in a buyer's market, 3 are balanced. Market regime is derived from the same Alpha Score, so one state can hold several at once — which is why a statewide answer is usually the wrong unit.
Want the full methodology? See how the Alpha Score is calculated. To explore these markets on the map, head to Explore.
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