Sheet TN · 2026 rules
Tennessee Property Tax Calculator
Tennessee assesses an ordinary residence at 25% of appraised value, then applies county and applicable city rates per $100. State Property Tax Relief reimburses eligible owners after tax is paid; it is not an assessment exemption. This calculator keeps the gross levy and approved reimbursement separate.
Rules verified 5 primary sources Editorial policy
Estimate your 2026 Tennessee bill
- Tax — County and city —
- Credits subtracted —
- Fixed charges added —
How Tennessee turns value into a tax bill
| Step | Tennessee rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Value | The county property assessor appraises property at market value, updated in county reappraisal cycles. | [1] |
| Assessment | 25% of appraised value | [1][2] |
| Annual limit | No statewide cap. After a county reappraisal, the certified tax rate is lowered so the reappraisal itself does not raise revenue. | |
| Exemptions | ||
| Rate | County and city: local rate — you enter it.The county rate, plus the city rate inside city limits, per $100 of assessed value. | |
| Credit | Approved state reimbursement (reduces net cost after gross tax; does not exempt assessed value) | [3][4] |
Tennessee property tax rules in brief
County property assessors set the appraised value of each parcel, and residential and farm property is assessed at 25% of that value, compared with 40% for commercial/industrial property.12
Each county commission (and city, if applicable) sets a tax rate in dollars per $100 of assessed value, and the bill is assessed value divided by 100 times that rate.1
Tennessee has no statewide homestead exemption or annual assessment cap for home owners.12
The state's Property Tax Relief program reimburses part or all of the tax for low-income elderly or disabled home owners and for disabled veterans; it is a payment, not an exemption.4
For 2026 bills, elderly and disabled relief is figured on up to $33,600 of market value with a $38,470 combined 2025 income limit, while disabled-veteran relief is figured on up to $175,000 of market value with no income limit.3
The tax freeze for home owners 65+ only applies where the county or city has adopted it, using a county-specific income limit.5
The 2026 brochure’s $33,600 and $175,000 maximum values describe the state relief calculation, not deductions automatically removed from this property’s assessment. The award also depends on the county appraisal ratio and approval. Keep the gross tax due, the approved state reimbursement and any locally approved tax freeze distinct when comparing annual ownership cost.345
Worked example
Illustrative combined county and city rate $2.50 per $100. Assessed 400,000 × 25% = 100,000; tax 1,000 × 2.50 = 2,500.00.
| Line | Taxable value | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| County and city at $2.50 per $100 | $100,000.00 | $2,500.00 |
| Annual total | $2,500.00 |
Left to your local bill
- Property Tax Freeze for home owners 65+ (local option adopted by county/city; income limit set per county; freezes tax at the base-year amount)
- Exact relief amount: the state computes relief using the county/city rate and the county appraisal ratio, so the reimbursement can differ slightly from tax on the stated market-value maximum; relief is paid as a voucher/refund, not removed from the bill
- Special school district, fire, or other special district rates outside the county/city rate
- Greenbelt (agricultural/forest/open space) use-value appraisal
- Certified tax rate adjustment after reappraisal (rate rollback set locally)
- Proposed Constitutional Amendment #2 (Nov 3, 2026 ballot) would bar a state-level property tax; Tennessee levies none, so it does not change the calculation
- State tax relief is paid by the state on the amount shown; the Comptroller computes it with the county’s appraisal ratio, so the relief shown here can differ by a few dollars
- Automatic state reimbursement eligibility or amount: the actual award depends on the county appraisal ratio and trustee review. Enter the approved reimbursement; the statutory maximum value alone does not establish a payment.
Census context, not a rate
American Community Survey 2020–2024: median owner-occupied value $286,700 (±$1,492), median real-estate taxes $1,442 (±$8). Dividing one by the other gives 0.50% for Tennessee. Tables B25077 and B25103; why it is only context.
Sources
- comptroller.tn.govTennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Division of Property Assessments, How to Calculate Your Tax Bill, read .
“The Assessment Ratio for the different classes of property is established by state law (residential and farm @ 25% of appraised value, commercial/industrial @ 40% of appraised value).”
- comptroller.tn.govState Board of Equalization, 2025 Tax Aggregate Report of Tennessee (Tenn. Const. art. II, sec. 28 subclasses), read .
“constitutional subclasses of real property and their assessed value percentages are as follows: industrial and commercial property, 40%; residential property, 25%; farm property, 25%; and public utility property, 55%.”
- comptroller.tn.govTennessee Comptroller, 2026 Property Tax Relief Program brochure (Tenn. Code Ann. 67-5-701 to 67-5-704); figures and their labels sit in separate table cells, joined here in reading order, read .
“You must be 65 on or before 12/31/2026. ... $38,470 Maximum 2025 income of the applicant, spouse, co-owner, and resident remainder ... $33,600 Maximum market value on which tax relief is calculated ... $175,000 Maximum market value on which tax relief is calculated”
- comptroller.tn.govTennessee Comptroller, Property Tax Relief (TCA 67-5-701 through 67-5-704), read .
“Tax relief is payment by the State of Tennessee to reimburse homeowners meeting certain eligibility requirements, for a part or all of paid property taxes. Tax Relief is not an exemption.”
- comptroller.tn.govTennessee Comptroller, Property Tax Freeze, read .
“authorizes the legislative body of any county and/or municipality to adopt the property tax freeze program.”
Bordering jurisdictions
Rules verified by the Property Tax Calculator Editorial Team. Report a correction