Department of Numbers

Rutherford County Tennessee Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Rutherford County TN was $1,147 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Rutherford County was $1,151 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Rutherford County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Rutherford County rental vacancy rates, Rutherford County rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Rutherford County.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Rutherford County Tennessee (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Tennessee Median Gross Rent $904 +3.08% +7.11%
Rutherford County TN Median Gross Rent $1,147 +5.91% +6.70%

Rutherford County TN Real Gross Rent Trends

At $1,147, real median gross rent in Rutherford County was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005. At $1,151, real average gross rent in Rutherford County was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005.

Real Gross Rent: Rutherford County TN Median, Rutherford County TN Average, Tennessee Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Rutherford County

Date US
Median
Tennessee
Median
Rutherford County TN
Median
Rutherford County TN
Average
2019 $1,097 $904 $1,147 $1,151
2018 $1,077 $877 $1,083 $1,074
2017 $1,043 $859 $1,008 $1,027
2016 $1,027 $844 $1,075 $1,048
2015 $1,017 $833 $973 $1,007
2014 $986 $813 $968 $970
2013 $953 $788 $918 $940
2012 $940 $777 $900 $896
2011 $941 $772 $873 $810
2010 $955 $779 $915 $903
2009 $960 $777 $928 $908

more history ...

Rutherford County Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Rutherford County Tennessee was 9.97% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Rutherford County Tennessee

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Tennessee 7.27% -0.29% +0.59%
Rutherford County TN 9.97% +6.83% +4.98%

Trends in Rutherford County TN Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Rutherford County peaked in 2010 at 10.55%. Since then it has fallen by 0.58% to 9.97%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2018 post peak low of 3.14%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 6.83%.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Rutherford County TN, Tennessee, US

Rental vacancy rate in Tennessee

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Rutherford County

Date US Tennessee Rutherford County TN
2019 5.97% 7.27% 9.97%
2018 6.15% 7.56% 3.14%
2017 6.18% 6.67% 3.25%
2016 5.89% 6.68% 4.99%
2015 5.85% 7.13% 4.98%
2014 6.32% 7.24% 5.86%
2013 6.49% 7.86% 5.71%
2012 6.77% 7.89%
2011 7.40% 8.54%
2010 8.17% 10.33% 10.55%
2009 8.43% 10.52% 7.20%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Rutherford County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Rutherford County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 19.83% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Rutherford County Tennessee Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Tennessee 19.35% -0.38% -0.58%
Rutherford County TN 19.83% -0.20% -0.32%

Trends in Rutherford County TN Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Rutherford County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2014 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 20.96%. Since then it has fallen by 1.13% to 19.83%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Rutherford County TN, Tennessee, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Rutherford County Tennessee

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Rutherford County Tennessee

Date US Tennessee Rutherford County TN
2019 20.03% 19.35% 19.83%
2018 20.50% 19.73% 20.03%
2017 20.13% 19.47% 17.13%
2016 20.43% 19.92% 20.15%
2015 20.63% 19.93% 18.33%
2014 20.89% 20.83% 20.96%
2013 20.78% 20.26% 18.30%
2012 20.65% 20.48% 19.11%
2011 20.70% 20.58% 18.56%
2010 20.50% 20.17% 19.09%
2009 20.12% 19.61% 18.14%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Rutherford County Tennessee

You can calculate the renter fraction in Rutherford County in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Rutherford County as a fraction of total Rutherford County households. In 2019 36.28% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Rutherford County Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Tennessee 33.49% -0.28% -1.42%
Rutherford County TN 36.28% +0.41% +2.26%

Trends in the Rutherford County TN Renter Fraction

The Rutherford County household renter fraction peaked in in 2014 at 36.64% and is now 0.36% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Rutherford County TN, Tennessee, US

Fraction of renters in Rutherford County

History of Rutherford County Renter Fraction

Date US Tennessee Rutherford County TN
2019 35.89% 33.49% 36.28%
2018 36.05% 33.77% 35.87%
2017 36.13% 34.57% 35.54%
2016 36.88% 34.91% 34.02%
2015 36.97% 34.18% 34.03%
2014 36.90% 33.86% 36.64%
2013 36.50% 33.62% 34.15%
2012 36.09% 33.31% 33.24%
2011 35.42% 32.72% 30.14%
2010 34.65% 31.87% 31.12%
2009 34.13% 30.85% 31.05%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.