The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Tennessee
Ranked on The Town Files lifestyle rankings among 103 towns of 2,500–10,000 people in Tennessee. #1 is Rogersville, TN.
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25Lafayette, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 66% of Tennessee towns
5,584 people · Macon County · median home $213,900 · income $51,736 · Jan low 25°F · 5 in snow
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24Wildwood Lake, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 67% of Tennessee towns
3,286 people · Bradley County · median home $231,700 · income $62,722 · Jan low 29°F · 1 in snow
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23Etowah, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 68% of Tennessee towns
3,603 people · McMinn County · median home $190,800 · income $39,291 · Jan low 28°F · 4 in snow
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22Jasper, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 68% of Tennessee towns
3,612 people · Marion County · median home $209,000 · income $73,013 · Jan low 29°F · 3 in snow
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21Erwin, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 69% of Tennessee towns
6,083 people · Unicoi County · median home $180,900 · income $47,487 · Jan low 25°F · 9 in snow
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20Rockwood, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 70% of Tennessee towns
5,444 people · Roane County · median home $128,700 · income $47,791 · Jan low 28°F · 2 in snow
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19Dayton, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 72% of Tennessee towns
7,065 people · Rhea County · median home $214,900 · income $49,719 · Jan low 28°F · 2 in snow
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18Covington, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 72% of Tennessee towns
8,663 people · Tipton County · median home $185,900 · income $42,254 · Jan low 29°F · 2 in snow
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17La Follette, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 77% of Tennessee towns
7,430 people · Campbell County · median home $138,900 · income $37,581 · Jan low 25°F · 4 in snow
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16Ripley, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 78% of Tennessee towns
7,800 people · Lauderdale County · median home $154,900 · income $37,432 · Jan low 29°F · 2 in snow
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15Centerville, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 80% of Tennessee towns
3,532 people · Hickman County · median home $213,400 · income $59,167 · Jan low 28°F · 2 in snow
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14Huntingdon, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 81% of Tennessee towns
4,439 people · Carroll County · median home $160,500 · income $51,969 · Jan low 28°F · 3 in snow
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13Ashland City, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 81% of Tennessee towns
5,193 people · Cheatham County · median home $294,100 · income $79,231 · Jan low 27°F · 2 in snow
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12Mascot, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 83% of Tennessee towns
2,760 people · Knox County · median home $206,000 · income $60,250 · Jan low 27°F · 4 in snow
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11Dresden, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 89% of Tennessee towns
3,019 people · Weakley County · median home $126,900 · income $51,000 · Jan low 27°F · 0 in snow
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10Eagleton Village, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 89% of Tennessee towns
5,393 people · Blount County · median home $197,700 · income $71,875 · Jan low 30°F · 5 in snow
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9Woodbury, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 90% of Tennessee towns
2,703 people · Cannon County · median home $216,400 · income $58,466 · Jan low 27°F · 3 in snow
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8Oneida, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 91% of Tennessee towns
3,787 people · Scott County · median home $170,600 · income $48,622 · Jan low 25°F · 6 in snow
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7Smithville, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 92% of Tennessee towns
5,004 people · DeKalb County · median home $194,200 · income $33,192 · Jan low 26°F · 3 in snow
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6Green Hill, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 92% of Tennessee towns
6,518 people · Wilson County · median home $365,900 · income $91,818 · Jan low 28°F · 5 in snow
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5New Tazewell, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 93% of Tennessee towns
2,769 people · Claiborne County · median home $183,800 · income $53,567 · Jan low 23°F · 8 in snow
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4Dunlap, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 94% of Tennessee towns
5,357 people · Sequatchie County · median home $192,100 · income $45,589 · Jan low 32°F · 3 in snow
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3Pleasant View, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 95% of Tennessee towns
4,807 people · Cheatham County · median home $390,900 · income $109,213 · Jan low 28°F · 3 in snow
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2Harriman, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 97% of Tennessee towns
5,892 people · Roane County · median home $153,200 · income $44,653 · Jan low 28°F · 2 in snow
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1Rogersville, Tennessee
Better for first-time buyers than 99% of Tennessee towns
4,671 people · Hawkins County · median home $192,800 · income $47,500 · Jan low 26°F · 6 in snow
Price vs ranking
More Tennessee rankings
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Tennessee
- The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Tennessee
- The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Tennessee
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Tennessee
- 25 Small Towns in Tennessee With the Cheapest Homes
- 25 Small Towns in Tennessee With the Mildest Winters
- The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in Tennessee
- 25 Small Towns in Tennessee With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- The 10 Best Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Tennessee With Mild Winters
- The 12 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in Tennessee
Same ranking, other places
- The 50 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in America
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Pennsylvania
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in New York
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Michigan
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Texas
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in California
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in New Jersey
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Florida
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Wisconsin
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Ohio
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)