Best Places to Live in Tennessee

Off-grid & homestead laws in Tennessee

How Tennessee treats the things that matter for living off-grid or homesteading. Scores feed the national rankings; rules often vary by county.

• Building-code freedomStatewide code but county opt-out + homeowner self-build exemption.ICC / NAHB code-adoption summaries (2026) ↗local-option
• Greywater reuseNo residential greywater provision; treated as wastewater.Greywater Action / EPA REUSExplorer (2026) ↗none
• Rainwater harvestingLegal; green infrastructure supported.NCSL (2026) ↗unrestricted
• Zoning / land-use freedomGrowth Policy Act requires county/city growth plans + UGBs.American Planning Association / Lincoln Institute (2026) ↗some-state-oversight
• Water rightsRiparian; registration only above 10,000 gpd; agriculture/domestic exempt.National Agricultural Law Center (2026) ↗riparian
• Right-to-farm protectionStandard with change provisions.National Agricultural Law Center (2026) ↗moderate
• Cottage-food / home salesNo cap, no permit; TCS + retail; very broad.Institute for Justice / Forrager (2026) ↗expansive
• Property tax burdenMedian ~0.5% effective rate across 95 counties.Census ACS (county median) (2023) ↗low
• Income tax burdenNo income tax; Hall tax repealed.Tax Foundation (2026) ↗none
• Homestead exemptionNo general exemption; elderly/disabled/vet relief.Lincoln Institute / state revenue departments (2026) ↗minimal

General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.

All 95 Tennessee counties, ranked

1. 1Houston County81
2. 2Lake County79
3. 3Perry County79
4. 4Scott County79
5. 5Morgan County79
6. 6Pickett County78
7. 7Van Buren County78
8. 8Hancock County78
9. 9Clay County77
10. 10Jackson County77
11. 11Meigs County77
12. 12Overton County77
13. 13Decatur County76
14. 14Lewis County76
15. 15Chester County76
16. 16Crockett County76
17. 17McNairy County75
18. 18Trousdale County75
19. 19Moore County75
20. 20Grundy County75
21. 21Wayne County75
22. 22Benton County74
23. 23Bledsoe County74
24. 24Smith County74
25. 25Fentress County74
26. 26Humphreys County73
27. 27Hardin County73
28. 28Obion County73
29. 29White County72
30. 30Hardeman County72
31. 31Henderson County72
32. 32Macon County72
33. 33Haywood County72
34. 34Hickman County71
35. 35Stewart County71
36. 36DeKalb County71
37. 37Polk County71
38. 38Carroll County71
39. 39Sequatchie County71
40. 40Union County70
41. 41Lincoln County70
42. 42Hawkins County70
43. 43Marshall County70
44. 44Rhea County70
45. 45Weakley County70
46. 46Cannon County70
47. 47Grainger County69
48. 48Lawrence County69
49. 49Dyer County69
50. 50Lauderdale County69
51. 51Johnson County68
52. 52Cheatham County68
53. 53Claiborne County68
54. 54Cocke County68
55. 55Marion County68
56. 56Warren County68
57. 57Gibson County68
58. 58Giles County68
59. 59McMinn County67
60. 60Unicoi County67
61. 61Bedford County67
62. 62Franklin County67
63. 63Coffee County67
64. 64Tipton County66
65. 65Greene County66
66. 66Cumberland County66
67. 67Campbell County65
68. 68Fayette County65
69. 69Carter County64
70. 70Dickson County64
71. 71Madison County64
72. 72Henry County64
73. 73Robertson County64
74. 74Hamblen County63
75. 75Jefferson County63
76. 76Monroe County63
77. 77Putnam County62
78. 78Roane County62
79. 79Washington County62
80. 80Sullivan County61
81. 81Maury County60
82. 82Anderson County59
83. 83Montgomery County58
84. 84Wilson County58
85. 85Blount County58
86. 86Sevier County58
87. 87Bradley County57
88. 88Loudon County57
89. 89Sumner County56
90. 90Shelby County53
91. 91Rutherford County53
92. 92Williamson County52
93. 93Hamilton County52
94. 94Davidson County48
95. 95Knox County48