Español

Este sitio también está en español. Leer en español

City · 14,374 residents · Carter County, Tennessee

Elizabethton , Tennessee

In Elizabethton, a typical home is worth $172,900 and typical rent is $740 a month. Compared with all of Carter County, typical household income is 6% lower and the share of households that own their home is 13 points lower.

WhatsApp

  • Typical home value

    $172,900

    3% above the county

    40% below Tennessee

    • Elizabethton
    • Carter
    • Tennessee

  • Typical rent

    $740a month

    About the same as the county

    38% below Tennessee

    • Elizabethton
    • Carter
    • Tennessee

  • Typical household income

    $46,975a year

    6% below the county

    33% below Tennessee

    • Elizabethton
    • Carter
    • Tennessee

  • Households that own their home

    63%

    13 points below the county

    4 points below Tennessee

    • Elizabethton
    • Carter
    • Tennessee

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$232,076
0.6% less than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,254 a month

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Elizabethton is in Carter County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Carter County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Elizabethton apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Elizabethton has the 5th smallest share of rent-burdened renters of the 101 cities in Tennessee with more than 5,000 people (32%).

  2. Nearby, in Erwin, the typical rent is $614: 17% less than in Elizabethton ($740).

  3. 63% of households in Elizabethton own their home, against 75% in Carter County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Elizabethton

What homes there are in Elizabethton, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Elizabethton, 7 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses, about the same as in Carter County.

Year built

Homes in Elizabethton are older: the typical year built is 1963; in Carter County, 1977.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

The FHA limit for Carter County is high ($541,287): at least 97% of owner-occupied homes in Elizabethton are worth less than $500,000.

Monthly rent with utilities

HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent (FMR) for Carter County is $1,211; about 85% of rents in Elizabethton are below it.

With a mortgage

$1,170 a month

Carter County: $1,134 a month

Without a mortgage

$430 a month

Carter County: $366 a month

Owners with a mortgage

49%

Carter County: 42%

Owning costs about the same in Elizabethton as in Carter County: with a mortgage, $1,170 a month; without one, $430.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, home values in Elizabethton rose at about the same pace as in Carter County: 39% against 37%.

The typical rent in Elizabethton rose 15% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Carter County (17%).

The typical household income in Elizabethton rose 27% over that time; home values changed +39% and rent +15%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureElizabethtonCarter CountyTennesseeUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate7.9%6.1%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.5%2.2%3.4%
People per household 2.172.262.452.53
Drive alone 78%83%76%69%
Carpool 6%7%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0%3%
Walk or bike 3%1%1%3%
Work from home 11%7%13%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

By size, households in Elizabethton look like those in Carter County: 2.17 people on average.

In Elizabethton, 11% of workers work from home, more than in Carter County (7%).

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Elizabethton?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Elizabethton, worth $172,900, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 36% of the typical household income in Elizabethton, which is $46,975 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $59,853 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Carter County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Elizabethton. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $6,052 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,397

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$169,768
Total interest
$244,256
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,920 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,096 a month

  • Tight

    $1,096 to $1,409 a month

    Your payment · 36%

  • Hard

    more than $1,409 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Elizabethton ($46,975 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,397
Principal & interest$1,150
Property tax$98
Home insurance$72
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$76

You need at least $6,052 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Elizabethton and Carter County

Elizabethton is in Carter County, Tennessee. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Elizabethton's own numbers

Typical home value
$172,900
Typical monthly rent
$740
Typical yearly household income
$46,975
Households that own their home
63%
Effective property tax rate
0.68%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Carter County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,211
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+73%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
6.5%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Carter County.

Everything about Carter County

Buying

Buying a home in Elizabethton

A typical home in Elizabethton is worth $172,900: 3% above the county and 40% below Tennessee. With the typical household income in Elizabethton ($46,975 a year), a typical home costs 3.7 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Elizabethton 3.7 years
  • Carter 3.4 years
  • Tennessee 4.1 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Carter County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Carter County rose 115% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Carter County.

Period County Tennessee U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.7% +2.4% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +73% +60% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +115% +114% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Elizabethton next to Carter County, Tennessee and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Elizabethton $172,900
  • Carter $168,200
  • Tennessee $286,700
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Elizabethton $740
  • Carter $739
  • Tennessee $1,189
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Elizabethton $46,975
  • Carter $50,135
  • Tennessee $69,595
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Elizabethton next to Carter County and Tennessee
Measure Elizabethton Carter County Tennessee U.S.
Typical home value $172,900 $168,200 $286,700 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $740 $739 $1,189 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $46,975 $50,135 $69,595 $80,734
Households that own their home 63% 75% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,179 $864 $1,442 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.68% 0.51% 0.5% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 32% 36% 49% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Carter County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Elizabethton

For a typical $172,900 home in Elizabethton, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Elizabethton's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,397a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $6,052
    Cash to close
    $11,239
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $76

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,365a month

    Down payment
    $8,645
    Cash to close
    $13,832
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $82

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,107a month

    Down payment
    $34,580
    Cash to close
    $39,767
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,267a month

    Down payment
    $25,935
    Cash to close
    $31,122
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Elizabethton and for Carter County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Elizabethton

0.68%of the home’s value each year

$1,179 a year for the typical owner in Elizabethton.

  • Elizabethton 0.68%
  • Carter 0.51%
  • Tennessee 0.5%

What Tennessee publishes Property tax relief for older, disabled and disabled-veteran homeowners (Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, 2026 Property Tax Relief Program brochure)

Exemptions and deadlines in Tennessee

Flood risk in Carter County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Carter County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
6.5%
1,670
Of those, with NFIP insurance
20%
County Tennessee U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 6.5% 1.6% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 20% 25% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Elizabethton

Typical rent in Elizabethton is $740 a month: about the same as the county. In Elizabethton, 32% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Carter County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,211 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $23.29 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Carter County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $942 $18.12 $37,680
1 bedroom $948 $18.23 $37,920
2 bedrooms $1,211 $23.29 $48,440
3 bedrooms $1,461 $28.10 $58,440
4 bedrooms $1,609 $30.94 $64,360

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Elizabethton

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Elizabethton has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,030 in 37643 to $1,220 in 37682.

1 of the 2 is above the fair market rent for Carter County ($1,211).

  • 37643 $1,030$1,260
  • 37682 $1,220$1,470

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Elizabethton when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Elizabethton

HUD lists 9 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Elizabethton. These are the largest.

  • Rolling Hills Estate 1300A Arney St, Elizabethton 37643 326 low-income homes · Run by Elizabethton Housing and Development Agency · Average payment: $336 a month · Average wait: 14 months (423) 543-3571
  • Lynnridge Apartments 1272 Bluefield Ave, Elizabethton 37643 101 homes, 100 low-income · For families (423) 543-2031
  • Lynnridge Apts 1293 Bluefield Ave, Elizabethton 37643 100 low-income homes · 1 bd: 16 · 2 bd: 66 · 3 bd: 18 · In service since 2009 · For people with disabilities, families
  • Lynnwood Apartments 1235 Bluefield Ave, Elizabethton 37643 100 low-income homes · For older adults (423) 543-2031
  • Lynnwood Apts 1300 Bluefield Ave, Elizabethton 37643 100 low-income homes · 1 bd: 16 · 2 bd: 68 · 3 bd: 16 · In service since 2008 · For families

See all 13 buildings in Carter County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Elizabethton

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Carter County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man shakes hands with the specialist who helped him with his loan, in the kitchen of his new home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Elizabethton

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Elizabethton or Carter County. The ones below are statewide in Tennessee: they work in Elizabethton the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Tennessee

  • Great Choice Plus

    Statewide in Tennessee

    Tennessee state agency help with the down payment and closing costs alongside the Great Choice mortgage: $6,000 or $10,000 forgivable over 10 years with no payments, or up to 5% of the price (maximum $15,000) as a 30-year second mortgage. Offered by Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA).

    ForgivableRepayable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Elizabethton

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Elizabethton, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Eastern Eight Community Development Corp.

    3 Limited Centre St, Johnson City · 8 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 5 more
    (423) 232-5097

  • Telamon Corporation - Tennessee Branch

    100 Erin Ln, Bulls Gap · 46 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 8 more
    (984) 365-6571

  • Clinch-Powell Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc

    7995 Rutledge Pike, Rutledge · 71 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (865) 828-5927

All counseling agencies in Tennessee

Help in Spanish near Elizabethton

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Elizabethton

HUD’s record names them for Elizabethton or Carter County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Elizabethton Housing and Development Agency Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (423) 543-3571

All housing agencies in Tennessee Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Elizabethton, with the typical home value.

Everything about Carter County Housing in Tennessee

Neighboring counties

If Carter County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Elizabethton.

All guides
A smiling girl holds up a small mushroom she found on a forest outing.

Questions

Housing questions about Elizabethton

Short answers with the numbers for Elizabethton and all of Carter County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Elizabethton?

The typical home value in Elizabethton is $172,900, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Carter County it is $168,200.

How much does it cost to rent in Elizabethton?

Typical rent in Elizabethton is $740 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Carter County is $1,211.

What is the FHA loan limit in Elizabethton?

Elizabethton uses the FHA limit for all of Carter County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Elizabethton?

The typical homeowner in Elizabethton pays $1,179 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.68% of the home’s value; in Carter County, the rate is 0.51%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Elizabethton?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Carter County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).