In Erwin, a typical home is worth $180,900 and typical rent is $614 a month. Compared with all of Unicoi County, typical rent is 18% lower and typical household income is 9% lower.
Typical home value from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $170,319 to $222,981.
From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).
Erwin is in Unicoi 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 Unicoi County. See the county
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
1
Erwin has the lowest typical rent of the 109 cities in Tennessee with more than 5,000 people: $614.
2
According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Erwin rose 3.8%; in Tennessee, it rose 0.6%.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data
The homes here
Housing in Erwin
What homes there are in Erwin, 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
Detached houseAttached houseBuilding of 2 to 4Apartments (5 or more)Mobile homeBoat, RV and otherUnreliable estimate
Erwin
Unicoi County
Tennessee
United States
Kind of home: Erwin and its comparisons
Measure
Erwin
Unicoi County
Tennessee
United States
Detached house
70%
67%
68%
61%
Attached house
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
4%
6%
Building of 2 to 4
10%
5%
6%
8%
Apartments (5 or more)
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
14%
19%
Mobile home
Unreliable estimate
20%
8%
6%
Boat, RV and other
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
0%
0%
In Erwin, 7 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses, about the same as in Unicoi County.
Year built
Before 19601960–19791980–19992000–20092010 or laterUnreliable estimate
Erwin
Unicoi County
Tennessee
United States
Year built: Erwin and its comparisons
Measure
Erwin
Unicoi County
Tennessee
United States
Before 1960
44%
26%
18%
26%
1960–1979
30%
31%
23%
24%
1980–1999
19%
29%
29%
25%
2000–2009
Unreliable estimate
10%
16%
14%
2010 or later
Unreliable estimate
4%
15%
11%
In Erwin, half of the homes were built before 1965; in Unicoi County, before 1977.
What it costs here
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Value of owner-occupied homes
Under the limitOver the limitCould be either sideUnreliable estimate
Under $100K21%
$100K–$200K38%
$200K–$300K27%
$300K–$500K11%
$500K–$750KUnreliable
FHA limit: $541,287
$750K–$1MUnreliable
$1M or moreUnreliable
Value of owner-occupied homes: Erwin and its comparisons
Measure
Erwin
Under $100K
21%
$100K–$200K
38%
$200K–$300K
27%
$300K–$500K
11%
$500K–$750K
Unreliable
$750K–$1M
Unreliable estimate
$1M or more
Unreliable estimate
With an FHA limit of $541,287, at least 97% of owner-occupied homes in Erwin sit below it: they are worth less than $500,000.
Monthly rent with utilities
Unreliable estimate
Under $500Unreliable
$500–$99949%
$1,000–$1,499Unreliable
$1,500–$1,999Unreliable
$2,000–$2,499Unreliable
$2,500–$2,999Unreliable
$3,000 or moreUnreliable
Monthly rent with utilities: Erwin and its comparisons
Measure
Erwin
Under $500
Unreliable estimate
$500–$999
49%
$1,000–$1,499
Unreliable estimate
$1,500–$1,999
Unreliable estimate
$2,000–$2,499
Unreliable
$2,500–$2,999
Unreliable
$3,000 or more
Unreliable
With a mortgage
$1,079 a month
Unicoi County: $1,158 a month
Without a mortgage
$462 a month
Unicoi County: $445 a month
Owners with a mortgage
54%
Unicoi County: 45%
The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Erwin is $1,079 a month, less than in Unicoi County ($1,158); without one, $462.
How it changed
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Change since 2015–2019
Typical home value
Erwin+63%
Unicoi County+46%
Tennessee+72%
United States+53%
Typical rent
ErwinNo clear change
Unicoi CountyNo clear change
Tennessee+37%
United States+33%
Typical household income
ErwinNo clear change
Unicoi County+25%
Tennessee+31%
United States+29%
Change since 2015–2019: Erwin and its comparisons
Measure
Erwin
Unicoi County
Tennessee
United States
Typical home value
+63%
+46%
+72%
+53%
Typical rent
No clear change
No clear change
+37%
+33%
Typical household income
No clear change
+25%
+31%
+29%
The typical home value in Erwin rose 63% since 2015–2019, more than in Unicoi County (46%).
Since 2015–2019, the typical rent in Erwin did not change clearly, according to the Census.
How people live
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
How people live: Erwin and its comparisons
Measure
Erwin
Unicoi County
Tennessee
United States
Rental vacancy
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
6.1%
5.5%
Homeowner vacancy
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
0.9%
0.9%
More than one person per room
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
2.2%
3.4%
People per household
2.21
2.22
2.45
2.53
Drive alone
81%
83%
76%
69%
Carpool
Unreliable estimate
9%
8%
9%
Public transit
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
0%
3%
Walk or bike
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
1%
3%
Work from home
Unreliable estimate
6%
13%
15%
Other means
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
1%
2%
Typical commute
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
By size, households in Erwin look like those in Unicoi County: 2.21 people on average.
To get to work, 81% of workers in Erwin drive alone; in Unicoi County, 83%.
Do the math
What would you pay each month for a home in Erwin?
A typical home costs more than the typical income allows
We start with a typical home in Erwin, worth $180,900, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 37% of the typical household income in Erwin, which is $47,487 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $62,880 a year.
The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Unicoi County.
Change the price, the down payment or the loan: the payment updates right away.
Your numbers
Local data
$
Starts at the typical home value in Erwin. Change it to the price you have in mind.
Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.
Down payment
%
That is $6,332 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.
This week's average ± a quarter or half point.
National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.
Adjust advanced details⌄
Estimated monthly payment
Local data
$1,467
at 7.18% · 30 years
Loan amount
$177,623
Total interest
$255,558
Paid off in
November 2056
Includes $3,055 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.
Does it fit the income?
Comfortable
up to $1,108 a month
Tight
$1,108 to $1,425 a month
Hard
more than $1,425 a month
Your payment · 37%
Compared with the typical household income in Erwin ($47,487 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest
$1,203
Property tax
$109
Home insurance
$75
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)
$80
You need at least $6,332 for the down payment, plus closing costs.
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.
Total monthly payment $1,467; principal and interest $1,203.
The city and its county
Erwin and Unicoi County
Erwin is in Unicoi 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).
Erwin
Map of Unicoi County, Tennessee, with Erwin marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.
Erwin
Unicoi County
Other cities with a page
Erwin's own numbers
Typical home value
$180,900
Typical monthly rent
$614
Typical yearly household income
$47,487
Households that own their home
71%
Effective property tax rate
0.72%
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).
Numbers for all of Unicoi 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)
+75%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
4.9%
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 Unicoi County.
A typical home in Erwin is worth $180,900: 5% below the county and 37% below Tennessee. With the typical household income in Erwin ($47,487 a year), a typical home costs 3.8 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.
Erwin3.8 years
Unicoi3.6 years
Tennessee4.1 years
United States4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024
How prices have changed in Unicoi County
According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Unicoi County rose 117% in the 10 years through 2025.
FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Unicoi County.
Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in Unicoi County, 2016 to 2025
2016: +2.4% +2.4% 2016
2017: +3.8% +3.8% 2017
2018: +2.6% +2.6% 2018
2019: +8.2% +8.2% 2019
2020: +4.9% +4.9% 2020
2021: +8.8% +8.8% 2021
2022: +23.2% +23.2% 2022
2023: +15.5% +15.5% 2023
2024: +7.4% +7.4% 2024
2025: +5.4% +5.4% 2025
Change in FHFA’s price index in Unicoi County, Tennessee and the United States
Period
County
Tennessee
U.S.
Last year (2025)
+5.4%
+2.4%
+2.9%
5 years (2020–2025)
+75%
+60%
+47%
10 years (2015–2025)
+117%
+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
Erwin next to Unicoi 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
Erwin$180,900
Unicoi$189,600
Tennessee$286,700
United States$332,700
Typical monthly rent
Erwin$614
Unicoi$750
Tennessee$1,189
United States$1,413
Typical yearly household income
Erwin$47,487
Unicoi$52,218
Tennessee$69,595
United States$80,734
See the full table
Erwin next to Unicoi County and Tennessee
Measure
Erwin
Unicoi County
Tennessee
U.S.
Typical home value
$180,900 ▼5% below the county
$189,600
$286,700
$332,700
Typical monthly rent
$614 ▼18% below the county
$750
$1,189
$1,413
Typical yearly household income
$47,487 ▼9% below the county
$52,218
$69,595
$80,734
Households that own their home
71% ▼1 points below the county
73%
67%
65%
Typical yearly property tax
$1,309 ▲32% above the county
$994
$1,442
$3,119
Effective property tax rate
0.72% ▲0.2 points above the county
0.52%
0.5%
0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income
45% ▼4 points below the county
49%
49%
51%
“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Unicoi 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 Erwin
For a typical $180,900 home in Erwin, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Erwin's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.
FHA, 3.5% down$1,467a month
Least cash to close
Down payment
$6,332
Cash to close
$11,759
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
FHA MIP · $80
Conventional, 5% down$1,434a month
Down payment
$9,045
Cash to close
$14,472
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
PMI · $86
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI$1,164a month
Down payment
$36,180
Cash to close
$41,607
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
ITIN, 15% down (example)$1,332a month
Down payment
$27,135
Cash to close
$32,562
Rate
8.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Erwin
Loan
Monthly payment
Down payment
Loan amount
Rate
Mortgage insurance
Cash to close
Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down Least cash to close
$1,467
$6,332
$177,623
7.18%
FHA MIP · $80
$11,759
580
Conventional, 5% down
$1,434
$9,045
$171,855
7.18%
PMI · $86
$14,472
620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI
$1,164
$36,180
$144,720
7.18%
None
$41,607
620*
ITIN, 15% down (example)
$1,332
$27,135
$153,765
8.18%
None
$32,562
Set by the lender
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.
Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Erwin and for Unicoi County.
Property tax
Effective rate in Erwin
0.72%of the home’s value each year
$1,309 a year for the typical owner in Erwin.
Erwin0.72%
Unicoi0.52%
Tennessee0.5%
What Tennessee publishesProperty tax relief for older, disabled and disabled-veteran homeowners (Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, 2026 Property Tax Relief Program brochure)
Typical rent in Erwin is $614 a month: 18% below the county. In Erwin, 45% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Unicoi 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.
What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.
HUD fair market rent in Unicoi County (Fiscal year 2027)
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 Erwin
HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Erwin is in ZIP code 37650.
For 2 bedrooms it is $1,020: $191 less than the fair market rent for Unicoi County ($1,211).
Fair market rent by ZIP code and size in Erwin, fiscal year 2027.
ZIP code
Studio
1 bd
2 bd
3 bd
4 bd
37650
$800
$810
$1,020
$1,260
$1,400
ZIP code2 bd3 bd
37650 $1,020$1,260
1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Erwin 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 2027Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship fileData from 2020 dataCensus Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (external site)
HUD lists 3 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Erwin. These are the largest.
Erwin Ha750 Carolina Ave, Erwin 3765073 low-income homes · Run by Erwin Housing Authority · Average payment: $383 a month · Average wait: 17 months(423) 743-5231
Whispering Meadows1821 Zane Whitson Dr, Erwin 3765064 low-income homes · 2 bd: 40 · 3 bd: 24 · In service since 2004 · For people with disabilities, families
Sunnycrest Apartments890 Rock Creek Rd, Erwin 3765050 low-income homes · For older adults(423) 743-8593
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 Unicoi County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.
No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Erwin or Unicoi County. The ones below are statewide in Tennessee: they work in Erwin the same as in the rest of the state.
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).
No legal help resource on our list is for Erwin or Unicoi County in particular.
If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.
Short answers with the numbers for Erwin and all of Unicoi 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 Erwin?
The typical home value in Erwin is $180,900, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Unicoi County it is $189,600.
How much does it cost to rent in Erwin?
Typical rent in Erwin is $614 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Unicoi County is $1,211.
What is the FHA loan limit in Erwin?
Erwin uses the FHA limit for all of Unicoi 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 Erwin?
The typical homeowner in Erwin pays $1,309 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.72% of the home’s value; in Unicoi County, the rate is 0.52%.
Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Erwin?
We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Unicoi County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.
