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City · 6,532 residents · Monroe County, Tennessee

Sweetwater , Tennessee

In Sweetwater, a typical home is worth $178,400 and typical rent is $619 a month. Compared with all of Monroe County, the typical home value is 22% lower, typical household income is 20% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 17 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $178,400

    22% below the county

    38% below Tennessee

    • Sweetwater
    • Monroe
    • Tennessee

  • Typical rent

    $619a month

    13% below the county

    48% below Tennessee

    • Sweetwater
    • Monroe
    • Tennessee

  • Typical household income

    $45,451a year

    20% below the county

    35% below Tennessee

    • Sweetwater
    • Monroe
    • Tennessee

  • Households that own their home

    55%

    17 points below the county

    12 points below Tennessee

    • Sweetwater
    • Monroe
    • Tennessee

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$260,943
2.9% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,500 a month

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

Sweetwater is in Monroe 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 Monroe County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Sweetwater apart

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

  1. Sweetwater has the largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 101 cities in Tennessee with more than 5,000 people: 70%.

  2. Sweetwater has the 2nd lowest typical rent of the 109 cities in Tennessee with more than 5,000 people ($619).

  3. 55% of households in Sweetwater own their home, against 72% in Monroe County.

  4. The typical home in Sweetwater is worth $178,400, 22% less than in Monroe County as a whole ($227,500).

  5. The typical household income in Sweetwater is $45,451, 20% less than in Monroe County as a whole ($56,895).

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

The homes here

Housing in Sweetwater

What homes there are in Sweetwater, 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

The detached house is still the most common home in Sweetwater, but it weighs less than in Monroe County: 57% against 66%.

Year built

In Sweetwater, half of the homes were built before 1976; in Monroe County, before 1991.

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
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,004 a month

Monroe County: $1,221 a month

Without a mortgage

$379 a month

Monroe County: $368 a month

Owners with a mortgage

54%

Monroe County: 45%

In Sweetwater, 54% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,004 a month, against $1,221 in Monroe County. Without one it drops to $379.

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

Homes in Sweetwater gained value more slowly than in Monroe County: 48% since 2015–2019, against 70%.

The typical rent in Sweetwater stayed about the same over that time: the difference is within the Census margin of error.

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

MeasureSweetwaterMonroe CountyTennesseeUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate6.1%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate3.0%2.2%3.4%
People per household 2.192.392.452.53
Drive alone 80%81%76%69%
Carpool 12%9%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate7%13%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

On average, a household in Sweetwater has 2.19 people, fewer than in Monroe County (2.39).

To get to work, 80% of workers in Sweetwater drive alone; in Monroe County, 81%.

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 Sweetwater?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Sweetwater, worth $178,400, 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 Sweetwater, which is $45,451 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $60,801 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Sweetwater. 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 $6,244 (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

$1,419

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$175,169
Total interest
$252,027
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,013 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,061 a month

  • Tight

    $1,061 to $1,364 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,364 a month

    Your payment · 37%

Compared with the typical household income in Sweetwater ($45,451 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,419
Principal & interest$1,187
Property tax$79
Home insurance$74
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$79

You need at least $6,244 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

Sweetwater and Monroe County

Sweetwater is in Monroe 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).

Sweetwater's own numbers

Typical home value
$178,400
Typical monthly rent
$619
Typical yearly household income
$45,451
Households that own their home
55%
Effective property tax rate
0.53%

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

Numbers for all of Monroe County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$995
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+79%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.1%

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 Monroe County.

Everything about Monroe County

Buying

Buying a home in Sweetwater

A typical home in Sweetwater is worth $178,400: 22% below the county and 38% below Tennessee. With the typical household income in Sweetwater ($45,451 a year), a typical home costs 3.9 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.

  • Sweetwater 3.9 years
  • Monroe 4.0 years
  • Tennessee 4.1 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Monroe County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Monroe County rose 130% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County Tennessee U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.4% +2.4% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +79% +60% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +130% +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

Sweetwater next to Monroe 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
  • Sweetwater $178,400
  • Monroe $227,500
  • Tennessee $286,700
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Sweetwater $619
  • Monroe $714
  • Tennessee $1,189
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Sweetwater $45,451
  • Monroe $56,895
  • Tennessee $69,595
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Sweetwater next to Monroe County and Tennessee
Measure Sweetwater Monroe County Tennessee U.S.
Typical home value $178,400 $227,500 $286,700 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $619 $714 $1,189 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $45,451 $56,895 $69,595 $80,734
Households that own their home 55% 72% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $943 $934 $1,442 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.53% 0.41% 0.5% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 70% 52% 49% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Monroe 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 Sweetwater

For a typical $178,400 home in Sweetwater, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Sweetwater's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,419a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $6,244
    Cash to close
    $11,596
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $79

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,386a month

    Down payment
    $8,920
    Cash to close
    $14,272
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $85

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,120a month

    Down payment
    $35,680
    Cash to close
    $41,032
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,285a month

    Down payment
    $26,760
    Cash to close
    $32,112
    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 Sweetwater and for Monroe County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Sweetwater

0.53%of the home’s value each year

$943 a year for the typical owner in Sweetwater.

  • Sweetwater 0.53%
  • Monroe 0.41%
  • 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 Monroe County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.1%
250
Of those, with NFIP insurance
10%
County Tennessee U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.1% 1.6% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 10% 25% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Sweetwater

Typical rent in Sweetwater is $619 a month: 13% below the county. In Sweetwater, 70% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Monroe County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($995 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $19.13 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Monroe 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 $769 $14.79 $30,760
1 bedroom $862 $16.58 $34,480
2 bedrooms $995 $19.13 $39,800
3 bedrooms $1,303 $25.06 $52,120
4 bedrooms $1,308 $25.15 $52,320

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 Sweetwater

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Sweetwater is in ZIP code 37874.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,000: $5 more than the fair market rent for Monroe County ($995).

  • 37874 $1,000$1,290

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Sweetwater 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 Sweetwater

HUD lists 3 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Sweetwater. These are the largest.

  • Fairview Terrace / Valley View / Crest View 1100 Cannon Ave, Sweetwater 37874 137 low-income homes · For families (423) 337-6224
  • Monroe Ridge Apts 100 Telford Rd, Sweetwater 37874 48 low-income homes · 1 bd: 8 · 2 bd: 24 · 3 bd: 16 · In service since 2012 · For people with disabilities, families
  • Gardens of Wood Village 511 May St, Sweetwater 37874 12 low-income homes · For older adults (423) 351-1300

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

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Sweetwater

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 Monroe County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man listens closely, seated at a meeting table.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Sweetwater

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Sweetwater or Monroe County. The ones below are statewide in Tennessee: they work in Sweetwater 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 Sweetwater

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

  • University of Tennessee Extension Office

    2621 Morgan Cir, Knoxville · 38 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 2 more
    (865) 974-7349

  • City Fields

    1075 Blythe Ave SE, Cleveland · 39 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (423) 472-9876

  • Crossville Housing Authority

    67 Irwin Ave, Crossville · 39 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (931) 484-2990

All counseling agencies in Tennessee

Help in Spanish near Sweetwater

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 Sweetwater

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

All housing agencies in Tennessee Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Monroe County

These cities are also in Monroe County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Monroe County Housing in Tennessee

Nearby cities

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

Neighboring counties

If Monroe 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 Sweetwater.

All guides
A mother smiles as she carries her young daughter on her shoulders (black and white).

Questions

Housing questions about Sweetwater

Short answers with the numbers for Sweetwater and all of Monroe 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 Sweetwater?

The typical home value in Sweetwater is $178,400, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Monroe County it is $227,500.

How much does it cost to rent in Sweetwater?

Typical rent in Sweetwater is $619 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Monroe County is $995.

What is the FHA loan limit in Sweetwater?

Sweetwater uses the FHA limit for all of Monroe 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 Sweetwater?

The typical homeowner in Sweetwater pays $943 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.53% of the home’s value; in Monroe County, the rate is 0.41%.

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

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Monroe 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).