Tennessee land market insights for 2025 reveal huge contrasts. Wondering where the best deals or fastest sales are? While Trousdale county boasts rapid turnover and Knox county sees impressive appreciation, opportunities hide statewide. From affordable rural plots to high-growth suburban spots, discover the data-backed sweet spots to guide your next land move.
Key Takeaways:
- Trousdale County offers the state's fastest land sales, while Crockett County moves the slowest.
- Knox County leads in appreciation, but affordable growth potential shines in counties like Cannon and Anderson.
- Significant value exists in many rural counties, with land prices often dramatically lower than in major urban centers.
Data Source: All land pricing data in this article was compiled from multiple real estate sources including Redfin, Zillow, and local MLS listings, with data subject to change based on market conditions.
Tennessee's Hottest Land Markets for 2025
Understanding Turnover Ratio: The Key Market Indicator
The chart below reveals Tennessee's most active land markets based on turnover ratio – the percentage of active listings sold within 365 days. Higher ratios indicate markets where demand outpaces supply, meaning properties sell faster.
Key Findings:
- Trousdale County leads the state with an impressive 146.67% turnover ratio, meaning listed properties sell nearly 1.5 times faster than new inventory appears.
- Fast-Paced Markets: Coffee (145.45%), Hancock (140.00%), Anderson (140.00%), and Warren (138.82%) counties also demonstrate exceptionally high turnover, indicating strong buyer demand.
- Broad Activity: The top 20 list includes counties from various regions, showcasing widespread land market activity across Tennessee.
- Competitive Areas: Counties like Bradley (138.59%), Sequatchie (128.57%), and Macon (126.85%) represent significant opportunities, but buyers should anticipate competition.
What This Means For You:
- Sellers: Properties in these high-turnover counties are likely to sell quickly, aligning with strategies for how to sell my land fast. Pricing strategically is still important, but expect strong interest.
- Buyers: Be prepared to act decisively. Have financing pre-approved and be ready to make competitive offers, especially in the top 5-10 counties.
- Investors: These counties represent areas with high liquidity, making them potentially attractive for fix-and-flip strategies or investments where a quicker exit might be desired.
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Tennessee's Slowest Land Markets: Where Patience Pays
Identifying Low-Turnover Counties
This chart highlights the Tennessee counties with the lowest 365-day turnover ratios. These are markets where land parcels typically take longer to sell, indicating slower market velocity compared to the state's hotspots. Lower ratios suggest supply may currently exceed active buyer demand.
What The Data Shows:
- Crockett County shows the slowest market with only a 25.00% turnover ratio, meaning only a quarter of listed properties sold over the past year.
- Urban Influence: Major metropolitan counties like Shelby (47.88%) and Davidson (52.17%) appear on this list, suggesting that even in high-population areas, the land market can move slower than in some rural hotspots.
- Western TN Dominance: Several counties in West Tennessee (Haywood, Perry, Obion, Madison, Dyer, Gibson, Weakley) feature among the slowest markets.
- Wide Range: Even the "slowest" markets show significant variation, ranging from 25% up to nearly 70% turnover.
Strategic Implications:
- Buyers: These slower markets can offer significant advantages, including more negotiating power, less competition, and potentially lower prices compared to faster-moving areas. More time is available for due diligence.
- Sellers: Expect longer listing times in these counties. Competitive pricing and excellent property presentation are crucial. Be prepared for holding costs and potentially offer flexible terms to attract buyers.
- Investors: Value opportunities may exist for patient investors willing to hold properties longer, potentially targeting specific buyers; understanding how to sell land to a developer could be advantageous here. Thorough market research is needed to understand the specific reasons for slow turnover in a target county before committing capital.
Land Appreciation Hotspots Across Tennessee
Tracking Growth: Which Counties Lead in Value Increase?
This chart showcases the Tennessee counties experiencing the highest average annual land appreciation rates, according to the available data. Appreciation rate reflects the estimated yearly increase in land value, indicating potential investment growth—a key factor when determining how much is my land worth. Higher percentages suggest stronger value growth over the period measured.
Key Findings:
- Knox County stands out significantly with a reported average appreciation rate of 42.78%, dramatically higher than other counties listed. This suggests very strong value growth, likely influenced by the Knoxville metropolitan area.
- Strong Performers: Anderson (30.91%) and Cannon (27.27%) counties also show exceptionally high appreciation rates according to the data.
- Double-Digit Growth: Many counties in the top 20 show appreciation rates above 12%, including Union, Scott, Tipton, Bedford, Hawkins, McMinn, Roane, Lewis, Meigs, Fayette, Coffee, Blount, Grainger, Hancock, Cocke, Campbell, and Decatur.
- Regional Mix: High-appreciation counties are found across East, Middle, and West Tennessee, indicating that growth isn't confined to a single region.
What This Means For You:
- Investors: Counties with high appreciation rates represent potential for significant return on investment over time. Knox, Anderson, and Cannon counties appear as prime targets based purely on this metric.
- Buyers: While high appreciation is attractive for long-term value, it may also correlate with higher current prices and more competition. Buyers looking for growth should investigate these areas further.
- Sellers: Owning land in a high-appreciation county can be advantageous when selling. Highlight the area's growth trend in your marketing efforts.
The Urban-Rural Price Divide in Tennessee Land Markets
Understanding Land Value Categories Across the State
This chart illustrates the significant price differences between Tennessee's major urban centers, developing suburban areas, and more rural counties. Land values are heavily influenced by location, development intensity, and proximity to metropolitan hubs.
Price Breakdown by Area Type:
- Major Urban ($218,243/acre avg.): Counties containing Tennessee's largest cities (Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga) command the highest prices. Davidson County (Nashville) shows the highest median price in the state at over $574,000 per acre. Land here is valued for its development potential and proximity to economic centers.
- Suburban/Developing ($71,775/acre avg.): Counties adjacent to major metros or containing significant secondary cities (e.g., Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Blount, Montgomery, Washington counties) represent a middle tier. Prices are considerably lower than major urban cores but significantly higher than rural areas. Williamson County leads this category with median prices over $153,000 per acre.
- Rural (~$12,600/acre avg. - sample): This broad category includes most other counties and represents the most affordable land options. Median prices can be found below $10,000 per acre in several counties, such as Hancock County ($7,176/acre), Chester County ($7,758/acre), and McNairy County ($8,547/acre). Values here are often tied to agriculture, recreation, or residential use away from major development.
What This Means For Buyers:
- Budget is Key: Your target location will be heavily influenced by your budget, with prices varying dramatically across these categories.
- Value vs. Access: Rural areas offer the best value per acre, while urban and suburban areas provide greater access to amenities and economic opportunities, but at a much higher cost.
- Investment Focus: Urban land often has the highest long-term appreciation potential due to scarcity, while suburban areas may offer a balance of growth and affordability. Rural land provides entry-level access and potential for recreational or agricultural use.
Tennessee's Land Market Speed: Where Properties Fly vs. Where They Sit
Understanding Days on Market (DOM) Across Counties
Days on Market (DOM) measures the average time from when a property is listed until it goes under contract (pending sale). This chart contrasts the Tennessee counties with the fastest (lowest DOM) and slowest (highest DOM) land markets, based on available pending listing data. Lower DOM indicates a faster-moving market, while higher DOM suggests properties take longer to sell.
Key Insights:
- Extreme Variation: Tennessee's land market speed varies dramatically. Properties in the fastest markets go under contract nearly six times faster than those in the slowest markets.
- Fastest Markets (Under 75 Days): Warren County leads with properties pending in just 44 days on average. Other quick markets include Cannon (51 days), Trousdale (54 days), Marshall (68 days), Bradley (68.5 days), Sumner (69 days), Wilson (70 days), Rutherford (71 days), Knox (72 days), and McNairy (74 days).
- Slowest Markets (Over 160 Days): On the other end, expect significantly longer selling times. Dyer County shows the highest average DOM at 273 days, followed by Obion (260 days), Crockett (255 days), Pickett (213 days), Haywood (200 days), Unicoi (200.5 days), Johnson (179.5 days), Claiborne (175 days), Shelby (170 days), Hawkins (169 days), and Hardin (163 days).
- Urban Mix: Notably, major urban counties like Knox appear among the fastest, while Shelby is among the slowest, indicating factors beyond just population density influence land market speed.
What This Means For Buyers and Sellers:
- Sellers: In fast (green) markets, you can expect quicker sales, potentially with multiple offers. In slow (red) markets, patience, competitive pricing, and potentially offering concessions are key. Factor in longer holding costs.
- Buyers: In fast markets, be prepared with pre-approval and act quickly. You'll likely face competition. In slower markets, you have more time for due diligence and potentially more negotiating leverage on price and terms.
Tennessee's Most Active Land Markets: Supply vs. Demand
Comparing Current Inventory to Annual Sales
This stacked bar chart displays Tennessee's 25 most active land markets by overall volume. It compares the number of currently active listings (blue) with the total number of properties sold in the last 365 days (orange). This provides a clear visual representation of supply (active inventory) versus demand (sales velocity) in each county.
Market Activity Highlights:
- Highest Volume Counties: Cumberland County shows the highest overall activity, followed by Sevier, Hamilton, and Shelby counties. These areas see a large number of both active listings and sales throughout the year.
- Demand Outpacing Supply (Sold > Active): Several high-activity counties show more properties sold in the last year than are currently listed. This suggests strong demand and potentially a seller's market. Notable examples include:
- Knox County (107 active vs. 325 sold)
- Bradley County (184 active vs. 255 sold)
- Jefferson County (232 active vs. 251 sold)
- Greene County (247 active vs. 243 sold - nearly balanced)
- Blount County (254 active vs. 292 sold)
- Monroe County (231 active vs. 239 sold - nearly balanced)
- Sequatchie County (140 active vs. 180 sold)
- Campbell County (168 active vs. 138 sold - slightly more active)
- Supply Potentially Exceeding Demand (Active > Sold): Some active markets have significantly more listings than recent sales, which could indicate a buyer's market or slower absorption rate. Examples include:
- Cumberland County (835 active vs. 472 sold)
- Shelby County (538 active vs. 257 sold)
- Loudon County (354 active vs. 269 sold)
- Davidson County (368 active vs. 192 sold)
- Williamson County (286 active vs. 192 sold)
- Sullivan County (267 active vs. 176 sold)
- Balanced Markets: Some counties show a relative balance between the number of active listings and annual sales, such as Washington County (207 active vs. 210 sold) and Putnam County (284 active vs. 211 sold - leaning towards more active).
Strategic Takeaways:
- Seller Advantage: Markets where sales (orange bar) significantly exceed active listings (blue bar) generally favor sellers due to high demand relative to inventory.
- Buyer Advantage: Markets where active listings greatly surpass annual sales may offer buyers more options and potentially greater negotiating power.
- Market Dynamics: Tracking the ratio of active listings to sold properties over time can indicate whether a market is heating up or cooling down.
Finding Your Sweet Spot: Tennessee Land Pricing Patterns
How Market Activity Influences Price Per Acre
This scatter plot maps Tennessee counties based on their land market dynamics. It compares the median price per acre (vertical axis) against the market's turnover rate (horizontal axis - how quickly properties sell relative to active inventory). Counties are color-coded by type: Major Urban, Suburban/Developing, and Rural. This helps visualize how price and market speed interact across different areas of the state.
Key Patterns Revealed:
- Urban Premiums: Major Urban counties (red dots) generally cluster towards the higher end of the price scale (note the logarithmic scale on the price axis), but show a wide range of market speeds (turnover ratios). Davidson County stands out with the highest price but moderate turnover, while Knox County shows high turnover despite its premium pricing.
- Suburban Mid-Tier: Suburban/Developing counties (blue dots) occupy a broad middle ground in both price and market speed. Some, like Bradley County, show high turnover even with relatively higher prices for this category, while others like Sullivan County have lower turnover and more moderate pricing.
- Rural Diversity: Rural counties (yellow dots) represent the widest range in both price and market speed. Many offer the lowest prices, but activity varies greatly. Some rural counties (like Cannon, Trousdale, Anderson) show very high turnover rates, rivaling urban areas but at significantly lower price points. Others demonstrate slower turnover alongside affordability.
- Price/Speed Relationship: There isn't a simple direct correlation across all counties; high prices don't always mean slow markets, and low prices don't always mean fast markets. However, within categories, tendencies emerge. The most expensive land (Major Urban) doesn't necessarily have the slowest turnover. The fastest turnover rates are found in both very expensive (Knox) and very affordable (Trousdale, Cannon) counties.
Investment Strategy Insights:
- Value & Speed: Look for counties in the lower-right quadrant (high turnover, low price) for potentially faster returns on affordable investments (e.g., Trousdale, Cannon, Hickman).
- Growth & Access: Suburban counties (blue dots) in the mid-to-upper right (higher turnover, moderate-to-high price) might offer a balance of appreciation potential and reasonable market liquidity (e.g., Bradley, Blount, Rutherford).
- Affordability: The bulk of the yellow dots represent the most affordable entry points, but require careful assessment of individual county market speed (turnover).
- Premium Stability: Major Urban counties (red dots), despite high entry costs, may offer long-term stability and appreciation, though turnover varies (compare Davidson vs. Knox).
Tennessee's Top Land Investment Opportunities for 2025
Identifying Counties with Strong Overall Potential
This section highlights Tennessee counties that show promising investment potential by combining key market indicators: affordability (lower price per acre), growth potential (higher appreciation rate), and market liquidity (higher turnover ratio). While a precise weighted index is complex, counties excelling across multiple categories often represent strong opportunities.
The chart below showcases counties identified as having a favorable mix of these factors, based on their performance in the previous analyses. These counties stand out for potentially offering a good balance of value, growth prospects, and the ability to sell within a reasonable timeframe.
Interpreting the Opportunities:
This analysis identifies counties that perform well across different dimensions:
- Top All-Around: Cannon County emerges as a standout, ranking highly for appreciation (#3), turnover (#2), and offering attractive affordability (median price ~$22k).
- Growth & Speed Focused: Anderson County combines top-tier appreciation (#2) with very high turnover (#4), though at a higher price point (~$66k). Coffee County also blends strong turnover (#2) and appreciation (#14) with moderate pricing (~$31k).
- Speed & Value: Counties like Trousdale (#1 Turnover, ~$31k price), Sequatchie (#7 Turnover, ~$19k price), and Hickman (#10 Turnover, ~$12k price) offer fast-moving markets at affordable entry points.
- Growth & Value: Look towards Scott (#5 Appreciation, ~$10k price), Lewis (#11 Appreciation, ~$11k price), Union (#4 Appreciation, ~$30k price), and Meigs (#12 Appreciation, ~$20k price) for potential long-term growth combined with affordability.
- Solid Balance: Counties like Bradley, Blount, McMinn, Grainger, and Hancock also appear favorably when considering combinations of top 20 rankings in appreciation, turnover, and reasonable pricing.
Strategic Insights By Investor Profile:
- Budget-Conscious Investors: Focus on Cannon, Scott, Lewis, Hickman, Sequatchie, and Meigs for low entry costs combined with either strong growth or high liquidity.
- Growth-Focused Investors: Prioritize Cannon, Anderson, Union, Scott, and Coffee for their high appreciation rates, considering the associated price points and turnover.
- Liquidity-Prioritizing Investors: Target Trousdale, Coffee, Anderson, Cannon, Sequatchie, and Hickman, where high turnover suggests faster potential sales.
- Balanced Portfolio Builders: Consider Anderson, Coffee, Blount, Bradley, McMinn, and Grainger for their blend of performance across multiple metrics.
Tennessee's 2025 land market offers opportunities, from the rapidly appreciating land near Knoxville in Knox County to surprisingly affordable rural counties like Scott and Lewis with solid growth potential. Whether you seek quick sales in high-turnover areas like Trousdale County or target long-term value in appreciation hotspots like Cannon County, understanding these county-specific dynamics is vital for making informed land investment decisions in the Volunteer State. For investors looking to diversify across the Southeast, exploring our Georgia land market trends analysis, South Carolina land market evaulation, and North Carolina land market analysis and trends can reveal additional regional insights and investment avenues.
