Why does down payment vary across Tennessee?

Home prices vary widely; a 12% down payment scales with the local median. Owner financing often accepts less.

Yes, owner-finance deals commonly land in the 10-20% range. Conventional underwriting usually wants 20% to avoid PMI.

Can I find lower-down options?

Browse low-down-payment homes by city, many owner-finance and lease-option deals sit under 10%.

Buyer authority TN

Estimated owner-finance down payment by city in Tennessee.

Down payments scale with home prices but flex by financing type. This ranks Tennessee cities by an estimated typical down payment on an owner-financed or low-down deal (12% of estimated median home value). This is a modeled directional comparison, not a survey of actual closings.

Last updated September 2026

Tennessee ranking

50 cities ranked. Click any row for the matching local page.

#	City	Est. typical down payment	Score
1	Brentwood	$60,400	42	View →
2	Germantown	$58,900	43	View →
3	Franklin	$53,800	49	View →
4	Collierville	$53,600	49	View →
5	Signal Mountain	$50,900	52	View →
6	Arlington	$50,500	53	View →
7	Hendersonville	$46,600	57	View →
8	Ooltewah	$46,800	57	View →
9	Nolensville	$46,800	57	View →
10	Mount Juliet	$46,000	58	View →
11	Cordova	$44,800	59	View →
12	Thompsons Station	$44,500	59	View →
13	Spring Hill	$42,800	61	View →
14	Nashville	$41,200	63	View →
15	Atoka	$41,400	63	View →
16	Murfreesboro	$40,000	64	View →
17	Oak Ridge	$40,400	64	View →
18	Hixson	$39,500	65	View →
19	Oakland	$38,900	66	View →
20	Knoxville	$37,300	67	View →
21	Smyrna	$37,900	67	View →
22	Gallatin	$37,700	67	View →
23	Soddy Daisy	$37,700	67	View →
24	Lebanon	$36,700	68	View →
25	Lenoir City	$36,800	68	View →
26	Goodlettsville	$35,500	69	View →
27	Powell	$35,900	69	View →
28	Old Hickory	$36,000	69	View →
29	Harrison	$36,100	69	View →
30	Memphis	$34,700	70	View →
31	Clarksville	$34,600	70	View →
32	Hermitage	$34,800	70	View →
33	La Vergne	$35,300	70	View →
34	Millington	$35,200	70	View →
35	Jonesborough	$35,300	70	View →
36	White House	$34,700	70	View →
37	Greenbrier	$35,400	70	View →
38	Johnson City	$32,900	72	View →
39	Loudon	$33,000	72	View →
40	Fairview	$33,600	72	View →
41	Brighton	$33,100	72	View →
42	Munford	$33,100	72	View →
43	Joelton	$32,900	72	View →
44	Antioch	$32,400	73	View →
45	Maryville	$32,200	73	View →
46	Seymour	$32,000	73	View →
47	Springfield	$31,000	74	View →
48	Kingston	$31,300	74	View →
49	Blountville	$31,700	74	View →
50	Jackson	$30,800	75	View →

Methodology

Estimated down = 12% of estimated median home value (representative of owner-financed and low-down deals). Conventional loans typically require 20%; FHA can be 3.5%. Use as a directional comparison.

FAQ

Why does down payment vary across Tennessee?: Home prices vary widely; a 12% down payment scales with the local median. Owner financing often accepts less.
Is 12% realistic?: Yes, owner-finance deals commonly land in the 10-20% range. Conventional underwriting usually wants 20% to avoid PMI.
Can I find lower-down options?: Browse low-down-payment homes by city, many owner-finance and lease-option deals sit under 10%.