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Johnson City, TN

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Johnson City, TN is $1,132 per month, ranking #461 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $56,096, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 24.2% of income on housing. Rent in Johnson City has increased 5.8% year over year. The area has a population of 209K, with 32.2% of households renting.

24.2%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,132
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$56,096
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$888
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+5.8%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
209K
Population
Census ACS
32.2%
Renters
of occupied housing
$199,100
Median Home Value
10.1%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
16.3%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$887
Studio
$893
1 Bedroom
$1,132
2 Bedroom
$1,398
3 Bedroom
$1,548
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Johnson City, TN, a household earning the area median income of $56,096 would spend 24.2% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$45,280
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$22
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$888
$244 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+50.5% since 2021
$7522021$7812022$8752023$1,0702024$1,1192025$1,1322026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Tennessee is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 120.1 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Johnson City is 16.3%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
120.1 hrs
Poverty Rate
16.3%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Johnson City is $199,100. At a median income of $56,096, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.5x. 10.1% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,394 est. mortgage
vs $1,132 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
10.1%
of housing units

Other Areas in Tennessee

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
$1,730/mo
2BR FMR · 25.2% burden
Knoxville
$1,471/mo
2BR FMR · 25.3% burden
Chattanooga
$1,390/mo
2BR FMR · 24.3% burden
Maury County
$1,349/mo
2BR FMR · 21.8% burden
Clarksville
$1,346/mo
2BR FMR · 24.4% burden

Compare Johnson City

vs Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNvs Knoxville, TNvs Chattanooga, TN

Areas With Similar Rent to Johnson City

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Johnson City, TN is $1,132 per month. A studio is $887/mo, a 1-bedroom is $893/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,398/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $888/mo.

Johnson City has a rent burden of 24.2%, meaning a household earning the median income of $56,096 would spend 24.2% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $45,280.

Johnson City's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,132/mo is $118 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Johnson City ranks #461 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Johnson City without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $45,280, or a full-time hourly wage of $22/hour. The area median income is $56,096.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Johnson City increased by 5.8% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.