Jackson, TN
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
affordable
Price to income
2.87×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Tennessee
- 3.49×-0.62
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×-0.56
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
moderate
Rent to income
25.7%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Tennessee
- 24.3%
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
deal-by-deal
Cap rate proxy
5.83%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Tennessee
- 4.45%+1.38
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%+1.48
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
steady
Net migration
+0.03%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Tennessee
- 0.14%
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%=
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
normal
Permit pipeline
2.21
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs Tennessee
- 5.48
- vs U.S.
- 3.53
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
healthy
Unemployment
3.9%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Tennessee
- 3.7%
- vs U.S.
- 4.5%-0.6
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
balanced buyer mix
Investor loan share
13.0%
1,887 purchase loans · 24.3% denial rate · 2024
Share of financed home purchases going to investors. Above ~15% means landlords are outbidding owner-occupants; below ~8% is owner-dominated.
Benchmark
Investor purchase loans ÷ all purchase loans (CFPB HMDA LAR, annual)
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+73.0%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+2.0%
Median home value
$168,600
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $960 | $11,520 | 19.6% |
| 2 BR | $1,260 | $15,120 | 25.7% |
| 3 BR | $1,677 | $20,124 | 34.3% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
3.9%
Median household income
$58,740
What's being built
Total TTM
400
+10.9% YoY
Single-family
388
2–4 unit
12
5+ unit
0
All 4 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | 98,644 | $189,700 | $58,189 | 235 | +17.5% |
| Gibson County | 50,455 | $149,700 | $59,009 | 129 | +1.6% |
| Chester County | 17,392 | $155,200 | $60,543 | 11 | |
| Crockett County | 13,955 | $134,100 | $59,049 | 25 | +13.6% |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Jackson | 180,446 | $58,740 | 2.87× | 5.83% | +73.0% | 2.21 | 3.9% |
| Joplin, MO | 181,807 | $60,146 | — | — | +61.8% | — | 3.1% |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | 175,126 | $58,991 | — | — | +55.0% | — | 2.1% |
| El Centro, CA | 179,578 | $56,393 | — | — | +60.2% | — | 18.6% |
| Hattiesburg, MS | 172,176 | $59,008 | — | — | +50.6% | — | 2.8% |
| Saginaw, MI | 189,821 | $58,347 | — | — | +54.1% | — | 6.0% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
+57
+0.03% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Madison County, TN | 574 |
| Gibson County, TN | 373 |
| Shelby County, TN | 206 |
| Henderson County, TN | 168 |
| Crockett County, TN | 157 |
| Dyer County, TN | 140 |
Who lives in Jackson
- Median age
- 39
- Bachelor's+
- 22.6%
- Owner-occupancy
- 65.4%
- Vacancy rate
- 10.4%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 45.8%
- Median household income
- $58,740
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.
Data sources
| Metric | Source | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| rent vs buy | HUD FMR + Census ACS + FRED MORTGAGE30US | current FY |