Last updated: October 7, 2026
Data through August 2026 (home values), June 2026 (Realtor.com listing trends), and September 24, 2026 (mortgage rates).
Fentress County’s housing market is settling into a healthier rhythm. The county’s typical home value rose 3.1% year over year to $249,713 as of August 2026 (Zillow Home Value Index), while the median list price climbed 10.6% to about $350,000 and active inventory expanded 11.5% to 494 homes (Realtor.com). Sales volume is thin — roughly 24 closings a month across the county — so individual high-end closings (including a $2.8M estate sale near Jamestown) can swing the reported median sale price sharply; Redfin pegged the 3-month median sale price at $343,849, up 47% on that mix. Strip out the outliers and the county is looking at steady, single-digit appreciation — not a bubble, and not a crash.
Fentress County at a glance
- Typical home value: $249,713 ▲ +3.1% year over year (Aug 2026, Zillow)
- Median list price: ~$350,000 ▲ +10.6% year over year (Jun 2026, Realtor.com)
- Active inventory: 494 homes ▲ +11.5% year over year — the most choice for buyers in years
- Days to pending: ~59 countywide (Zillow); median 71 days on market (Realtor.com)
- Under asking: homes sold for ~94–95% of list — about 5–6% off asking, with only 8.8% of sales going above list
ZIP-by-ZIP trends
| ZIP | Community | Typical Value (Aug 2026) | 1-Yr Change | Median List (Jun 2026) | Days to Pending | Active Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38556 | Jamestown | $235,491 | ▲ +2.8% | $349,900 | ~79 | 354 |
| 38553 | Clarkrange | $289,237 | — | $317,400 | 50 | 32 |
| 38504 | Allardt | $251,515 | ▲ ~+9.7% | $369,900 | 52–63 | 29 |
| 38565 | Grimsley | $266,625 | ▲ ~+7.0% | $382,000 | 53 | 16 |
| 38589 | Wilder | $233,915 | — | — | — | 44 |
Sources: Zillow Home Value Index (Aug 31, 2026), Realtor.com market data and PropertyIQ (Jun 2026). Annual change is not separately published for Clarkrange and Wilder; both track the broader county trend. Allardt and Grimsley 1-yr change figures come from Zillow-based PropertyIQ indices.
How Fentress compares: Crossville & Cumberland County
Cumberland County remains the pricier neighbor — and the gap is a reminder of what Fentress offers. Cumberland’s typical home value is $308,039, about 23% above Fentress’s $249,713, and Crossville’s median list price runs ~$399K versus ~$350K countywide in Fentress (Realtor.com). Cumberland’s median sale price was about $340K, up 15.2% year over year (Redfin, 3 months through Aug 2026). The two counties’ reported sale medians are close right now only because Fentress’s thin sales volume was pulled up by a handful of high-end closings — on a typical-value basis, Fentress is the clear value play in the Upper Cumberland.
Land market: Near Big South Fork & across the Plateau
Fentress sits at the heart of the Upper Cumberland’s most affordable acreage. Recreational and homesite tracts near the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area typically price from the low thousands to roughly $8,000 an acre, with build-ready parcels (paved frontage, passing perc test, building site) at the top of that range and landlocked or steep tracts below $2,000 an acre (Perspective Properties). Recent Big South Fork-area listings illustrate the spread: ~$10K/acre for 2–12-acre cabin and homesite tracts bordering or near the park (e.g., 9.93 acres at $104,900, 11.5 acres at $115,000), versus ~$3.8K–$6K/acre for 45–95-acre timber and recreation tracts (e.g., 49.85 acres at $189,900, 93.77 acres at $421,965). USDA pegs Tennessee farm real estate at $6,150 an acre (2025, +7.7% YoY). Before making an offer, verify legal access, septic-friendly soils, and whether a parcel is enrolled in Tennessee’s Greenbelt program — a Greenbelt rollback can add thousands at closing.
What this means for buyers & sellers
Buyers: you now have real choices — 494 homes is up 11.5% from a year ago — and real negotiating room (average sale-to-list of 94–95%). The trade-off is financing: the 30-year fixed rate averaged 7.03% the week of September 24, 2026, up from 6.30% a year earlier (Freddie Mac PMMS). At that rate, a $350,000 home carries a principal-and-interest payment of about $2,336/mo; at Fentress’s typical value of ~$250K it’s about $1,666/mo. Prices aren’t dropping — well-priced homes still move — so waiting for a discount usually just means paying more later.
Sellers: price it right from day one. With 21.9% of Fentress listings taking a price cut in the last quarter (Redfin), overpriced homes sit while realistic ones sell — most within 50–79 days depending on the community. Staging, photos, and an accurate assessment of what similar homes actually closed for matter more than ever in a 94–95% sale-to-list market.
The bottom line
Fentress County is a balanced, slow-and-steady market: single-digit appreciation across most ZIPs, more inventory, and buyers negotiating 5–6% off asking. Mortgage rates above 7% are the main drag on demand — but for anyone planning to live, retire, or build in the Upper Cumberland, Fentress remains one of Tennessee’s most affordable counties, with land prices around the Big South Fork among the best values in East Tennessee.
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Disclaimer: Data compiled from public sources including the Zillow Home Value Index (August 31, 2026), Realtor.com Economic Research (June 2026), Redfin (three months ending August 2026), PropertyIQ (June 2026), Perspective Properties, USDA, and the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (week ending September 24, 2026). Figures are for general information only, may be revised by the underlying sources, and are not a guarantee of value or performance. Transaction volume in Fentress County is small; medians can swing on individual sales. Contact Team Denehy for current, listing-specific data.