Property tax in Chester County, Tennessee
The median property tax bill in Chester County, Tennessee is $856 a year, which is about 0.52% of the county's median home value of $164,400. That effective rate is higher than the typical Tennessee county (0.47%) and lower than the national median (0.81%). These are American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024); your own bill depends on your home's assessed value and any exemptions.
Estimate the property tax on a home in Chester County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Chester County's average effective rate of 0.52% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $855 / year
Property tax in Chester County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $856 |
| Median home value | $164,400 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.52% |
| Typical Tennessee county rate | 0.47% |
| National median county rate | 0.81% |
Effective rate = median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
How does Chester County compare in Tennessee?
Among Tennessee's 95 counties, Chester County has the 25th highest effective property-tax rate: 24 rank higher and 70 rank lower. That is on the higher side for Tennessee. Nationally, it ranks 2583rd of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Tennessee county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Chester County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Chester County's 4,850 owner-occupied homes, 2.1% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 9.6% pay at least $2,000, and 45.4% pay under $800. Another 4% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 2,204 | 45.4% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 1,536 | 31.7% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 449 | 9.3% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 364 | 7.5% |
| $3,000 or more | 103 | 2.1% |
| No property tax paid | 194 | 4% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $1,003 and owners without one pay $760. Owners who have paid off a home have usually held it longer, and in states that cap how fast an existing owner's assessment can rise, long-held homes carry lower assessed values. Census table B25103.
How does the Chester County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $856 is about 1.2% of the median income of Chester County homeowner households, $72,112 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 75.4% of Chester County's occupied homes are lived in by their owners; renters pay property tax too, just folded into rent.
Have property taxes gone up in Chester County?
The survey cannot tell. The median bill was $742 in 2015-2019 and $856 in 2020-2024, but that $114 difference is inside the Census's own margin of error for a county this size, so it could be sampling noise rather than a real change.
Two Census ACS 5-year periods with no survey years in common, in each period's own dollars. A change counts only if it exceeds the combined 90% margin of error.
Property tax in counties next to Chester County
Chester County borders 5 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardeman County, TN | 0.63% | $764 | $121,700 |
| Madison County, TN | 0.56% | $1,185 | $211,800 |
| Chester County, TN (this county) | 0.52% | $856 | $164,400 |
| Henderson County, TN | 0.48% | $794 | $164,800 |
| Hardin County, TN | 0.41% | $658 | $160,400 |
| McNairy County, TN | 0.38% | $619 | $161,800 |
How is a home assessed in Chester County?
Tennessee assesses homes at 25% of market value in every county, Chester County included. How Tennessee assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Chester County?
No. Tennessee has no general homestead exemption; relief comes through the state Tax Relief program and the local-option Tax Freeze. That is the Tennessee rule, and it applies in Chester County. Tennessee's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Chester County?
One annual bill from the county trustee, due the first Monday in October. You can pay without interest through the end of February; anything unpaid on March 1 is delinquent and accrues interest and penalty monthly.
That is the Tennessee rule. Chester County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Chester County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the County Board of Equalization, then the State Board of Equalization. The filing deadline is typically August 1, or 45 days after the county board's notice, whichever is later. That is the Tennessee rule; Chester County sets the exact dates and forms. The Tennessee appeal process step by step.
Tennessee rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Tennessee page.
Work out your own numbers
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How much house can I afford?
Your income, debts and down payment against the 28/36 rule lenders actually use, with Chester County's tax rate to hand.
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Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment with principal, interest, tax and insurance, plus what an extra payment saves you.
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Tennessee income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Tennessee actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Chester County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Chester County, Tennessee: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020-2024), tables B25103, B25077, B25102, B25119 and B25003; the five-year comparison uses the 2015-2019 estimates. Neighboring counties: Census county adjacency file.