Real Estate Investing in Limestone, Tennessee (37681)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Washington County • Population: 6,031 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 37681 (Limestone, TN)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (54/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
2 flags
  • Elevated vacancy: 9.1% vacancy may signal weakening demand.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 27.4 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

• Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Limestone, TN (37681)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $298,957
Avg Monthly Rent $909
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $49,844
% Renters 14.0%

Market Analysis: 37681 Limestone

ZIP 37681 inside Washington County looks affordable on the surface — median value of $299K — but the discount exists for reasons that a careful buyer should understand before committing.

The 37681 ZIP can work — but only with a tight operating hand. Remote landlords and passive investors tend to struggle here more than the underwriting suggests.

Within TN, ZIP 37681 trails on several market indicators that neighboring Washington County submarkets outperform. The gap is real and significant enough to shape underwriting.

Resident income in 37681 sits below the county median. That reality colors rent collection, vacancy, and reinvestment math in ways that outside investors often underestimate.

looks to the ZIP is not uninvestable, but it is unforgiving. Section 8 landlords, local operators, and specialized value-add funds are the investor types that tend to succeed.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Limestone:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 66/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
9/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 6× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+3.8%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $909/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Johnson City, TN Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
40 days
Average time to sell
Average
12.4%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Johnson City, TN metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$313K$272K$230K$188K$146K$104KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 37681 Compare?

Metric 37681 Limestone Johnson City, TN Tennessee
Home Value $298,957 $298,957 N/A $327,001
5-Year CAGR 6.6% 6.6% N/A 7.7%
Avg Rent $909 $909 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.4% 2.4% - -
💡 Why Invest in 37681? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 37681 (Limestone, TN). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.4%
Low
5yr Growth
+6.6%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Johnson City, TN metro

2/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
2/3
64%
Days Pending
0/2
40 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $298,957
Monthly Rent $909
Price-to-Rent 27.4:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.7%
Cap Rate 2.4%
5-Year IRR 9.0%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +3.8% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.6% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.6% ▲
10-Year CAGR +7.4% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.4%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.4%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
9.1%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.6%
Growing
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 37681

Population: 6,031

💰 Median Household Income
$49,844
This area
$49,844
State
$60,881
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
14.0%
This area
14.0%
State
25.6%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
0.6%
This area
0.6%
State
-22.2%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
15.4%
This area
15.4%
State
-6.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
47.9 years
This area
47.9 years
State
9.9 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
9.1%
This area
9.1%
State
15.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 96.5%
Other/Mixed 2.7%
Hispanic/Latino 1.4%
Black/African American 0.7%
Asian 0.1%
👶 Under 18
19.3%
This area
19.3%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
30.5%
This area
30.5%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
10.3%
This area
10.3%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 37681

B Avg School Grade
1 Schools
10.1:1 Avg Class Size
$10,975 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

B Good

West View School

📚 K – 08 School
👥
288 Students
👨‍🏫
10.1:1 Class Size
💰
$10,975 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

2 Nearby 1,929 Off-Campus Students
C
Tusculum University
1,200 students · 9.4 mi
C+
East Tennessee State University
13,586 students · 14.8 mi

Investor Insight: With 1,929 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Limestone, TN a good market for buy-and-hold investors?

Our data puts Limestone, TN at 3.0/5 for investability. Home prices of $299K and rents around $909/mo create a solid backdrop for investor activity.

Do landlords face vacancy issues in Limestone, TN?

Expect elevated vacancy in Limestone, TN. Rents at $909/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.

What are home prices like in Limestone, TN?

Median home price in Limestone, TN is near $299K, with a 5-year CAGR of 0.0%. Prices have been steady and supportive of buy-and-hold strategies.

Can I house hack in Limestone, TN?

Limestone, TN is a a challenging market for house hackers. FHA or conventional owner-occupant buyers find the $299K price point reasonable to enter.

What monthly rent should investors expect in Limestone, TN?

Average rent in Limestone, TN is approximately $909/mo per month. Against $299K home values that yields a reasonable rent-to-price ratio.

You know 37681 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 37681 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 37681 ranks in Johnson City, TN

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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