Austin - TX vs Nashville - TN: 2026 Housing Comparison

What this means for buyers

Nashville - TN is roughly 8% more expensive than Austin - TX in typical home value. Homes sit on market longer in Austin - TX (60 days vs 39), suggesting more buyer leverage there. Nashville - TN sees more listings with price cuts (34.2% vs 30.1%), a sign of softening seller expectations.

Austin vs Nashville: what the numbers say

At today's 7.40% average 30-year rate with 20% down, the typical home would cost about $2,295 a month in principal and interest in Austin and $2,486 in Nashville, a gap of $192 a month.

Typical rent runs $1,603 in Austin and $1,803 in Nashville, so the mortgage payment alone is 1.4 times rent in Austin and 1.4 times rent in Nashville, before taxes and insurance.

Home prices are 21.5 years of rent in Austin and 20.7 in Nashville; the lower ratio in Nashville means buying there is cheaper relative to renting.

Over the last 23 months typical values moved -9.8% in Austin and -0.7% in Nashville; over just the last three months the change was -0.1% in Austin and -0.0% in Nashville.

Homes sell for 97.3% of list price in Austin and 97.8% in Nashville, after 60 and 39 days on the market, with price cuts on 30% and 34% of listings. The signs are mixed: Austin has longer time on the market and sales further below list, while Nashville has more price cuts.

The number of homes for sale is down 3% on a year ago in Austin and up 10% on a year ago in Nashville.

Payments assume a 30-year fixed loan at the Freddie Mac weekly average rate (2026-10-15), 20% down, principal and interest only. Home values, rents and market figures are Zillow Research metro data.