Portland - OR vs Nashville - TN: 2026 Housing Comparison

What this means for buyers

Portland - OR is roughly 20% more expensive than Nashville - TN in typical home value. Homes sit on market longer in Nashville - TN (39 days vs 23), suggesting more buyer leverage there.

Portland vs Nashville: what the numbers say

At today's 7.24% average 30-year rate with 20% down, the typical home would cost about $2,941 a month in principal and interest in Portland and $2,447 in Nashville, a gap of $493 a month.

Typical rent runs $1,803 in Portland and $1,803 in Nashville, so the mortgage payment alone is 1.6 times rent in Portland and 1.4 times rent in Nashville, before taxes and insurance.

Home prices are 24.9 years of rent in Portland 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 -1.4% in Portland and -0.7% in Nashville; over just the last three months the change was +0.3% in Portland and -0.0% in Nashville.

Homes sell for 99.7% of list price in Portland and 97.8% in Nashville, after 23 and 39 days on the market, with price cuts on 32% and 34% of listings. All three signs point the same way: buyers have more room to negotiate in Nashville.

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

Payments assume a 30-year fixed loan at the Freddie Mac weekly average rate (2026-10-29), 20% down, principal and interest only. Home values, rents and market figures are Zillow Research metro data.