VA Loans in Tennessee
Tennessee VA buyers are shopping in very different markets, from Clarksville and Fort Campbell to the higher-cost counties around Nashville, Memphis and NSA Mid-South, and the East Tennessee markets around Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Johnson City. An eligible buyer with full entitlement can purchase with $0 down and no monthly mortgage insurance, but the county still matters because Tennessee has two different 2026 conforming loan limits.
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Why Does the Tennessee County Matter More Around Nashville?
Most Tennessee counties use the 2026 baseline conforming loan limit, but the amount is higher in Davidson County and 13 surrounding counties included in the Nashville-area high-cost market. You do not need to memorize the list because the county lookup below gives you the correct one-unit amount for the property.
Most of Tennessee
This amount applies in 81 counties, including Montgomery, Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, Sullivan, Washington, and Coffee counties.
Nashville-area high-cost counties
This amount applies in 14 counties, including Davidson, Rutherford, Williamson, Wilson, Sumner, Robertson, and Maury counties.
Select a state and county to see the official FHFA figure.
Data comes from the FHFA 2026 county limits and VA entitlement guidance. Use the one-unit limit even when the property has more than one unit.
The FHFA sets the conforming loan limits by county each year. This isn’t something that changes depending on your lender. Please keep in mind that the conforming loan limit isn’t the actual limit for the loan amount the VA will approve. It is only the limit for a conforming loan, anything over this amount would be considered a high-balance loan.
Talk through the numbers
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What Can Tennessee Leave in Your Monthly Budget?
Tennessee does not have a state individual income tax, and it also has a property-tax relief program for qualifying disabled Veterans and eligible surviving spouses. The property-tax program is reimbursement rather than a blanket exemption, so it should not be entered into a mortgage payment estimate until the local application has been approved and the actual relief is known.
Wages and military retirement pay
Tennessee does not tax wages or military retirement pay at the state level. The former Hall income tax on interest and dividends was repealed for tax periods beginning in 2021.
Disabled Veteran property-tax relief
For an eligible primary residence, Tennessee may reimburse some or all of the property tax paid on the first $175,000 of market value. The homeowner still receives the tax bill, and the relief depends on the assessment and local tax rate.
Review your estimate
Want the payment checked against your actual file?
A VA specialist can review the purchase price, entitlement, taxes, insurance, and lender options with you before you make an offer.
Thinking of refinancing?
Want to go over your VA refinance options?
Complete the form and one of our VA specialists will call you to go over your options.
What Do Tennessee Borrowers Ask Before Choosing a Home?
Which Tennessee counties use the $1,029,250 conforming loan limit in 2026?
The $1,029,250 one-unit conforming loan limit applies in Cannon, Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Hickman, Macon, Maury, Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson, and Wilson counties. The other 81 Tennessee counties use $832,750, and the county lookup on this page will confirm the amount for the property you are considering.
Is $1,029,250 the maximum VA loan amount in the Nashville area?
No. $1,029,250 is the 2026 one-unit conforming loan limit in the 14 Tennessee counties included in the Nashville-area high-cost market. It is not the maximum loan amount the VA will approve, and a VA loan above the county amount would be considered a high-balance loan.
Does Tennessee tax military retirement pay?
Tennessee does not have a state individual income tax, so military retirement pay and wages are not taxed by the state. The Hall income tax on interest and dividends was repealed for tax periods beginning January 1, 2021, or later.
How does Tennessee property-tax relief work for a disabled Veteran?
Tennessee may reimburse some or all of the property taxes paid on the first $175,000 of the primary residence’s market value for a qualifying disabled Veteran or eligible surviving spouse. The amount depends on the property assessment and local tax rate, and the homeowner still receives and is responsible for the tax bill. Applications go through the local County Trustee or city collecting official.
Can I use a VA loan near Fort Campbell if the property is in Tennessee?
Yes, VA eligibility is federal, and we lend throughout Tennessee, including Clarksville and the communities near Fort Campbell. We pull the Certificate of Eligibility (COE), review the Tennessee property, and use the county where the home is located for the conforming loan limit and local tax estimate.
What credit score is needed for a Tennessee VA loan?
The VA does not set a minimum credit score, but most lenders require a score above 620. At PBT Bancorp, we have the ability to go as low as 500 on cash-out and purchase loans, and our VA IRRRL program has a No Minimum Credit Score option.
Ready to Buy, Build, or Refinance in Tennessee?
Complete the callback form or call us at 800-697-4371, and one of our VA specialists will go over your options. We can pull your COE and compare qualifying programs from more than 35 wholesale lenders.
This page was reviewed July 14, 2026, using the sources listed below. The $0 down and no monthly mortgage insurance information comes from the VA purchase loan guide. The conforming loan limits come from the FHFA 2026 county table, and the loan-limit explanation is consistent with VA home loan guidance. Tennessee income-tax information comes from the Tennessee Department of Revenue, and the repeal of the Hall income tax is confirmed on the Department’s Hall Income Tax page. Disabled Veteran property-tax information comes from the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury and the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services.
Send your name, email, and phone. A VA loan specialist will call you back and point you in the right direction. No credit pull. What should we help you check? Thanks. We will call you back shortly. Prefer not to wait? Call 800-697-4371 or text us at (800) 697-4371.Speak with a VA loan specialist about your loan options.