Clarksville TN Rental Property: Rents, Renters and Fort Campbell Pay

Clarksville TN rental property makes up a larger share of the city's housing than in Montgomery County as a whole, according to Census Bureau figures, with about 44% of the city's occupied homes rented. For an investor, the city's numbers and the military housing allowance paid at nearby Fort Campbell are two starting points for judging what a rental might earn.

Clarksville TN rental property by the numbers

Place	Population, July 2025	Growth since April 2020	Owner-occupied rate	Median home value	Median gross rent
Clarksville	188,829	13.2%	55.6%	$263,600	$1,307
Montgomery County	249,935	13.6%	61.9%	$280,200	$1,308

Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts. Population: Vintage 2025 estimates. Housing: American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates. Median home value is for owner-occupied housing units.

Clarksville's owner-occupied rate of 55.6% means about 44% of its occupied homes are rented, compared with about 38% for the county including the city. Median gross rent, which includes utilities paid by the tenant, was about the same in the city and the county, at roughly $1,300 a month.

Montgomery County authorized 2,723 new housing units by building permit in 2025, including 1,001 in buildings with five or more units, according to the Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey. Most of those permits were for single-family homes, but the apartment units add to the rental supply that landlords of houses and small rentals compete with.

Fort Campbell housing allowance rates for 2026

Service members at Fort Campbell who live off post receive a Basic Allowance for Housing set by the Defense Department for the Fort Campbell, Ky., military housing area. The 2026 monthly rates include:

Pay grade	With dependents	Without dependents
E-1 to E-4	$1,743	$1,470
E-5	$1,815	$1,593
E-6	$2,100	$1,671
O-3	$2,496	$1,995

Source: Defense Travel Management Office, 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rates, military housing area KY106 (Fort Campbell, Ky.), effective Jan. 1, 2026.

The allowance is tied to the service member's duty station, not the address of the home they rent, and it is meant to reflect local rental and utility costs. It is a benchmark for what a military household has to spend, not a rent any particular property will command, and it resets each January.

How a lender looks at a Clarksville rental

On a debt service coverage ratio loan, a lender generally compares a property's rent, from a lease or an appraiser's market-rent estimate, with its monthly payment, taxes, insurance and any association dues. Requirements vary by lender. The Iron Hill Brief's report on Nashville fair market rent covers HUD's rent benchmarks for the region, including Clarksville, and the overview of DSCR loans explains how the program works for Tennessee rentals. The Brief's Montgomery County market report covers recent home sales in the Clarksville area.

Working on a Tennessee rental? Talk with an Iron Hill loan advisor: text Ashley at 615-949-4780 or book a time here. Iron Hill Mortgage | NMLS #1946451.

Business-purpose loans for investment property only. Not for personal, family or household use. Subject to approval. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Clarksville city, Tennessee; Montgomery County, Tennessee (Vintage 2025 population estimates; American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates; accessed Oct. 30, 2026): https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/clarksvillecitytennessee,montgomerycountytennessee/HSG445224
• U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, County ASCII file, 2025 annual (accessed Oct. 30, 2026): https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/County/co2025a.txt
• Defense Travel Management Office, Basic Allowance for Housing rate lookup, 2026 rates (accessed Oct. 30, 2026): https://www.travel.dod.mil/allowances/basic-allowance-for-housing/bah-rate-lookup/