Tims Ford Lake Property Tax by County

How Tennessee Property Tax Works

Tennessee assesses residential property at 25% of appraised market value. That assessed value is multiplied by the tax rate — expressed as dollars per $100 of assessed value — set by the county commission and any applicable city. Tennessee has no state property tax. The full burden goes to county and, where applicable, city governments. For Tims Ford buyers, the county is almost always Franklin County; the city question is whether the specific parcel falls inside Winchester, Tullahoma, Decherd, Estill Springs, or Lynchburg city limits — each of which carries an additional city rate.

Franklin County Rate Table

Note: City rates for Tullahoma, Decherd, Estill Springs, and Lynchburg may also apply to properties within those respective city limits. Franklin County IDB confirms the 2024 county rate of $1.7185 and the outside-city-limits combined rate of $1.9953; verify with the Franklin County Trustee for current fiscal year figures.

The City vs County Gap: Real Dollars

The $720 annual gap between a $500,000 home outside Winchester city limits ($2,494) and inside Winchester ($3,214) is a meaningful carrying-cost difference over a typical ownership period. Over 10 years, that difference amounts to $7,200. Over 20 years, $14,400. For buyers comparing two otherwise equivalent Tims Ford lakefront properties, one inside Winchester and one in unincorporated Franklin County, the city tax burden is a legitimate factor in the analysis — not a footnote.

The practical reality: most Tims Ford lakefront falls outside any city limits. The lake stretches well beyond Winchester's city boundary in both directions, and the majority of waterfront properties in the communities around the lake — near Tims Ford State Park, in the coves south of Winchester, and in the Decherd and Estill Springs areas — are unincorporated Franklin County. Confirm the specific address with the Franklin County Trustee (931-967-2928) before any final cost modeling.

Moore County: Small Footprint, Separate Rate

Moore County holds a small portion of the Tims Ford shoreline near the upper end of the reservoir. Moore County is most famous as the county where Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey is produced in Lynchburg — a dry county with notable irony. The Moore County tax rate requires direct verification with the Moore County Trustee before any property purchase, as the county's very small total assessment base means its rate can differ meaningfully from Franklin County. Moore County Trustee: 931-759-7030.

Named Tims Ford Area — Abner Mansfield Tims

A note on why the dam and lake are named "Tims Ford": the name honors an early ford crossing of the Elk River located on or near land owned by Abner Mansfield Tims, an early Franklin County settler. The ford was used for river crossings until approximately 1885 when the Tims Ford Bridge was constructed. TVA named the dam and resulting reservoir to preserve this piece of Franklin County history when the reservoir was completed in 1970. The lake's name is often misunderstood as referencing a car (as in a Ford truck) — it commemorates a local settler and a historic river crossing.

Tennessee Senior Tax Relief

Tennessee's Property Tax Relief Program provides state-funded reimbursement of a portion of property taxes for qualifying homeowners 65 and older with total household income at or below $37,780 (2025 program year). The homeowner must own and occupy the property as their primary residence. The reimbursement is paid directly to the county trustee and credited against the tax bill — the homeowner never sees the money flow; they simply pay the reduced net amount. Franklin County Trustee administers the program locally: 931-967-2928. Applications are due by April 5 for the prior year's taxes. For retirees who qualify, this program meaningfully reduces the effective annual property tax burden at Tims Ford.

Comparing Tims Ford to Other TN Lake Markets

Franklin County's $1.9953/$100 rate (outside city) places Tims Ford in the middle tier of Tennessee lake-county tax rates — higher than Campbell County on Norris Lake ($1.2156) and Rhea County on Watts Bar ($1.3486), but lower than Claiborne County on Norris ($2.48) and most Knox County city-property combined rates. For buyers doing a cross-lake comparison, Tims Ford's tax burden is not particularly low by Tennessee standards — it is moderate, reflecting a more developed county seat (Winchester) with a broader service infrastructure than some of the more rural lake counties in East Tennessee.

Franklin County Reappraisal Cycle

Tennessee counties reappraise property values on a four-year cycle under state law. Franklin County's most recent reappraisal schedule should be confirmed with the Franklin County Assessor of Property (931-967-3869) before any purchase, as the reappraisal year determines whether the current assessed value is current or potentially stale. In a reappraisal year, assessed values are updated to reflect current market values, and the county commission adopts a new certified tax rate. If you are purchasing in the year or two following a Franklin County reappraisal, the assessed value and the rate you see in the listing reflect the most current information. If the county is approaching the end of a four-year cycle without a recent reappraisal, assessed values may be below current market values — which can mean your effective tax burden post-purchase is lower than the listing suggests until the next reappraisal adjusts values upward. Unlike Knox County (2026 reappraisal with 50% value increases expected), Franklin County was not on the 2025 or 2026 statewide reappraisal cycle — confirm the current year's status with the county assessor directly.

Tennessee allows property owners to appeal their assessed value if they believe it does not reflect fair market value. The appeal process begins with an informal meeting with the county assessor, then proceeds to the County Board of Equalization if unresolved. For lakefront properties where values are more volatile than the general residential market — due to water-level changes, dock condition, and shoreline character — having an independent appraisal from a certified Tennessee appraiser who specializes in lakefront properties is the most effective basis for a successful appeal. Franklin County lakefront-specific appraisers are available through the Tennessee Certified General Appraiser directory at the Tennessee Real Estate Appraiser Commission.