An incredible advantage of working and living in McMinn County is the inherent tax environment present in both the county and the state. A fabulous starting point is that there is no personal income in Tennessee! In addition, with Tennessee having the lowest debt per capita in the nation and McMinn County having the lowest in Tennessee, businesses prosper in a low cost economic climate. Other notable statistics include:

  • McMinn County has the lowest property tax rate in Tennessee. 
  • McMinn County is a debt free county with strong capital reserves while continuing to fund capital projects.
  • According to the Tax Foundation, Tennessee’s state and local tax burden of 7.3% is among the lowest five states in the country!

McMinn County’s favorable tax standing is present across a number of categories, including:

Local Taxes

Property tax is levied on both real and personal property at the following rates, with links for each for further information:

McMinn County - $1.08 per $100 of assessed value

City of Athens - $1.0078 per $100 of assessed value

City of Etowah - $1.2747 per $100 of assessed value

McMinn County’s sales tax is 2%.

State Taxes

Businesses in Tennessee must pay a franchise tax of 25¢ per $100 on the greater of net worth or book value of property owned or used in Tennessee. 

Tennessee businesses are also subject to an excise tax of 6.5% of net earnings or income in Tennessee. 

The Tennessee Department of Revenue has a list of exemptions and definitions for both franchise and excise taxes. 

The sales and use tax in Tennessee is 7% plus a 2% local rate on any person or company who manufactures, distributes or sells tangible personal property within the state. The list of exemptions and credits is lengthy and can be found at the Tennessee Department of Revenue website.

Guidance on other Tennessee taxes can be found here.