Land for Sale in Cumberland County, TN

Cumberland County sits on the Cumberland Plateau in east Tennessee, with 61,145 residents (2020 census), Crossville as its seat and Fairfield Glade as its best-known community. Land here ranges from wooded plateau acreage to lots in golf and lake communities. This guide covers the market and the Tennessee rules that affect cost, including the greenbelt tax program.

Cumberland County at a glance

County seat: Crossville, also the largest city. Fairfield Glade is a large census-designated community.
2020 population 61,145; about 685 square miles.
The county sits on the Cumberland Plateau; the Tennessee Divide runs through it, separating the Cumberland and Tennessee River watersheds.
Karst terrain, including Grassy Cove, a large closed depression.
Cumberland Mountain State Park, Ozone Falls State Natural Area, and parts of the Obed Wild and Scenic River and the Cumberland Trail.

The Cumberland County land market

The market mixes wooded plateau tracts of 5 to 50 acres, residential lots in planned communities around Fairfield Glade, and lake and view parcels. Retirees and second-home buyers are a big part of demand, and the plateau's cooler climate and trails are a draw. Land near Crossville and the interstate corridor costs more than remote hollows and ridges.

Greenbelt: lower property tax on farm and forest land

Under Tennessee's Agricultural, Forest and Open Space Land Act of 1976, known as greenbelt, qualifying land is assessed at its current-use value instead of its market value. The State Board of Equalization form sets agricultural land at 15 or more acres (as a farm unit or farmed by the owner or family for 25 years), forest land at 15 or more acres, and open space at 3 or more acres under specific designations. New applications are due by March 15, and if the land leaves the program, rollback taxes for the last three years apply. Cumberland County's Assessor of Property administers it, so ask the assessor whether a parcel qualifies and what happens to the classification when you buy.

Septic, karst and building

Soil, shallow rock and karst terrain on the plateau make septic suitability a parcel-by-parcel question. Ask for a soil evaluation or septic permit history from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation or the county before you buy, and price a drip or alternative system if conventional soils fail. Wells depend on the aquifer under the parcel, so ask neighbors about depth and yield.

Before you buy land in Cumberland County

Septic suitability: soil test or permit history from the state or county.
Legal access and whether the road is county-maintained.
Greenbelt status and any rollback or reclassification tax.
Slope, rock and sinkhole risk on plateau and karst terrain.
Deed restrictions or community association fees in planned communities such as Fairfield Glade.

Perc tests and septic for raw land Land due diligence checklist

Frequently asked questions

What is Tennessee greenbelt?

It is a property tax program that assesses qualifying farm, forest and open-space land at current-use value instead of market value. State forms set the acreage minimums, and rollback taxes can apply if the land leaves the program.

Is Cumberland County land hard to build on?

Plateau terrain can mean rock, slope and karst features, so septic and building sites need a parcel-specific check.

What is Fairfield Glade?

A large planned community in Cumberland County with residential lots, popular with retirees and second-home buyers.