Decatur County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Decatur County, Tennessee has a population of 11,579, the 87th most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $45,375 and the median home value is $139,600. The poverty rate is 22.1%.

Decatur County Quick Facts

Population 11,579

Median Household Income $45,37590% MOE ±$5,287

Median Home Value $139,60090% MOE ±$16,377

Poverty Rate 22.1%90% MOE ±3.9 pts

Unemployment Rate 7.2%90% MOE ±2.7 pts

Median Age 45.8 years90% MOE ±0.3 years

Homeownership Rate 74.3%90% MOE ±3.1 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.1x

Bachelor's Degree+ 14.0%90% MOE ±2.5 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 84.1%

Cities/Places 2

Population 11,579 87th of 95

Median Income $45,375 35% lower than state

Poverty Rate 22.1%

Unemployment 7.2%

How Decatur County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	11,686	11,579	-0.9%
Median household income	$51,728	$45,375	No clear change (-12.3%)
Median home value¹	$121,594	$139,600	+14.8%
Median gross rent	$654	$757	+15.8%

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Decatur

$45,375

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Decatur

$139,600

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 25.4%

$25K-$50K 27.9%

$50K-$100K 28.6%

$100K+ 18.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

8.4%

$10K-$15K

8.9%

$15K-$20K

4.2%

$20K-$25K

4.0%

$25K-$30K

4.2%

$30K-$35K

6.4%

$35K-$40K

6.8%

$40K-$45K

6.9%

$45K-$50K

3.5%

$50K-$60K

7.1%

$60K-$75K

8.2%

$75K-$100K

13.3%

$100K-$125K

7.2%

$125K-$150K

3.9%

$150K-$200K

3.9%

$200K+

3.2%

Employment

7.2% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

50.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 74.3%

Renter 25.7%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.1x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $757/mo 20.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.2%

18-34

17.0%

35-54

24.5%

55-74

28.8%

75+

9.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 46 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Decatur County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Parsons	2,686	$36,154	25.3%	$118,100
Decaturville	934	$41,597	24.2%	$135,000

Explore Tennessee Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Decatur County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 11,579. It is the 87th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Decatur County is 45.8 years. This is 18% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Decatur County is $45,375. This is 35% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 44% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 22.1%. This is 61% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 7.2%. This is 53% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $139,600. Housing costs are 51% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.1x. 74.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Decatur County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.7%. The Black or African American population (2.7%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.7%) is well below the state average of 7.4%.

Education

14.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 55% lower than the state rate of 31.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 84.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Decatur County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Tennessee and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Decatur County, Tennessee?

Decatur County has a population of 11,579, making it the 87th most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Decatur County?

The median household income in Decatur County is $45,375 with a poverty rate of 22.1%.

How many cities are in Decatur County, Tennessee?

Decatur County contains 2 Census-designated places.