Fentress County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

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

Fentress County, Tennessee has a population of 19,309, the 68th most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $51,149 and the median home value is $168,200. The poverty rate is 21.0%.

Fentress County Quick Facts

Population 19,309

Median Household Income $51,14990% MOE ±$3,253

Median Home Value $168,20090% MOE ±$13,978

Poverty Rate 21.0%90% MOE ±3.9 pts

Unemployment Rate 4.7%90% MOE ±2.6 pts

Median Age 46.9 years90% MOE ±0.4 years

Homeownership Rate 82.6%90% MOE ±3.0 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 14.6%90% MOE ±2.6 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 82.2%

Cities/Places 4

Population 19,309 68th of 95

Median Income $51,149 27% lower than state

Poverty Rate 21.0%

Unemployment 4.7%

How Fentress 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	18,213	19,309	+6.0%
Median household income	$44,945	$51,149	+13.8%
Median home value¹	$135,870	$168,200	+23.8%
Median gross rent	$647	$709	No clear change (+9.5%)

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

Median Household Income

Fentress

$51,149

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Fentress

$168,200

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 26.5%

$25K-$50K 21.8%

$50K-$100K 38.0%

$100K+ 13.7%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.2%

$10K-$15K

9.8%

$15K-$20K

6.2%

$20K-$25K

4.3%

$25K-$30K

6.6%

$30K-$35K

5.5%

$35K-$40K

4.3%

$40K-$45K

2.0%

$45K-$50K

3.4%

$50K-$60K

13.6%

$60K-$75K

9.3%

$75K-$100K

15.1%

$100K-$125K

6.4%

$125K-$150K

4.1%

$150K-$200K

1.2%

$200K+

2.0%

Employment

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

46.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 82.6%

Renter 17.4%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $709/mo 16.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.4%

18-34

17.8%

35-54

23.0%

55-74

29.6%

75+

9.2%

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 Fentress County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Jamestown	2,230	$30,685	34.0%	$135,000
Grimsley	1,171	$57,212	6.5%	$150,600
Allardt	1,076	$70,114	25.2%	$157,600
Clarkrange	554	N/A	41.5%	$326,800

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

Fentress County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 19,309. It is the 68th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fentress County is 46.9 years. This is 21% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fentress County is $51,149. This is 27% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 37% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.0%. This is 52% 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 4.7%. The median home value is $168,200. Housing costs are 41% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 82.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 23% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Fentress County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.1%. The Black or African American population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.1%) is well below the state average of 7.4%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.9%.

Education

14.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 53% 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 82.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Fentress 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 Fentress County, Tennessee?

Fentress County has a population of 19,309, making it the 68th most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Fentress County?

The median household income in Fentress County is $51,149 with a poverty rate of 21.0%.

How many cities are in Fentress County, Tennessee?

Fentress County contains 4 Census-designated places.