Macon County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

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

Macon County, Tennessee has a population of 26,240, the 56th most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $59,177 and the median home value is $225,700. The poverty rate is 17.2%.

Macon County Quick Facts

Population 26,240

Median Household Income $59,17790% MOE ±$4,091

Median Home Value $225,70090% MOE ±$12,576

Poverty Rate 17.2%90% MOE ±3.2 pts

Unemployment Rate 3.4%90% MOE ±1.1 pts

Median Age 39.2 years90% MOE ±0.6 years

Homeownership Rate 73.6%90% MOE ±2.7 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 12.5%90% MOE ±2.2 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 82.8%

Cities/Places 2

Population 26,240 56th of 95

Median Income $59,177 15% lower than state

Poverty Rate 17.2%

Unemployment 3.4%

How Macon 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	23,842	26,240	+10.1%
Median household income	$46,065	$59,177	+28.5%
Median home value¹	$141,531	$225,700	+59.5%
Median gross rent	$828	$846	No clear change (+2.1%)

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

Median Household Income

Macon

$59,177

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Macon

$225,700

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 18.8%

$25K-$50K 23.7%

$50K-$100K 34.4%

$100K+ 23.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.6%

$10K-$15K

4.2%

$15K-$20K

4.4%

$20K-$25K

5.6%

$25K-$30K

3.3%

$30K-$35K

6.1%

$35K-$40K

4.0%

$40K-$45K

4.9%

$45K-$50K

5.5%

$50K-$60K

8.5%

$60K-$75K

12.0%

$75K-$100K

13.9%

$100K-$125K

9.1%

$125K-$150K

4.0%

$150K-$200K

5.6%

$200K+

4.3%

Employment

3.4% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

61.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 73.6%

Renter 26.4%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $846/mo 17.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

25.1%

18-34

20.8%

35-54

25.1%

55-74

23.1%

75+

6.0%

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 Macon County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Lafayette	5,727	$51,736	27.6%	$213,900
Red Boiling Springs	1,262	$40,221	37.5%	$194,400

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

Macon County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 26,240. It is the 56th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Macon County is 39.2 years. This is about the same as the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Macon County is $59,177. This is 15% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 27% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.2%. This is 25% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.4%. This is 27% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $225,700. Housing costs are 21% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.8x. 73.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Macon County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 88.6% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 7.0%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.9%.

Education

12.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 60% 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 82.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Macon 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 Macon County, Tennessee?

Macon County has a population of 26,240, making it the 56th most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Macon County?

The median household income in Macon County is $59,177 with a poverty rate of 17.2%.

How many cities are in Macon County, Tennessee?

Macon County contains 2 Census-designated places.