Ooltewah, Tennessee Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 578, Ooltewah's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Ooltewah is a small community located in Tennessee, within Hamilton County. The total population is 578. It ranks as the 368th most populous out of 502 Census-designated places in Tennessee.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ooltewah is 57.2 years. This is 47% higher than the state median of 38.9 years. 29.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Ooltewah is $62,292. This is 10% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 23% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.1%. This is 77% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Ooltewah, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $240,900. Housing costs are 16% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.9x. 63.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 5% lower than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Ooltewah was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

24.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 20% 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 96.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Ooltewah, Tennessee is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Tennessee state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 502 Census-designated places in Tennessee. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.