Perry County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

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

Perry County, Tennessee has a population of 8,697, the 88th most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $55,972 and the median home value is $126,900. The poverty rate is 18.1%.

Perry County Quick Facts

Population 8,697

Median Household Income $55,97290% MOE ±$10,067

Median Home Value $126,90090% MOE ±$19,192

Poverty Rate 18.1%90% MOE ±5.4 pts

Unemployment Rate 5.8%90% MOE ±2.6 pts

Median Age 43.3 years90% MOE ±1.6 years

Homeownership Rate 73.8%90% MOE ±5.5 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 14.2%90% MOE ±3.2 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 88.4%

Cities/Places 2

Population 8,697 88th of 95

Median Income $55,972 20% lower than state

Poverty Rate 18.1%

Unemployment 5.8%

How Perry 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	7,962	8,697	+9.2%
Median household income	$50,501	$55,972	No clear change (+10.8%)
Median home value¹	$108,425	$126,900	No clear change (+17.0%)
Median gross rent	$754	$758	No clear change (+0.5%)

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

Median Household Income

Perry

$55,972

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Perry

$126,900

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 21.0%

$25K-$50K 25.4%

$50K-$100K 28.1%

$100K+ 25.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.6%

$10K-$15K

4.0%

$15K-$20K

7.9%

$20K-$25K

3.6%

$25K-$30K

6.1%

$30K-$35K

3.0%

$35K-$40K

3.7%

$40K-$45K

7.5%

$45K-$50K

5.1%

$50K-$60K

5.5%

$60K-$75K

9.4%

$75K-$100K

13.2%

$100K-$125K

10.5%

$125K-$150K

7.8%

$150K-$200K

4.0%

$200K+

3.2%

Employment

5.8% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

54.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 73.8%

Renter 26.2%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $758/mo 16.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.3%

18-34

18.1%

35-54

23.4%

55-74

26.3%

75+

9.8%

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 Perry County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Linden	1,122	$47,689	26.6%	$103,300
Lobelville	1,007	$48,750	18.0%	$158,300

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

Perry County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 8,697. It is the 88th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Perry County is 43.3 years. This is 11% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Perry County is $55,972. This is 20% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 31% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.1%. This is 31% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 5.8%. This is 24% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $126,900. Housing costs are 56% lower than the state median of $286,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Perry County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 73.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Perry County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.4%. The Black or African American population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.4%) is well below the state average of 7.4%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.9%.

Education

14.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 54% 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 88.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Perry 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 Perry County, Tennessee?

Perry County has a population of 8,697, making it the 88th most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Perry County?

The median household income in Perry County is $55,972 with a poverty rate of 18.1%.

How many cities are in Perry County, Tennessee?

Perry County contains 2 Census-designated places.