Rutherford County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Rutherford County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 351,591. It is the 5th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rutherford County is 34.0 years. This is 13% lower than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Rutherford County is $82,588. This is 23% higher than the state median of $67,097. Compared to the national median of $78,538, household income here is 5% higher. The poverty rate stands at 9.2%. This is 33% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.3%. This is 30% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $346,400. Housing costs are 35% higher than the state median of $256,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.2x. 65.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% lower than the state average of 67.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Rutherford County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 64.8% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 14.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (11.6% vs 7.1%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (3.5% vs 1.8%).

Education

34.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Rutherford County in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 13% higher than the state rate of 30.4%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.4%.