Rutherford County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

Name: Rutherford County, Tennessee Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Rutherford County, Tennessee has a population of 360,646, the 5th most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $85,470 and the median home value is $382,600. The poverty rate is 9.3%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Rutherford County Quick Facts

Population 360,646

Median Household Income $85,470

Median Home Value $382,600

Poverty Rate 9.3%

Unemployment Rate 3.6%

Median Age 34.2 years

Homeownership Rate 64.8%

Affordability Ratio 4.5x

Bachelor's Degree+ 35.8%

High School Graduation 92.4%

Cities/Places 7

Population 360,646 5th of 95

Median Income $85,470 23% higher than state

Poverty Rate 9.3%

Unemployment 3.6%

How Rutherford County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	351,591	360,646	+2.6%
Median household income	$82,588	$85,470	+3.5%
Median home value	$346,400	$382,600	+10.5%

Median Household Income

Rutherford

$85,470

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Rutherford

$382,600

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 9.1%

$25K-$50K 15.9%

$50K-$100K 33.5%

$100K+ 41.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

2.7%

$10K-$15K

2.0%

$15K-$20K

2.0%

$20K-$25K

2.4%

$25K-$30K

2.5%

$30K-$35K

2.7%

$35K-$40K

2.8%

$40K-$45K

3.9%

$45K-$50K

4.0%

$50K-$60K

7.8%

$60K-$75K

10.5%

$75K-$100K

15.2%

$100K-$125K

11.6%

$125K-$150K

9.7%

$150K-$200K

11.1%

$200K+

9.1%

Employment

3.6% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

71.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 64.8%

Renter 35.2%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.5x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,502/mo 21.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

24.7%

18-34

26.3%

35-54

27.1%

55-74

17.8%

75+

4.1%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 46 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Rutherford County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Murfreesboro	161,445	$80,108	8.8%	$402,100
Smyrna	56,692	$81,926	12.5%	$358,300
La Vergne	40,243	$81,313	15.1%	$309,900
Christiana	4,777	$100,683	4.9%	$361,900
Rockvale	1,611	$86,404	14.7%	$449,500
Eagleville	999	$88,317	9.3%	$416,700
Walterhill	113	N/A	0.0%	N/A

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

Rutherford County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 360,646. It is the 5th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rutherford County is 34.2 years. This is 12% lower than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Rutherford County is $85,470. This is 23% higher than the state median of $69,595. It is also 6% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.3%. This is 33% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.6%. This is 24% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $382,600. Housing costs are 33% higher than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.5x. 64.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% lower than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Rutherford County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 63.7% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 14.7%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (12.2% vs 7.4%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (3.6% vs 1.9%).

Education

35.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Rutherford County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 15% higher 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 92.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Rutherford 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 Rutherford County, Tennessee?

Rutherford County has a population of 360,646, making it the 5th most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Rutherford County?

The median household income in Rutherford County is $85,470 with a poverty rate of 9.3%.

How many cities are in Rutherford County, Tennessee?

Rutherford County contains 7 Census-designated places.