Smith County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

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

Smith County, Tennessee has a population of 20,389, the 67th most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $66,293 and the median home value is $243,800. The poverty rate is 10.0%.

Smith County Quick Facts

Population 20,389

Median Household Income $66,29390% MOE ±$4,840

Median Home Value $243,80090% MOE ±$10,339

Poverty Rate 10.0%90% MOE ±2.6 pts

Unemployment Rate 2.7%90% MOE ±1.5 pts

Median Age 40.6 years90% MOE ±0.4 years

Homeownership Rate 76.9%90% MOE ±2.6 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 18.4%90% MOE ±2.3 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 88.0%

Cities/Places 4

Population 20,389 67th of 95

Median Income $66,293 5% lower than state

Poverty Rate 10.0%

Unemployment 2.7%

How Smith 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	19,740	20,389	+3.3%
Median household income	$59,158	$66,293	+12.1%
Median home value¹	$180,791	$243,800	+34.9%
Median gross rent	$764	$922	+20.6%

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

Median Household Income

Smith

$66,293

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Smith

$243,800

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 14.8%

$25K-$50K 19.8%

$50K-$100K 34.5%

$100K+ 30.9%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.7%

$10K-$15K

2.6%

$15K-$20K

3.6%

$20K-$25K

3.9%

$25K-$30K

3.9%

$30K-$35K

2.1%

$35K-$40K

4.4%

$40K-$45K

4.8%

$45K-$50K

4.7%

$50K-$60K

10.0%

$60K-$75K

10.6%

$75K-$100K

13.8%

$100K-$125K

10.7%

$125K-$150K

6.7%

$150K-$200K

7.4%

$200K+

6.1%

Employment

2.7% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

61.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 76.9%

Renter 23.1%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $922/mo 16.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.4%

18-34

20.2%

35-54

25.6%

55-74

25.5%

75+

6.4%

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 Smith County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
South Carthage	2,364	$55,662	17.2%	$200,300
Carthage	2,327	$67,006	8.3%	$257,300
Gordonsville	1,299	$57,688	5.8%	$251,400
Hickman	276	N/A	26.1%	$432,400

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

Smith County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 20,389. It is the 67th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Smith County is 40.6 years. This is 4% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Smith County is $66,293. This is 5% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.0%. This is 27% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 2.7%. This is 43% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $243,800. Housing costs are 15% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.7x. 76.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 15% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Smith County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.1%. The Black or African American population (1.9%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.1%) is well below the state average of 7.4%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 1.9%.

Education

18.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 41% 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 88.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Smith 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 Smith County, Tennessee?

Smith County has a population of 20,389, making it the 67th most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Smith County?

The median household income in Smith County is $66,293 with a poverty rate of 10.0%.

How many cities are in Smith County, Tennessee?

Smith County contains 4 Census-designated places.