Three Way, Tennessee Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Three Way is a small community located in Tennessee, within Madison County. The total population is 2,008. It ranks as the 217th most populous out of 502 Census-designated places in Tennessee.

Age Demographics

The median age in Three Way is 54.9 years. This is 41% higher than the state median of 38.9 years. Only 14.7% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 12.4% 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 Three Way is $88,125. This is 27% higher than the state median of $69,595. It is also 9% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.4%. This is 54% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 7.0%. This is 49% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $250,700. Housing costs are 13% lower than the state median of $286,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Three Way is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 93.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 40% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Three Way is White (non-Hispanic), making up 72.0% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 22.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 7.4%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 1.9%.

Education

38.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 24% 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 95.1%. Notably, 15.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Three Way, 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.