Wayne County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

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

Wayne County, Tennessee has a population of 16,251, the 76th most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $52,824 and the median home value is $126,600. The poverty rate is 18.5%.

Wayne County Quick Facts

Population 16,251

Median Household Income $52,824

Median Home Value $126,600

Poverty Rate 18.5%

Unemployment Rate 3.8%

Median Age 44.3 years

Homeownership Rate 81.5%

Affordability Ratio 2.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 12.5%

High School Graduation 83.5%

Cities/Places 3

Population 16,251 76th of 95

Median Income $52,824 21% lower than state

Poverty Rate 18.5%

Unemployment 3.8%

Median Household Income

Wayne

$52,824

$67,097

National

$78,538

Median Home Value

Wayne

$126,600

$256,800

National

$303,400

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 24.0%

$25K-$50K 22.3%

$50K-$100K 31.7%

$100K+ 21.9%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

8.1%

$10K-$15K

6.0%

$15K-$20K

5.3%

$20K-$25K

4.5%

$25K-$30K

6.3%

$30K-$35K

3.7%

$35K-$40K

3.3%

$40K-$45K

4.1%

$45K-$50K

4.8%

$50K-$60K

9.9%

$60K-$75K

6.7%

$75K-$100K

15.1%

$100K-$125K

6.0%

$125K-$150K

5.0%

$150K-$200K

6.7%

$200K+

4.3%

Employment

3.8% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

48.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 81.5%

Renter 18.5%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.4x home value to income ratio

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

17.2%

18-34

20.6%

35-54

28.5%

55-74

25.8%

75+

7.9%

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 Wayne County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Clifton	2,632	$44,286	43.8%	$126,900
Waynesboro	2,483	$45,000	28.5%	$81,400
Collinwood	1,044	$52,083	13.8%	$89,100

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

Wayne County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 16,251. It is the 76th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wayne County is 44.3 years. This is 14% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Wayne County is $52,824. This is 21% lower than the state median of $67,097. It is also 33% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 18.5%. This is 35% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.8%. This is 20% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $126,600. Housing costs are 51% lower than the state median of $256,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Wayne County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 81.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% higher than the state average of 67.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wayne County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 88.6% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 4.2%. The Black or African American population (4.2%) is well below the state average of 15.7%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.5%) is well below the state average of 7.1%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 1.8%.

Education

12.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 59% lower 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 83.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Wayne County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), 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 Wayne County, Tennessee?

Wayne County has a population of 16,251, making it the 76th most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Wayne County?

The median household income in Wayne County is $52,824 with a poverty rate of 18.5%.

How many cities are in Wayne County, Tennessee?

Wayne County contains 3 Census-designated places.