Wayne County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

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

Wayne County, Tennessee has a population of 16,168, the 76th most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $52,294 and the median home value is $130,700. The poverty rate is 20.0%.

Wayne County Quick Facts

Population 16,168

Median Household Income $52,29490% MOE ±$4,365

Median Home Value $130,70090% MOE ±$17,186

Poverty Rate 20.0%90% MOE ±3.5 pts

Unemployment Rate 3.4%90% MOE ±1.6 pts

Median Age 44.4 years90% MOE ±0.7 years

Homeownership Rate 80.2%90% MOE ±2.7 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.5x

Bachelor's Degree+ 13.8%90% MOE ±2.5 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 84.0%

Cities/Places 3

Population 16,168 76th of 95

Median Income $52,294 25% lower than state

Poverty Rate 20.0%

Unemployment 3.4%

How Wayne 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	16,693	16,168	-3.1%
Median household income	$50,985	$52,294	No clear change (+2.6%)
Median home value¹	$117,163	$130,700	No clear change (+11.6%)
Median gross rent	$689	$619	No clear change (-10.2%)

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

Median Household Income

Wayne

$52,294

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Wayne

$130,700

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 28.1%

$25K-$50K 20.2%

$50K-$100K 31.6%

$100K+ 20.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.9%

$10K-$15K

7.0%

$15K-$20K

7.3%

$20K-$25K

5.8%

$25K-$30K

4.8%

$30K-$35K

4.1%

$35K-$40K

2.1%

$40K-$45K

4.7%

$45K-$50K

4.6%

$50K-$60K

10.8%

$60K-$75K

6.4%

$75K-$100K

14.4%

$100K-$125K

6.5%

$125K-$150K

3.4%

$150K-$200K

6.2%

$200K+

4.0%

Employment

3.4% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

47.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 80.2%

Renter 19.8%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.5x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $619/mo 14.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

16.5%

18-34

20.4%

35-54

29.2%

55-74

25.9%

75+

8.1%

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	2,660	$43,571	39.5%	$122,100
Waynesboro	2,296	$40,977	26.7%	$79,100
Collinwood	996	$54,286	15.1%	$131,000

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 16,168. 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 44.4 years. This is 14% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Wayne County is $52,294. This is 25% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 35% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 20.0%. This is 45% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.4%. This is 28% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $130,700. Housing costs are 54% lower than the state median of $286,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Wayne County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 80.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 20% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wayne County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 88.5% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 4.3%. The Black or African American population (4.3%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.7%) is well below the state average of 7.4%.

Education

13.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 56% 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 84.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Wayne 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 Wayne County, Tennessee?

Wayne County has a population of 16,168, 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 $52,294 with a poverty rate of 20.0%.

How many cities are in Wayne County, Tennessee?

Wayne County contains 3 Census-designated places.