Population 19,309 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fentress County
Household size in Fentress County
| Period | Fentress County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.44 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.42 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.40 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.51 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Fentress County run a little small, averaging 2.51 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. That is in line with the rest of Tennessee. Household size has crept up from 2.44 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Fentress County
| Period | Fentress County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.7 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.9 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.6 | 39.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.8 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.1 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.8, Fentress County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 42.7 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the northeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Fentress County
| Period | Fentress County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.3% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Fentress County (12.3%), close to the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 0.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Fentress County
Renters in Fentress County
| Period | Fentress County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.9% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.3% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.9% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.4% | 33.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | +2.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 17.4% of households in Fentress County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 54.1% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 5.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Few Tennessee counties have a lower share of renters: only five of 95.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Fentress County
| Period | Fentress County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 11.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.7% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.3% | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.7% | 10.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 17.7% of the housing in Fentress County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Fentress County
| Period | Fentress County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1989 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Fentress County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1988, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1982 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the northwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Fentress County
| Period | Fentress County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $492 | $761 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $554 | $837 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $631 | $961 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $818 | $1,286 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$325 | +$526 | +$606 |
The median renter in Fentress County pays $818 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $325 a month from 2006–10, a 66% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 26.7% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Fentress County
Bachelor's degrees in Fentress County
| Period | Fentress County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 23.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 25.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.3% | 27.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Fentress County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 14.5%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 4.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Fentress County
| Period | Fentress County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.7% | 83.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 72.1% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.9% | 87.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.7% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.1 pts | +6.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Fentress County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 11.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only eight of Tennessee's 95 counties have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Fentress County
| Period | Fentress County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 9.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Fentress County runs below the national rate: 4.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 5.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Fentress County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fentress County | 2.51 | 45.8 | 12.3% | 17.4% | 17.7% | 1988 | $818 | 14.5% | 82.7% | 4.4% |
| Overton County | 2.54 | 43.7 | 10.8% | 23.1% | 13.0% | 1983 | $810 | 15.3% | 83.5% | 3.3% |
| Scott County | 2.53 | 41.3 | 14.3% | 28.4% | 11.3% | 1988 | $755 | 12.9% | 81.2% | 7.2% |
| Jackson County | 2.54 | 45.7 | 8.7% | 18.9% | 17.5% | 1989 | $752 | 15.2% | 84.5% | 6.9% |
| Campbell County | 2.31 | 43.8 | 12.6% | 30.8% | 15.0% | 1982 | $787 | 12.7% | 84.1% | 4.8% |
| Smith County | 2.57 | 40.8 | 9.9% | 23.1% | 9.9% | 1986 | $896 | 18.1% | 87.8% | 2.7% |
| Union County | 2.58 | 43.3 | 6.3% | 19.8% | 19.2% | 1991 | $825 | 14.0% | 86.2% | 2.4% |
| Trousdale County | 2.65 | 35.6 | 10.4% | 25.5% | 7.8% | 1989 | $848 | 13.6% | 85.9% | 0.9% |
| Claiborne County | 2.30 | 42.5 | 11.2% | 27.8% | 12.8% | 1987 | $750 | 18.0% | 84.2% | 4.4% |
| Grainger County | 2.54 | 46.7 | 10.2% | 22.9% | 16.4% | 1991 | $872 | 16.2% | 85.9% | 4.3% |
| Wilson County | 2.67 | 41.0 | 9.6% | 23.0% | 7.8% | 1997 | $1,686 | 38.2% | 93.6% | 3.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Tippah County, MS · Carroll County, MO · Carroll County, MS · Cass County, IA · Cass County, IL · Choctaw County, AL · Taylor County, WV · Teton County, ID · Teton County, WY · Texas County, MO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Fentress County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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