City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

Cookeville, TN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Cookeville - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

35,544
Residents
$48,501
Median income
$263,800
Median home
$1,014
Median rent (state)

Cookeville - the verdict

Cookeville ranks in the 17th percentile for household income and the 33rd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

17th
percentile, household income
58th
percentile, home value
21st
percentile, median rent
33rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Cookeville, TN

35,544 people live in Cookeville, Tennessee - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Cookeville brings in $48,501 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 15.6%. Cookeville's housing stock carries a median value of $263,800, and the median resident age is 29.6 years. Educational attainment runs 35.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 58.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 422 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 39% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1954.4 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 57.4°F with 60.0 inches of precipitation per year and 6.1 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Tennessee run below the national norm: the state registers 91.9 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,014 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Tennessee's average monthly utility costs around $218 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 65.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

35,544 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Tennessee

Median Household Income

$48,501 /yr

Poverty 15.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

How does Cookeville compare to other US cities?

Cookeville measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 17% higher than other cities
Home value 58% pricier than other cities
Median rent 21% pricier than other cities
Safety 33% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Tennessee alone, Cookeville ranks #108 of 174 Tennessee cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Cookeville's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Tennessee, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

17thIncome percentile
33rdSafety percentile

17th percentile nationally for median household income · 33rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Cookeville's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Cookeville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 37 Avg. percentile National median
Cookeville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Cookeville's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$263,800 42nd percentile more affordable than 42% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Cookeville $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Cookeville, TN Cookeville, TN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Cookeville, TN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Cookeville, TN median $48,501/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Cookeville, TN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Cookeville, TN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 35.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
35,544
Median Income
$48,501
Median Home Value
$263,800
Median Age
29.6
Poverty Rate
15.6%
Labor force participation
58.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
35.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1954.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
292.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1661.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
57.4°F
Annual Precipitation
60.0"
Annual Snowfall
6.1"

Schools

Total Schools
15
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
34,000 residents35,000 residents36,000 residents37,000 residents38,000 residents39,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 34,972 residents 38,212 residents ▲ +9.3%
Cookeville's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
422
housing units authorized
Single-Family
338
detached homes
Multifamily
84
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
11.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 303
2020 331
2021 248
2022 232
2023 309
2024 422

Permit volume increased 39% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.1%
Carpool
9.5%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
3.9%
Work from Home
7.6%
Other
0.6%

Based on 16,644 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Tennessee - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$58
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$218
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Tennessee state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Tennessee state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Cookeville sits in

Cost of Living Index
91.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,014/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
65.8 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Tennessee

Maryville
32,196 people
La Vergne
38,944 people
Oak Ridge
32,088 people
Morristown
30,983 people
Germantown
40,812 people
Mount Juliet
40,828 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Cookeville's 35,544 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Richmond, IN
35,551 people
Wenatchee, WA
35,502 people
Richmond, KY
35,498 people
Kendall West, FL
35,492 people
Monroe, NC
35,596 people
Torrington, CT
35,481 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Cookeville's $48,501 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Leachville, AR
$48,500 median income
New Douglas, IL
$48,500 median income
Cromwell, IN
$48,500 median income
Oxford, IN
$48,500 median income
Wardell, MO
$48,500 median income
Boswell, PA
$48,500 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Cookeville, TN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Cookeville, TN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 83.9% 6.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.2% White 83.9% Black or African American 3.8% Asian 1.9% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.1% Two or more races 6.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Cookeville compares to nearby Tennessee cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Cookeville (this city) 35,544 $48,501
Maryville 32,196 $79,340
La Vergne 38,944 $80,418
Oak Ridge 32,088 $71,000
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TN FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Cookeville, TN?

What is the population of Cookeville, TN? +

Cookeville, TN counts 35,544 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Cookeville, TN? +

Median annual household income in Cookeville runs $48,501, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Cookeville? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Cookeville; the closest available measure is the Tennessee state average, a cost of living index of 91.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Tennessee vary by metro area.

Is Cookeville, TN safe? +

Cookeville has a total crime rate of 1954.4 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Cookeville, TN? +

Cookeville's median home value sits at $263,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Cookeville? +

Cookeville has an average annual temperature of 57.4°F, 60.0 inches of precipitation, and 6.1 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.