City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

Cosby, TN

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

521
Residents
$160,300
Median home
$925
Median rent (state)

Cosby - the verdict

Tennessee's Cosby counts 521 residents. Source: Census ACS.

30th
percentile, home value
7th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Cosby, TN

521 people live in Cosby, Tennessee - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Cosby's housing stock carries a median value of $160,300, and the median resident age is 55.8 years. About 22.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 60.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 4 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

Living costs in Tennessee run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Tennessee at 91.9 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $925 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Tennessee run around $218, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 44.0 minutes, with 82.5% driving alone and 17.5% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 54.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

521 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Tennessee

Median Household Income

N/A /yr

Poverty 26.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

How does Cosby compare to other US cities?

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

Home value 30% pricier than other cities
Median rent 7% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Cosby against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Tennessee only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Tennessee-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Cosby near the bottom of Tennessee's cities

Among the 482 Tennessee cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Cosby ranks #341 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Cosby only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Gross Rent
#341 of 482
0th percentile in Tennessee
Median Home Value
#276 of 455
39th percentile in Tennessee
Poverty Rate
#45 of 482
90th percentile in Tennessee
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#154 of 482
68th percentile in Tennessee

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Tennessee only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

How Cosby's home value compares nationally

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

$160,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 70% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $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. Cosby $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

Median household income is not available for Cosby in the current Census ACS release (common for very small places).

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 26.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.4%

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

Population
521
Median Income
N/A
Median Home Value
$160,300
Median Age
55.8
Poverty Rate
26.5%
Labor force participation
60.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.3%

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
44.0 minutes
Drive Alone
82.5%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
17.5%

Based on 285 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 Cosby sits in

Cost of Living Index
91.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$925/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
54.5 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Tennessee

Pittman Center
521 people
Michie
526 people
Beech Bluff
511 people
Gibson
536 people
Calhoun
504 people
Gilt Edge
503 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Cosby's 521 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hawkeye, IA
521 people
Beaver Creek, MD
521 people
Eckhart Mines, MD
521 people
South Boardman, MI
521 people
Gem Lake, MN
521 people
Cookstown, NJ
521 people

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Cosby, 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 Cosby, TN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 100.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% White 100.0% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 0.0% 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 Cosby 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
Cosby (this city) 521 N/A
Pittman Center 521 $72,656
Michie 526 $67,813
Beech Bluff 511 $92,708
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TN NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Cosby, TN?

What is the population of Cosby, TN? +

Cosby, TN counts 521 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the cost of living in Cosby? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Cosby; 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.

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

A typical home in Cosby is worth $160,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, 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

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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.