Town · Tennessee
Dowelltown, Tennessee
Dowelltown, town, in DeKalb County, Tennessee. Dowelltown had 370 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 7.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 342 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 434 (±147). GEOID 4721420.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
370
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 342 · ACS 2020-2024: 434 ±147
Median household income
$35,313
±$17,726 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $69,595
Median home value
$155,700
±$22,900 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $286,700
Median gross rent
$695
±$422 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $1,189
Where is Dowelltown and what county is it in?
Dowelltown is a town in DeKalb County, Tennessee. It covers 0.8 square miles of land, 455 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Dowelltown, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 370 people lived in Dowelltown on July 1, 2025, up 7.9% since 2020, faster than Tennessee (+5.8%). The 2020 Census counted 342 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 434 (±147).
| Measure | Dowelltown | DeKalb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 434 ±147 | 20,959 | no clear change |
| Households | 167 ±50 | 8,652 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.60 ±0.60 | 2.39 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 203 ±60 | 10,155 | no clear change |
Dowelltown's population since 2000
From 302 in 2000 to 370 in 2025: up 22.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Dowelltown as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Dowelltown?
The median resident of Dowelltown is 33.9 years old; 18.4% are under 18 and 12.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 88.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 4.4%.
| Measure | Dowelltown | DeKalb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.9 ±18.9 | 41.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.4% ±9.8 pts | 21.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.9% ±6.8 pts | 18.8% | – |
| Male | 50.9% ±6.8 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.4% ±5.3 pts | 7.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 88.5% ±7.9 pts | 87.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.1% ±5.6 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±9.8 pts | 1.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±9.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±9.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±1.6 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±2.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.1% ±3.9 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.0% ±10.2 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.2% ±4.0 pts | 7.1% | – |
| With a disability | 20.3% ±9.1 pts | 19.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.4% ±5.0 pts | 8.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 86.2% ±10.3 pts | 84.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 8.0% ±5.8 pts | 20.8% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.2% ±1.5 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.8% ±4.8 pts | 89.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±9.9 pts | 1.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Dowelltown earn?
Half of Dowelltown's 167 households earn less than $35,313 a year (±$17,726), against $53,153 in DeKalb County and $69,595 in Tennessee. In 2015-2019 it was $43,843 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 33.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Dowelltown | DeKalb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $35,313 ±$17,726 | $53,153 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $65,401 ±$18,656 | $71,610 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,794 ±$8,522 | $30,133 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 33.4% ±13.8 pts | 18.6% | +19.5 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 37.5% ±28.8 pts | 27.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 27.5% ±15.9 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 83.8% ±12.5 pts | 89.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 76.0% ±13.6 pts | 83.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Dowelltown?
Owners occupy 65.9% of Dowelltown's occupied homes and renters 34.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $155,700 by its owner (±$22,900). The median renter pays $695 a month including utilities, and 68.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Dowelltown | DeKalb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $155,700 ±$22,900 | $235,500 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $695 ±$422 | $839 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 68.9% ±25.5 pts | 47.2% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,200 ±$396 | $1,211 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.9% ±13.4 pts | 72.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 34.1% ±13.4 pts | 27.4% | – |
| Housing units | 203 ±60 | 10,155 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±32.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 9.5% ±14.8 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 82.8% ±9.5 pts | 77.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.9% ±4.0 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.0% ±2.3 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±19.7 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 16.3% ±8.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.4% ±5.7 pts | 7.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Dowelltown work and get to work?
86.5% of Dowelltown's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 45.0 minutes.
| Measure | Dowelltown | DeKalb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 53.0% ±9.1 pts | 55.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 10.4% ±9.4 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 86.5% ±8.2 pts | 81.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.0% ±6.0 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±22.9 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±22.9 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.4% ±5.1 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 45.0 min ±11.8 | 29.3 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Dowelltown?
No census tract lies mostly in Dowelltown; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9203DeKalb County | 5,228 | $51,774 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Dowelltown) · Census block assignment files
How does Dowelltown compare with other places in Tennessee?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Dowelltown is the 14,415th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 306th-most populous of 345 in Tennessee.
Dowelltown is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 306th | 345 |
Dowelltown's figures with every place in Tennessee (CSV)
Every place in Tennessee, sortable · Compare Dowelltown with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Dowelltown?
24 of the 57 figures for Dowelltown on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Dowelltown are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Dowelltown.