City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

La Follette, TN

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

7,308
Residents
$34,678
Median income
$106,000
Median home
$947
Median rent (state)

La Follette - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, La Follette lands in the 4th percentile for household income and the 56th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

4th
percentile, household income
12th
percentile, home value
10th
percentile, median rent
56th
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: La Follette, TN

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 7,308 residents in La Follette, a small town within Tennessee. La Follette households earn a median of $34,678 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 26.7%. Home values in La Follette run a median of $106,000, and the median resident age is 40.1 years. About 7.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 45.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 4 residential building permits were authorized in La Follette (Low Activity), per Census BPS data. La Follette reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1196.6 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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 $947 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Tennessee's average monthly utility costs around $218 (state average). The average commute for La Follette workers runs 23.8 minutes, with 83.2% driving alone and 6.8% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 58.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

Population

7,308 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Tennessee

Median Household Income

$34,678 /yr

Poverty 26.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

How does La Follette compare to other US cities?

Here's how La Follette stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 4% higher than other cities
Home value 12% pricier than other cities
Median rent 10% pricier than other cities
Safety 56% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Tennessee and the picture shifts: La Follette ranks #65 of 174 Tennessee cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

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 La Follette'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.

4thIncome percentile
56thSafety percentile

4th percentile nationally for median household income · 56th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

La Follette's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

La Follette'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 50 Avg. percentile National median
La Follette'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 La Follette's home value compares nationally

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

$106,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 88% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. La Follette $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 - La Follette, TN La Follette, TN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not La Follette, 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 La Follette, TN median $34,678/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%
La Follette, 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 La Follette, TN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 7.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 26.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 45.8%

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

Population
7,308
Median Income
$34,678
Median Home Value
$106,000
Median Age
40.1
Poverty Rate
26.7%
Labor force participation
45.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
7.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1196.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
320.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
876.6
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.

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
7,100 residents7,200 residents7,300 residents7,400 residents7,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 7,416 residents 7,176 residents ▼ -3.2%
La Follette's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
4
housing units authorized
Single-Family
4
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 4

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.8 minutes
Drive Alone
83.2%
Carpool
8.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
6.8%
Other
1.2%

Based on 2,704 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 La Follette sits in

Cost of Living Index
91.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$947/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
58.0 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Tennessee

Savannah
7,219 people
Dayton
7,191 people
Church Hill
7,057 people
Fayetteville
7,037 people
Greenbrier
6,960 people
Tellico
6,901 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to La Follette's 7,308 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Heber, CA
7,308 people
Cedarhurst, NY
7,306 people
Cherry Valley, CA
7,302 people
Washington, IA
7,314 people
Mira Monte, CA
7,301 people
Cullowhee, NC
7,300 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to La Follette's $34,678 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Castle Point, MO
$34,679 median income
Cloverport, KY
$34,688 median income
Purvis, MS
$34,688 median income
Pineville, MO
$34,688 median income
Kirbyville, TX
$34,688 median income
East Spencer, NC
$34,696 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - La Follette, 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 La Follette, TN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.8% White 93.8% Black or African American 0.2% Asian 0.4% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 4.2% 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 La Follette 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
La Follette (this city) 7,308 $34,678
Savannah 7,219 $41,396
Dayton 7,191 $56,692
Church Hill 7,057 $69,433
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TN FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about La Follette, TN?

What is the population of La Follette, TN? +

La Follette, TN counts 7,308 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in La Follette, TN? +

Median annual household income in La Follette runs $34,678, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in La Follette? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for La Follette; 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 La Follette, TN safe? +

La Follette has a total crime rate of 1196.6 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 La Follette, TN? +

La Follette's median home value sits at $106,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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

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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.