City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

Parsons, TN

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

2,578
Residents
$32,129
Median income
$107,400
Median home
$925
Median rent (state)

Parsons - the verdict

Nationally, Parsons sits in the 3rd percentile for household income and the 26th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

3rd
percentile, household income
12th
percentile, home value
7th
percentile, median rent
26th
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: Parsons, TN

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 2,578 residents in Parsons, a small town within Tennessee. Parsons households earn a median of $32,129 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 18.9%. Parsons's housing stock carries a median value of $107,400, and the median resident age is 44.3 years. 6.6% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 41.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 12 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Low Activity). Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2268.5 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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. 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. Natural-hazard exposure scores 38.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

2,578 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Tennessee

Median Household Income

$32,129 /yr

Poverty 18.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

How does Parsons compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 3% higher than other cities
Home value 12% pricier than other cities
Median rent 7% pricier than other cities
Safety 26% 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, Parsons ranks #120 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 Parsons'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.

3rdIncome percentile
26thSafety percentile

3rd percentile nationally for median household income · 26th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Parsons's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Parsons'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 40 Avg. percentile National median
Parsons'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 Parsons's home value compares nationally

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

$107,400 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. Parsons $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 - Parsons, TN Parsons, TN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Parsons, 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 Parsons, TN median $32,129/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%
Parsons, 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 Parsons, TN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 6.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 18.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 41.5%

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

Population
2,578
Median Income
$32,129
Median Home Value
$107,400
Median Age
44.3
Poverty Rate
18.9%
Labor force participation
41.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
6.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2268.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
945.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1323.3
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
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,050 residents2,100 residents2,150 residents2,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,091 residents 2,162 residents ▲ +3.4%
Parsons's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
12
housing units authorized
Single-Family
8
detached homes
Multifamily
4
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 3
2022 5
2023 5
2024 12

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.8%
Carpool
13.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
10.0%

Based on 906 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 Parsons 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
38.4 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Tennessee

Alamo
2,565 people
White Pine
2,557 people
Adamsville
2,621 people
Hopewell
2,624 people
Bells
2,531 people
Strawberry Plains
2,531 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Parsons's 2,578 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Cape Neddick, ME
2,578 people
Falmouth, KY
2,577 people
The Hills, TX
2,579 people
Georgetown, CA
2,580 people
Palisade, CO
2,580 people
Lincoln, ME
2,576 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Parsons's $32,129 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Sardis, MS
$32,134 median income
San Augustine, TX
$32,140 median income
Society Hill, SC
$32,115 median income
Chelan Falls, WA
$32,143 median income
Hackensack, MN
$32,109 median income
Pineland, TX
$32,109 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Parsons, 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 Parsons, TN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 85.0% 9.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.3% White 85.0% Black or African American 9.4% Asian 3.9% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 1.6% 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 Parsons 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
Parsons (this city) 2,578 $32,129
Alamo 2,565 $52,768
White Pine 2,557 $55,000
Adamsville 2,621 $50,833
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TN FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Parsons, TN?

What is the population of Parsons, TN? +

2,578 people live in Parsons, TN according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Parsons is $32,129 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Parsons? +

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

Parsons has a total crime rate of 2268.5 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 Parsons, TN? +

Homes in Parsons carry a median value of $107,400, 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.