City · Tennessee
Parsons, Tennessee
Parsons, city, in Decatur County, Tennessee. Parsons had 2,162 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,100 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,686 (±432). GEOID 4757080.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,162
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,100 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,686 ±432
Median household income
$36,154
±$10,568 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $69,595
Median home value
$118,100
±$28,898 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $286,700
Median gross rent
$738
±$112 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $1,189
Where is Parsons and what county is it in?
Parsons is a city in Decatur County, Tennessee. It covers 4.0 square miles of land, 519 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 Parsons, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,162 people lived in Parsons on July 1, 2025, up 3.3% since 2020, slower than Tennessee (+5.8%). The 2020 Census counted 2,100 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,686 (±432).
| Measure | Parsons | Decatur County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,686 ±432 | 11,579 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,064 ±197 | 4,568 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.44 ±0.34 | 2.49 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,248 ±193 | 6,591 | no clear change |
Parsons's population since 2000
From 2,452 in 2000 to 2,162 in 2025: down 11.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Parsons 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 Parsons?
The median resident of Parsons is 45.0 years old; 21.0% are under 18 and 23.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 81.9%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 7.4%.
| Measure | Parsons | Decatur County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.0 ±7.0 | 45.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.0% ±4.2 pts | 20.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.8% ±5.2 pts | 23.8% | – |
| Male | 51.5% ±4.5 pts | 50.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.9% ±3.7 pts | 3.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 81.9% ±5.2 pts | 90.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 7.4% ±5.2 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 5.7% ±5.9 pts | 1.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±1.4 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 6.6% ±5.5 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 8.1% ±6.2 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.4% ±2.9 pts | 5.2% | – |
| With a disability | 19.5% ±6.0 pts | 18.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 16.7% ±6.9 pts | 10.3% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 78.5% ±7.9 pts | 84.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 8.4% ±4.4 pts | 14.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.1% ±2.0 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.6% ±5.4 pts | 92.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.9% ±1.1 pts | 1.5% | – |
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 Parsons earn?
Half of Parsons's 1,064 households earn less than $36,154 a year (±$10,568), against $45,375 in Decatur County and $69,595 in Tennessee. In 2015-2019 it was $42,023 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 25.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Parsons | Decatur County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $36,154 ±$10,568 | $45,375 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $54,761 ±$9,006 | $63,847 | – |
| Per capita income | $24,944 ±$4,786 | $26,884 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 25.3% ±7.5 pts | 22.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 15.6% ±10.0 pts | 26.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 20.4% ±7.4 pts | 17.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 74.9% ±10.5 pts | 87.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 74.7% ±10.9 pts | 80.5% | – |
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 Parsons?
Owners occupy 59.9% of Parsons's occupied homes and renters 40.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $118,100 by its owner (±$28,898). The median renter pays $738 a month including utilities, and 20.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Parsons | Decatur County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $118,100 ±$28,898 | $139,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $738 ±$112 | $757 | +$306 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 20.1% ±11.3 pts | 22.8% | −27.0 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $697 ±$326 | $1,063 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 59.9% ±9.0 pts | 74.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 40.1% ±9.0 pts | 25.7% | – |
| Housing units | 1,248 ±193 | 6,591 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±6.8 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 9.0% ±8.3 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 68.8% ±9.5 pts | 73.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 13.6% ±6.7 pts | 21.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.4% ±5.4 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.9% ±3.2 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 11.3% ±5.8 pts | 5.7% | – |
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 many new homes is Parsons building?
Builders took permits for 7 new housing units in Parsons in 2025 (7 in single-family houses), 3.2 per 1,000 residents against 5.9 across Tennessee.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Parsons work and get to work?
78.5% of Parsons's workers drive alone and 10.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 26.4 minutes.
| Measure | Parsons | Decatur County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 45.8% ±5.8 pts | 50.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.3% ±6.2 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 78.5% ±10.8 pts | 83.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.5% ±6.7 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.8% ±1.2 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.2% ±6.2 pts | 5.5% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.4 min ±6.0 | 26.8 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 Parsons?
1 census tract lies mostly in Parsons, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9550.04Decatur County | 2,316 | $36,415 |
| Tract 9550.03Decatur County | 2,602 | $50,156 |
| Tract 9550.01Decatur County | 2,104 | $57,604 |
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 Parsons) · Census block assignment files
How does Parsons compare with other places in Tennessee?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Parsons is the 7,411th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 163rd-most populous of 345 in Tennessee.
Parsons ranks 277th of 287 places in Tennessee with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 163rd | 345 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 121st | 230 |
| Residents per square mile | 184th | 289 |
| Median household income | 277th | 287 |
| Per capita income | 244th | 289 |
| Median home value | 268th | 285 |
| Median gross rent | 215th | 265 |
| Poverty rate | 43rd | 239 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 264th | 276 |
| Median age | 65th | 289 |
| Owner-occupied share | 200th | 289 |
| Work from home | 104th | 167 |
| Travel time to work | 118th | 288 |
Parsons's figures with every place in Tennessee (CSV)
Every place in Tennessee, sortable · Compare Parsons 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 Parsons?
19 of the 57 figures for Parsons 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 Parsons 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 Parsons.