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Place dossier plate
SheetTN-PULASKI-TN · Pulaski, TN 8,305 pop · income 13th pct · 9 tracts
Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.
Income neighbourhood around Pulaski
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Pulaski on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Covington · lowest
43,512
Covington · lowest
43,512 median HH income
35.6% of the leader · rank #1
St. David · near
45,417
St. David · near
45,417 median HH income
37.2% of the leader · rank #2
Cutler · near
45,417
Cutler · near
45,417 median HH income
37.2% of the leader · rank #3
Allerton · near
45,417
Allerton · near
45,417 median HH income
37.2% of the leader · rank #4
Elkton · near
45,417
Elkton · near
45,417 median HH income
37.2% of the leader · rank #5
Pulaski · this city
45,420
Pulaski · this city
45,420 median HH income
37.2% of the leader · rank #6
Thompson's St… · highest
122,139
Thompson's St… · highest
122,139 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income, and FBI crime rate
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Pulaski on ACS population and median household income
, plus FBI UCR reporting rate when the extract covers this place. Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.
Similar population
Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 8,305.
Agency-reported UCR totals per 100,000 population, not a neighborhood safety grade or a prediction of personal risk.
Pulaski - the verdict
Pulaski ranks in the 13th percentile for household income and the 18th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.
13th
percentile, household income
33rd
percentile, home value
34th
percentile, median rent
18th
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: Pulaski, TN
Census ACS 2023 estimates count 8,305 residents in Pulaski, a small town within Tennessee. Households in Pulaski report a median income of $45,420 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 22.7%. Home values in Pulaski run a median of $168,200, and the median resident age is 37.8 years. 22.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 47.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
In 2024, 13 residential building permits were authorized in Pulaski (Building Boom), up 117% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Pulaski's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2826.6 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures 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). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,118 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Tennessee's average monthly utility costs around $218 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 52.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of Pulaski's data
How this reading path is ordered
This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from comparison shortlist to reported crime to housing and income to within-city variation to schools and households to work and mobility to population change; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For Pulaski, city-specific coverage includes annual population history, within-city Census tract profiles, matched public-school count, FBI reported-crime rates, commute-mode shares, local building permits.
All six city-specific enrichment layers used by this profile are present.
Question 1
Which cities make useful reference points for Pulaski?
Within Tennessee, the closest population matches are Milan (8,194 residents, $45,608 income); Harrison (8,446 residents, $89,753 income); Jefferson City (8,472 residents, $53,819 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Senatobia, MS (8,306 residents); Firebaugh, CA (8,301 residents); Trinidad, CO (8,309 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.
Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching. The nationwide peer panel below adds a fourth FBI UCR reporting-rate lens, not personal risk.
What can the FBI record say about safety in Pulaski?
Treat this as a reporting-rate comparison, not a prediction of personal risk or a neighborhood-level safety grade. Tourism, daytime population, reporting practices, and variation inside the city are not adjusted away. The state rank and same-state peer table are the narrower comparisons available on this page.
The joined FBI UCR record reports 2826.6 violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents, above the 2280.5 national reference used here. The difference is 24% higher in arithmetic terms, but agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies.
How far does income reach against housing in Pulaski?
The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.7 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 22.7%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.
That layer breaks the citywide income, rent, and home-value medians into smaller Census geographies, which can reveal differences that one municipal median necessarily hides. A tract is a statistical area, not a locally defined neighborhood or a promise about conditions on a particular block. Start with the city profile for the broad comparison, then use the tract layer to test whether the same housing and income pattern is consistent across the city. Large within-city spreads are a reason to avoid treating any citywide median as a universal resident experience.
These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.
Schools and households
What does the education layer cover for Pulaski?
The NCES join finds 4 public schools within the city match. 22.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.
The city has a broader matched school footprint, but count alone does not describe performance, capacity, program availability, or attendance boundaries. This profile deliberately avoids converting it into an unsupported family-friendliness score.
Matched public schools
4
Bachelor's degree+
22.0%
Poverty estimate
22.7%
NCES Common Core of Data school locations plus Census ACS resident characteristics.
What does the journey to work look like in Pulaski?
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. The profile is strongly car-oriented, so a relocation comparison should put trip distance, vehicle access, and household fuel costs ahead of a citywide commute average. The same-state peer links offer a more relevant benchmark than a national label.
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 86.7%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.
Public transit
0.0%
Work from home
4.3%
Drive alone
86.7%
City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 3,165 workers age 16+.
The recent population line is broadly flat. That makes the composition of change more important than the headline count: housing turnover, household size, and age structure can shift even when the total barely moves.
Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +20 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +0.2% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 13 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
Period change
+0.2%
2025 estimate
8,394
2020 estimate
8,374
Census Population Estimates Program, 2020–2025; permit context uses Census BPS.
Low income · poverty 22.7% (Highest-decile poverty)
Cost of Living Index (state)
91.9 (US=100)
Affordable · BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average
F
City profile score · Pulaski, TN
31/100
5 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023
Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians
(income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when
published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability
rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out
and redistribute weight.
How it is calculated.
Cost of living B+
91.9 index
BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.
Bachelor's+ share D
22.0%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
Violent crime F
461 /100k
FBI UCR violent offenses per 100,000 residents; lower is stronger on this axis.
Household income F
$45,420
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Poverty rate F
22.7%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Pulaski profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Cost of living: 78/100 (B+) · 91.9 index
Bachelor's+ share: 40/100 (D) · 22.0%
Violent crime: 18/100 (F) · 461 /100k
Household income: 14/100 (F) · $45,420
Poverty rate: 9/100 (F) · 22.7%
Where Pulaski sits on home value vs crime among peer cities
Pulaski's median home value and FBI crime rate plotted with similar-size and
same-state peers (padded with large cities when the peer set is thin). The second
read: pricey does not always mean safer, check which quadrant this city lands in.
Census ACS median home value vs FBI UCR crime rate - Pulaski highlighted among 10 peers.Read the chart values
Pulaski, TN (this city): home $168,200, crime 2,827/100k
Senatobia, MS : home $208,000, crime 1,840/100k
Firebaugh, CA : home $235,100, crime 1,081/100k
Trinidad, CO : home $196,900, crime 3,743/100k
Selah, WA : home $366,100, crime 1,182/100k
Runnemede, NJ : home $217,500, crime 2,017/100k
Milan, TN : home $121,400, crime 2,557/100k
Jefferson City, TN : home $205,000, crime 2,231/100k
Covington, TN : home $163,900, crime 3,643/100k
Lexington, TN : home $173,200, crime 2,400/100k
How does Pulaski compare to other US cities?
Pulaski measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.
Household income13% higher than other cities
Home value33% pricier than other cities
Median rent34% pricier than other cities
Safety18% 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, Pulaski ranks #142 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
Each percentile compares Pulaski 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 Pulaski near the bottom of Tennessee's cities
Among the 482 Tennessee cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Pulaski ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Pulaski only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#339 of 458
26th percentile in Tennessee
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 482
0th percentile in Tennessee
Median Home Value
#249 of 455
45th percentile in Tennessee
Poverty Rate
#67 of 482
86th percentile in Tennessee
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#158 of 482
67th percentile in Tennessee
How in-state ranks are ordered
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.
Gauge source note
13th percentile nationally for median household income · 18th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
Pulaski's profile vs. every US city
Income, affordability, and safety percentile
Pulaski'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 Pulaski's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$168,200Among the most affordablemore affordable than 67% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
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
Pulaski's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.7×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#9,727 of 15,516
More affordable than 37% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#7,736 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)
At 3.7×, Pulaski sits in the moderate band:
national rank #9,727 of 15,516 and #7,736 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000).
Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.
How this ratio is calculated
Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000.
Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0).
This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.
Income distribution context
$45,420Pulaski, TN median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Pulaski, TN median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Pulaski, TN.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)22.0%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)22.7%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)47.2%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
8,305
Median Income
$45,420
Median Home Value
$168,200
Median Age
37.8
Poverty Rate
22.7%
Labor force participation
47.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.0%
Safety & Crime
Total Crime Rate
2826.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
461.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2365.6
per 100,000 residents
Crime reporting caveat
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
4
Public schools in this city
Population Change
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Pulaski's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
8,374 residents
2021
8,257 residents
2022
8,284 residents
2023
8,341 residents
2024
8,281 residents
2025
8,394 residents
Housing Supply
BPS source
Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized
📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
13
housing units authorized
Single-Family
7
detached homes
Multifamily
6
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.6
permits per 1,000 residents
5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)
Year
Total
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
6
6
0
$1.1M
2020
12
12
0
$0.8M
2021
39
33
6
$3.5M
2022
28
28
0
$2.5M
2023
7
1
6
$0.7M
2024
13
7
6
$1.3M
Permit volume increased 117% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Drive Alone
86.7%
Carpool
5.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
4.3%
Other
1.5%
Based on 3,165 workers 16 and over.
Monthly Utility Costs
Tennessee statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $218
EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Tennessee at $218 (electricity about $120 , water and sewer about $40 ).
These are Tennessee statewide averages, not a meter reading for Pulaski. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.
Living Costs & Risk
Tennessee's BEA cost-of-living index is 91.9 (Well Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Pulaski is $1,118/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Tennessee statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 52.5 / 100 (Low).
Cost/risk geography note
Cost of living is a Tennessee statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Pulaski sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How Pulaski compares to similar-size Tennessee cities
Same-state peer method
Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.
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.