Town · Tennessee
Ridgely, Tennessee
Ridgely, town, in Lake County, Tennessee. Ridgely had 1,616 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,690 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,796 (±239). GEOID 4763060.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,616
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,690 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,796 ±239
Median household income
$24,390
±$6,136 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $69,595
Median home value
$83,300
±$6,688 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $286,700
Median gross rent
$560
±$213 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $1,189
Where is Ridgely and what county is it in?
Ridgely is a town in Lake County, Tennessee. It covers 2.0 square miles of land, 852 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 Ridgely, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,616 people lived in Ridgely on July 1, 2025, down 4.3% since 2020, while Tennessee grew 5.8%. The 2020 Census counted 1,690 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,796 (±239).
| Measure | Ridgely | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,796 ±239 | 6,579 | no clear change |
| Households | 785 ±143 | 2,067 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.19 ±0.24 | 2.15 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 839 ±141 | 2,494 | no clear change |
Ridgely's population since 2000
From 1,667 in 2000 to 1,616 in 2025: down 3.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Ridgely 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 Ridgely?
The median resident of Ridgely is 35.8 years old; 28.4% are under 18 and 23.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 69.9%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 22.3%.
| Measure | Ridgely | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.8 ±7.6 | 42.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 28.4% ±4.4 pts | 14.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.6% ±4.1 pts | 16.4% | – |
| Male | 41.3% ±5.0 pts | 62.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.3% ±1.6 pts | 3.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 69.9% ±6.2 pts | 64.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 22.3% ±6.4 pts | 22.3% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.5% ±3.3 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.9% ±1.5 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.4% ±1.3 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.6% ±1.9 pts | 5.9% | – |
| With a disability | 25.4% ±5.4 pts | 26.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.3% ±7.2 pts | 15.3% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 65.9% ±7.9 pts | 73.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 12.1% ±4.6 pts | 9.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.0% ±3.0 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 72.5% ±9.4 pts | 83.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 1.1% | – |
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 Ridgely earn?
Half of Ridgely's 785 households earn less than $24,390 a year (±$6,136), against $28,814 in Lake County and $69,595 in Tennessee. In 2015-2019 the median was $41,654 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $17,264 after inflation. 43.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Ridgely | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $24,390 ±$6,136 | $28,814 | −$17,264 |
| Mean household income | $38,713 ±$7,731 | $49,017 | – |
| Per capita income | $17,324 ±$2,911 | $16,062 | −$7,844 |
| People below the poverty line | 43.6% ±9.8 pts | 32.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 63.9% ±15.5 pts | 49.7% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 33.9% ±8.0 pts | 31.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.2% ±5.7 pts | 85.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 72.0% ±11.5 pts | 78.1% | – |
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 Ridgely?
Owners occupy 41.7% of Ridgely's occupied homes and renters 58.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $83,300 by its owner (±$6,688). The median renter pays $560 a month including utilities, and 29.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Ridgely | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $83,300 ±$6,688 | $97,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $560 ±$213 | $532 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 29.1% ±13.7 pts | 41.2% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $961 ±$130 | $1,081 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 41.7% ±9.8 pts | 47.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 58.3% ±9.8 pts | 52.2% | – |
| Housing units | 839 ±141 | 2,494 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.3% ±3.9 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.8% ±4.4 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 61.3% ±10.0 pts | 64.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.3% ±1.4 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.9% ±2.9 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.2% ±4.4 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 6.2% ±3.3 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 25.0% ±11.5 pts | 18.3% | – |
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 Ridgely building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Ridgely in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 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 Ridgely work and get to work?
81.9% of Ridgely's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 21.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 8.0%.
| Measure | Ridgely | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 41.1% ±7.7 pts | 30.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 8.0% ±5.1 pts | 4.9% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 81.9% ±7.9 pts | 84.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 12.4% ±7.1 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±8.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 2.8% ±3.4 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 2.4% ±2.1 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.6 min ±2.5 | 21.2 min | +4.1 min |
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 Ridgely?
No census tract lies mostly in Ridgely; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9602Lake County | 2,333 | $29,038 |
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 Ridgely) · Census block assignment files
How does Ridgely compare with other places in Tennessee?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Ridgely is the 8,491st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 200th-most populous of 345 in Tennessee.
Ridgely ranks 286th 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 | 200th | 345 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 222nd | 230 |
| Residents per square mile | 105th | 289 |
| Median household income | 286th | 287 |
| Per capita income | 284th | 289 |
| Median home value | 284th | 285 |
| Median gross rent | 255th | 265 |
| Poverty rate | 2nd | 239 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 227th | 276 |
| Median age | 229th | 289 |
| Owner-occupied share | 278th | 289 |
| Travel time to work | 225th | 288 |
Ridgely's figures with every place in Tennessee (CSV)
Every place in Tennessee, sortable · Compare Ridgely 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 Ridgely?
19 of the 57 figures for Ridgely 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 Ridgely 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 Ridgely.