City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

Ripley, TN

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

7,718
Residents
$39,047
Median income
$152,200
Median home
$925
Median rent (state)

Ripley - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Ripley places in the 7th percentile for household income and the 8th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

7th
percentile, household income
27th
percentile, home value
7th
percentile, median rent
8th
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: Ripley, TN

7,718 people live in Ripley, Tennessee - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Ripley brings in $39,047 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 25.9%. Home values in Ripley run a median of $152,200, and the median resident age is 36.3 years. About 13.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 46.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 1 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 50% from five years earlier. Ripley's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 3894.4 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 60.2°F with 56.8 inches of precipitation per year and 2.4 inches of snowfall.

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 $925 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Tennessee run around $218, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 71.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

7,718 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Tennessee

Median Household Income

$39,047 /yr

Poverty 25.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

How does Ripley compare to other US cities?

Where Ripley sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 7% higher than other cities
Home value 27% pricier than other cities
Median rent 7% pricier than other cities
Safety 8% 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: Ripley ranks #160 of 174 Tennessee cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Ripley 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 Ripley near the bottom of Tennessee's cities

Among the 482 Tennessee cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Ripley ranks #341 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Ripley only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#405 of 458
12th percentile in Tennessee
Median Gross Rent
#341 of 482
0th percentile in Tennessee
Median Home Value
#297 of 455
34th percentile in Tennessee
Poverty Rate
#49 of 482
90th percentile in Tennessee
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#305 of 482
36th percentile in Tennessee

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.

7thIncome percentile
8thSafety percentile

7th percentile nationally for median household income · 8th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Ripley's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Ripley'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 33 Avg. percentile National median
Ripley'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 Ripley's home value compares nationally

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

$152,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 73% 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%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Ripley $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 - Ripley, TN Ripley, TN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Ripley, 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 Ripley, TN median $39,047/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%
Ripley, 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 Ripley, TN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 13.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 25.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 46.1%

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

Population
7,718
Median Income
$39,047
Median Home Value
$152,200
Median Age
36.3
Poverty Rate
25.9%
Labor force participation
46.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
13.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3894.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1742.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2151.8
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
60.2°F
Annual Precipitation
56.8"
Annual Snowfall
2.4"

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
7,400 residents7,500 residents7,600 residents7,700 residents7,800 residents7,900 residents 202020212022202320242025 7,794 residents 7,499 residents ▼ -3.8%
Ripley's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2
2020 6
2021 0
2022 5
2023 4
2024 1

Permit volume decreased 50% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.4%
Carpool
16.8%
Public Transit
1.1%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
2.7%
Other
2.0%

Based on 2,658 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 Ripley 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
71.6 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Tennessee

South Cleveland
7,748 people
Humboldt
7,799 people
Thompson's Station
7,855 people
Lexington
7,943 people
La Follette
7,308 people
Milan
8,194 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Ripley's 7,718 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Mount Horeb, WI
7,719 people
Earlimart, CA
7,716 people
Acton, CA
7,721 people
Fanwood, NJ
7,714 people
Jefferson, WI
7,722 people
St. Johns, MI
7,712 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Ripley's $39,047 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Winnebago, NE
$39,044 median income
Coal Center, PA
$39,050 median income
Arroyo Gardens, TX
$39,038 median income
Okmulgee, OK
$39,060 median income
Bluff City, AR
$39,063 median income
Perry, AR
$39,063 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Ripley, 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 Ripley, TN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 38.7% 54.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.0% White 38.7% Black or African American 54.9% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.0% Two or more races 5.0% 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 Ripley 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
Ripley (this city) 7,718 $39,047
South Cleveland 7,748 $64,607
Humboldt 7,799 $42,873
Thompson's Station 7,855 $122,139
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TN FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Ripley, TN?

What is the population of Ripley, TN? +

The population of Ripley, TN stands at 7,718 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Ripley households earn a median of $39,047 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Ripley? +

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

Ripley has a total crime rate of 3894.4 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Ripley, TN? +

A typical home in Ripley is worth $152,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Ripley? +

Ripley has an average annual temperature of 60.2°F, 56.8 inches of precipitation, and 2.4 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

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

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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.