Town · Tennessee
South Carthage, Tennessee
South Carthage, town, in Smith County, Tennessee. South Carthage had 1,576 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 6.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,490 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,364 (±499). GEOID 4769680.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,576
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,490 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,364 ±499
Median household income
$55,662
±$21,095 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $69,595
Median home value
$200,300
±$22,208 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $286,700
Median gross rent
$939
±$99 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $1,189
Where is South Carthage and what county is it in?
South Carthage is a town in Smith County, Tennessee. It covers 2.6 square miles of land, 581 residents per square mile in 2020.
South Carthage is in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 14 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in South Carthage, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,576 people lived in South Carthage on July 1, 2025, up 6.2% since 2020, in line with Tennessee (+5.8%). The 2020 Census counted 1,490 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,364 (±499).
| Measure | South Carthage | Smith County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,364 ±499 | 20,389 | +1,094 |
| Households | 863 ±164 | 7,932 | +327 |
| Average household size | 2.72 ±0.30 | 2.55 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 895 ±160 | 8,752 | +313 |
South Carthage's population since 2000
From 1,302 in 2000 to 1,576 in 2025: up 21.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for South Carthage 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 South Carthage?
The median resident of South Carthage is 30.8 years old; 28.4% are under 18 and 12.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 97.6%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 1.3%.
| Measure | South Carthage | Smith County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.8 ±5.0 | 40.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 28.4% ±5.6 pts | 22.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.1% ±4.2 pts | 16.7% | – |
| Male | 47.5% ±4.6 pts | 50.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.5% ±0.6 pts | 3.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 97.6% ±2.1 pts | 90.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±1.4 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.4% ±1.7 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.4% ±2.3 pts | 6.8% | – |
| With a disability | 19.1% ±5.7 pts | 15.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 14.3% ±7.4 pts | 8.3% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 86.9% ±4.9 pts | 88.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 18.5% ±6.3 pts | 18.5% | +10.0 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.8% ±2.4 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.4% ±4.3 pts | 91.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.3% ±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 South Carthage earn?
Half of South Carthage's 863 households earn less than $55,662 a year (±$21,095), against $66,293 in Smith County and $69,595 in Tennessee. In 2015-2019 it was $53,623 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 17.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | South Carthage | Smith County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,662 ±$21,095 | $66,293 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $69,390 ±$8,846 | $85,956 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,118 ±$3,567 | $33,386 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 17.2% ±8.5 pts | 10.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 19.2% ±15.7 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 22.6% ±9.8 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.1% ±4.0 pts | 93.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.0% ±4.5 pts | 87.6% | – |
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 South Carthage?
Owners occupy 59.2% of South Carthage's occupied homes and renters 40.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $200,300 by its owner (±$22,208). The median renter pays $939 a month including utilities, and 22.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | South Carthage | Smith County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $200,300 ±$22,208 | $243,800 | +$39,694 |
| Median gross rent | $939 ±$99 | $922 | +$174 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 22.4% ±13.6 pts | 28.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,222 ±$140 | $1,389 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 59.2% ±9.2 pts | 76.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 40.8% ±9.2 pts | 23.1% | – |
| Housing units | 895 ±160 | 8,752 | +313 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.3% ±9.3 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 64.0% ±9.7 pts | 72.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.1% ±4.0 pts | 18.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 7.5% ±6.5 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.3% ±3.9 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.1% ±2.0 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.9% ±3.5 pts | 3.9% | – |
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 South Carthage building?
Builders took permits for 9 new housing units in South Carthage in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 5.7 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 South Carthage work and get to work?
73.0% of South Carthage's workers drive alone and 7.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 39.7 minutes.
| Measure | South Carthage | Smith County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.6% ±6.9 pts | 61.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% ±2.6 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 73.0% ±9.6 pts | 79.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 17.6% ±9.1 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.3% ±4.6 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 39.7 min ±12.4 | 32.2 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 South Carthage?
No census tract lies mostly in South Carthage; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9752Smith County | 6,016 | $53,750 |
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 South Carthage) · Census block assignment files
How does South Carthage compare with other places in Tennessee?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, South Carthage is the 8,571st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 203rd-most populous of 345 in Tennessee.
South Carthage ranks 154th 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 | 203rd | 345 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 71st | 230 |
| Residents per square mile | 163rd | 289 |
| Median household income | 154th | 287 |
| Per capita income | 240th | 289 |
| Median home value | 168th | 285 |
| Median gross rent | 109th | 265 |
| Poverty rate | 106th | 239 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 155th | 276 |
| Median age | 281st | 289 |
| Owner-occupied share | 204th | 289 |
| Work from home | 135th | 167 |
| Travel time to work | 7th | 288 |
South Carthage's figures with every place in Tennessee (CSV)
Every place in Tennessee, sortable · Compare South Carthage 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 South Carthage?
19 of the 57 figures for South Carthage 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 South Carthage 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 South Carthage.