City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

Whitwell, TN

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

1,863
Residents
$62,500
Median income
$121,700
Median home
$1,390
Median rent (state)

Whitwell - the verdict

Nationally, Whitwell sits in the 39th percentile for household income and the 46th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

39th
percentile, household income
18th
percentile, home value
53rd
percentile, median rent
46th
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: Whitwell, TN

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,863 residents in Whitwell, a small town within Tennessee. The typical household in Whitwell brings in $62,500 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.4%. Typical homes in Whitwell are valued around $121,700, and the median resident age is 44.7 years. About 7.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 59.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 1 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier. Whitwell reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1498.1 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below 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). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,390 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Tennessee's average monthly utility costs around $218 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 58.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

1,863 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Tennessee

Median Household Income

$62,500 /yr

Poverty 6.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

How does Whitwell compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 39% higher than other cities
Home value 18% pricier than other cities
Median rent 53% pricier than other cities
Safety 46% 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, Whitwell ranks #85 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 Whitwell against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Tennessee only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Tennessee-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Whitwell toward the bottom of Tennessee's cities

Among the 482 Tennessee cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Whitwell ranks #428 - the 11th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Whitwell only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#182 of 458
60th percentile in Tennessee
Median Gross Rent
#103 of 482
73rd percentile in Tennessee
Median Home Value
#363 of 455
20th percentile in Tennessee
Poverty Rate
#314 of 482
35th percentile in Tennessee
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#428 of 482
11th 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.

39thIncome percentile
46thSafety percentile

39th percentile nationally for median household income · 46th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Whitwell's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Whitwell'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 50 Avg. percentile National median
Whitwell'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 Whitwell's home value compares nationally

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

$121,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 82% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Whitwell $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 - Whitwell, TN Whitwell, TN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Whitwell, 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 Whitwell, TN median $62,500/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%
Whitwell, 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 Whitwell, TN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 7.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.9%

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

Population
1,863
Median Income
$62,500
Median Home Value
$121,700
Median Age
44.7
Poverty Rate
6.4%
Labor force participation
59.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
7.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1498.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
249.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1248.4
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.

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,580 residents1,600 residents1,620 residents1,640 residents1,660 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,650 residents 1,596 residents ▼ -3.3%
Whitwell's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 4
2021 5
2022 3
2023 1
2024 1

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.9%
Carpool
5.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.8%
Work from Home
11.9%
Other
0.6%

Based on 932 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 Whitwell sits in

Cost of Living Index
91.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,390/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
58.2 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Tennessee

Charlotte
1,864 people
Decatur
1,860 people
Bon Aqua Junction
1,877 people
Cornersville
1,832 people
Rocky Top
1,830 people
Vonore
1,829 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Whitwell's 1,863 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

New Plymouth, ID
1,863 people
Kent Estates, IA
1,863 people
Fort Recovery, OH
1,863 people
Inola, OK
1,863 people
Stewartstown, PA
1,863 people
Westernport, MD
1,864 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Whitwell's $62,500 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Industry, CA
$62,500 median income
Buncombe, IL
$62,500 median income
Colchester, IL
$62,500 median income
Shipman, IL
$62,500 median income
Billtown, IN
$62,500 median income
Boonville, IN
$62,500 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Whitwell, 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 Whitwell, TN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 94.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.1% White 94.8% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.2% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% 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 Whitwell 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
Whitwell (this city) 1,863 $62,500
Charlotte 1,864 $57,656
Decatur 1,860 $48,203
Bon Aqua Junction 1,877 $33,295
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TN FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Whitwell, TN?

What is the population of Whitwell, TN? +

1,863 people live in Whitwell, TN according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Whitwell households earn a median of $62,500 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Whitwell? +

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

Whitwell has a total crime rate of 1498.1 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Whitwell, TN? +

Whitwell's median home value sits at $121,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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.

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.