City · Tennessee
Whitwell, Tennessee
Whitwell, city, in Marion County, Tennessee. Whitwell had 1,596 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,641 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,052 (±393). GEOID 4780620.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,596
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,641 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,052 ±393
Median household income
$67,774
±$13,974 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $69,595
Median home value
$140,500
±$44,376 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $286,700
Median gross rent
$872
±$108 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $1,189
Where is Whitwell and what county is it in?
Whitwell is a city in Marion County, Tennessee. It covers 3.5 square miles of land, 468 residents per square mile in 2020.
Whitwell is in the Chattanooga, TN-GA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 6 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 Whitwell, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,596 people lived in Whitwell on July 1, 2025, down 3.4% since 2020, while Tennessee grew 5.8%. The 2020 Census counted 1,641 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,052 (±393).
| Measure | Whitwell | Marion County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,052 ±393 | 29,250 | no clear change |
| Households | 899 ±197 | 11,869 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.28 ±0.30 | 2.45 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,129 ±217 | 14,058 | no clear change |
Whitwell's population since 2000
From 1,660 in 2000 to 1,596 in 2025: down 3.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Whitwell 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 Whitwell?
The median resident of Whitwell is 44.5 years old; 17.6% are under 18 and 17.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 9.3%.
| Measure | Whitwell | Marion County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.5 ±7.7 | 43.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.6% ±6.1 pts | 20.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.8% ±5.2 pts | 20.9% | – |
| Male | 51.5% ±6.1 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 9.3% ±6.4 pts | 2.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 87.2% ±7.0 pts | 90.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.5 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.5% ±1.6 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.4% ±2.7 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.7% ±1.9 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.9% ±3.6 pts | 9.1% | – |
| With a disability | 20.8% ±5.3 pts | 19.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.1% ±5.1 pts | 8.3% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 82.4% ±5.7 pts | 83.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 8.4% ±4.3 pts | 17.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.2% ±3.0 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.5% ±4.9 pts | 90.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.7% ±3.4 pts | 2.3% | – |
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 Whitwell earn?
Half of Whitwell's 899 households earn less than $67,774 a year (±$13,974), against $61,824 in Marion County and $69,595 in Tennessee. In 2015-2019 it was $52,584 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Whitwell | Marion County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,774 ±$13,974 | $61,824 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $75,404 ±$15,771 | $78,755 | – |
| Per capita income | $27,191 ±$3,156 | $32,016 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.7% ±4.3 pts | 16.3% | −14.2 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 5.3% ±10.1 pts | 20.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.6% ±5.3 pts | 14.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 86.9% ±5.8 pts | 90.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.8% ±5.8 pts | 85.3% | – |
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 Whitwell?
Owners occupy 72.0% of Whitwell's occupied homes and renters 28.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $140,500 by its owner (±$44,376). The median renter pays $872 a month including utilities, and 32.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Whitwell | Marion County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $140,500 ±$44,376 | $195,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $872 ±$108 | $853 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 32.7% ±18.3 pts | 36.2% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,180 ±$89 | $1,299 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 72.0% ±8.6 pts | 78.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 28.0% ±8.6 pts | 21.5% | – |
| Housing units | 1,129 ±217 | 14,058 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±6.5 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.7% ±11.2 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 70.0% ±7.7 pts | 74.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 9.2% ±4.7 pts | 19.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7% ±0.8 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.2% ±2.8 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 7.0% ±4.8 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.1% ±4.6 pts | 4.2% | – |
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 Whitwell building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Whitwell in 2025 (4 in single-family houses), 2.5 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 Whitwell work and get to work?
75.6% of Whitwell's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 37.1 minutes.
| Measure | Whitwell | Marion County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.0% ±7.1 pts | 54.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% ±5.0 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 75.6% ±11.7 pts | 74.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.3% ±4.7 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Walked | 3.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 13.0% ±10.2 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 37.1 min ±4.5 | 33.9 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 Whitwell?
No census tract lies mostly in Whitwell; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 501.02Marion County | 6,345 | $52,065 |
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 Whitwell) · Census block assignment files
How does Whitwell compare with other places in Tennessee?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Whitwell is the 8,529th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 202nd-most populous of 345 in Tennessee.
Whitwell ranks 105th 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 | 202nd | 345 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 217th | 230 |
| Residents per square mile | 204th | 289 |
| Median household income | 105th | 287 |
| Per capita income | 207th | 289 |
| Median home value | 249th | 285 |
| Median gross rent | 139th | 265 |
| Poverty rate | 179th | 239 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 264th | 276 |
| Median age | 74th | 289 |
| Owner-occupied share | 118th | 289 |
| Travel time to work | 10th | 288 |
Whitwell's figures with every place in Tennessee (CSV)
Every place in Tennessee, sortable · Compare Whitwell 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 Whitwell?
21 of the 57 figures for Whitwell 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 Whitwell 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 Whitwell.