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COUNTY

Rutherford County

Tennessee · 386,352 residents (2025 est.) · 619 sq mi
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Part of the Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government metro area
The short version

Rutherford County is home to 360,646 people in Tennessee. Since 2000 the county has more than doubled, up 178,623 people. That puts it in the top 3% of US counties for household income. The median age is 34.2, younger than the US median of 38.9. That is roughly 23% ahead of the Tennessee median. The poverty rate is 9.3%, under the national 12.5%.

At a glance
Average income
median household income $85,470, near the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 34.2
US median: 38.9
Average education
36% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 88%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Rutherford County

What changed most since 1990

  • Population118,570 → 360,646 (+204%)US over the same years: +35%
  • Median home value (2024 dollars)$172,325 → $382,600 (+122%)US over the same years: +67%
  • White share88.7% → 63.7% (−25.0 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts

Among the 95 counties in Tennessee

  • 6th in household income$85,470
  • 6th in share with a bachelor's degree35.8%
  • 5th in home value$382,600
  • 7th in diversity score69.1
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
360,646
+98%since 2000
from 182,023 in 2000
386,352 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
582 / sq mi
+98%since 2000
from 294 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
34.2
+10%since 2000
from 31.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
619 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
94K167K240K312K385K19902000201020202024Rutherford County
2024361K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.3%(22,629)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.7%(24,015)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.3%(26,434)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.4%(26,609)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248.7%(31,327)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.7%(52,927)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4414.4%(51,860)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.7%(45,919)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410.7%(38,628)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 747.1%(25,507)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.1%(11,098)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1%(3,693)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$85,470
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $46,312 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$39,158
+96%since 2000
from $19,938 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
56.6%
+25.7 ptssince 2009
from 30.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
9.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2000
from 9.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.402
Unchangedsince 2010
from 0.402 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade12.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance7.5%
US avg: 5.9%
Wholesale trade7%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical6.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services6%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration4.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food2%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Construction0.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$382,600
+88%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $111,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,502
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $601 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
64.8%
−5.0 ptssince 2000
from 69.8% in 2000
35.2% rent
Vacancy rate
6.8%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.75 people
+7%since 2009
from 2.57 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
17.4%
−5.3 ptssince 2009
from 22.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
49.5%
+6.4 ptssince 2009
from 43.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.5
+54%since 2009
from 2.9 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
83
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic84.5%(153,762)
Black9.4%(17,197)
Hispanic / Latino2.8%(5,065)
Asian1.9%(3,443)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic63.7%(229,745)
Black14.7%(52,973)
Hispanic / Latino12.2%(43,964)
Asian3.6%(13,036)
Other5.8%(20,928)
Diversity Score
69
+53%since 2009
from 45 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
25
−13%since 2020
from 29 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican5.6%(20,020)
Central American2.5%(9,182)
South American1.6%(5,948)
Puerto Rican1.2%(4,250)
Venezuelan0.9%(3,363)
Salvadoran0.9%(3,150)
Honduran0.8%(2,719)
Guatemalan0.7%(2,646)
Cuban0.4%(1,359)
Dominican0.3%(947)
Colombian0.2%(831)
Peruvian0.2%(687)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Panamanian0.1%(492)
Spaniard0.1%(461)
Argentine0.1%(434)
Ecuadorian0.1%(404)
Chilean0%(7)
Asian origin
Laotian1.3%(4,815)
Asian Indian0.6%(2,064)
Filipino0.4%(1,468)
Burmese0.3%(1,138)
Chinese0.3%(984)
Vietnamese0.3%(905)
Japanese0.1%(474)
Korean0.1%(439)
Thai0%(166)
Hmong0%(68)
Cambodian0%(42)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(512)
Ancestry
English13.3%(48,134)
German8.9%(32,097)
American8.4%(30,425)
Irish8.2%(29,707)
Italian2.5%(9,195)
Scottish2%(7,360)
Arab1.8%(6,470)
Scotch-Irish1.6%(5,681)
French1.5%(5,312)
Polish1.2%(4,470)
Egyptian1.1%(3,965)
+ 47 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.7%(2,702)
Dutch0.6%(2,004)
West Indian0.5%(1,983)
Welsh0.5%(1,913)
Swedish0.4%(1,521)
British0.4%(1,346)
French Canadian0.4%(1,310)
Finnish0.2%(881)
Greek0.2%(848)
Ethiopian0.2%(775)
Ukrainian0.2%(720)
Jamaican0.2%(685)
Hungarian0.2%(635)
Russian0.2%(590)
Haitian0.2%(589)
Canadian0.2%(561)
Swiss0.2%(549)
Iraqi0.1%(527)
Portuguese0.1%(506)
Nigerian0.1%(464)
Romanian0.1%(434)
Austrian0.1%(394)
Czech0.1%(383)
Slovak0.1%(360)
Danish0.1%(356)
Palestinian0.1%(346)
Belgian0.1%(189)
Australian0%(151)
Lebanese0%(144)
Jordanian0%(131)
Lithuanian0%(115)
Kenyan0%(101)
Iranian0%(100)
Ghanaian0%(79)
Armenian0%(74)
Turkish0%(73)
Serbian0%(70)
Syrian0%(68)
Slovene0%(66)
Croatian0%(65)
Brazilian0%(47)
Moroccan0%(27)
Barbadian0%(17)
Latvian0%(14)
Somali0%(4)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
35.8%
+12.8 ptssince 2000
from 22.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
92.4%
+10.7 ptssince 2000
from 81.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.8%
+5.1 ptssince 2000
from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
28.1 min
+46%since 2000
from 19.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
73.0%
−12.2 ptssince 2009
from 85.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
15.0%
+12.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.9%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
2.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.6%
−4.8 ptssince 2011
from 8.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
71.7%
+0.6 ptssince 2011
from 71.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
77.0%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 76.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
11.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
39.7%
+7.7 ptssince 2009
from 31.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.6% in 2009
Female
50.7%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.4% in 2009
Foreign born
10.9%
+5.0 ptssince 2009
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.3%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
11.9%
+3.0 ptssince 2012
from 8.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.0%
−3.6 ptssince 2013
from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
93.8%
+13.3 ptssince 2017
from 80.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
97.3%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 95.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
84.7%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 84.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
83.9%
−6.1 ptssince 2016
from 90.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
9.5%
+3.6 ptssince 2016
from 5.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married37.4%(52,503)
Married53%(74,414)
Widowed1.9%(2,624)
Divorced7.8%(10,922)
Women 15+
Never married32.4%(47,591)
Married49.9%(73,357)
Widowed6.2%(9,120)
Divorced11.6%(17,037)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.0%
−3.6 ptssince 2013
from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
61.5%
−2.4 ptssince 2020
from 63.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.6%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 12.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
12.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 12.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
15.8%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 14.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
72.8%
−2.1 ptssince 2020
from 74.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
27.2%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 26.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)30.9%(5,270)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)29.7%(5,062)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era27%(4,602)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.8%(486)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.7%(120)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 17,068 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time

Rutherford County, decade by decade

Rutherford County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
1990118,570$74,109$172,32518.7%25.6
2000182,023$84,364$203,29722.9%34.5
2010262,604$77,352$225,99926.3%51.0
2020341,486$83,289$284,46632.6%68.5
2024360,646$85,470$382,60035.8%69.1

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Rutherford County

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Pop 370,214
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Pop 433,516
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Pop 347,240
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Pop 417,131
Places similar to Rutherford County
Head to head

Compare Rutherford County to nearby counties

RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
Cannon County
Income$59,443−30%
Home value$252,000−34%
Population15,296−96%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
Wilson County
Income$95,839+12%
Home value$428,000+12%
Population175,033−55%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
Bedford County
Income$67,225−21%
Home value$281,200−27%
Population55,273−86%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
Williamson County
Income$135,594+59%
Home value$751,900+97%
Population272,061−30%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Rutherford County, Tennessee?

Rutherford County, Tennessee has about 360,646 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Rutherford County, Tennessee?

The typical household in Rutherford County, Tennessee earns about $85,470 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Rutherford County, Tennessee expensive?

In Rutherford County, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $382,600, and the typical rent is about $1,502 a month.

How educated are people in Rutherford County, Tennessee?

About 35.8% of adults age 25 and over in Rutherford County, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Rutherford County, Tennessee?

About 9.3% of people in Rutherford County, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.

Has Rutherford County, Tennessee grown since 1990?

Yes, Rutherford County, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 242,076 residents, a change of about 204 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →