United States › Tennessee › Smith County COUNTY
Smith County Tennessee · 20,981 residents (2025 est.) · 314 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Smith County is a county of 20,389 people in Tennessee. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 2% of residents were born outside the United States. Owners hold 77% of the housing stock. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $243,800. Renters pay $922 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 54%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 17,712 in 2000
20,981 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 60 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
14K 15K 17K 19K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Smith County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $66,293
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,625 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,473 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 23.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 12.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.445 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 7.4%
Public administration 3.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.9%
Transportation & warehousing 2.1%
Education & health services 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$243,800
+54%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $86,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$922
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $401 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 78.7% in 2000
23.1% rent
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.75 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 38.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 94.9%(16,809)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(200)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 90%(18,356)
Hispanic / Latino 3.1%(641)
from 15 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 28 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 Ancestry
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data from 9.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 67.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 22.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 58.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 70.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 11.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 66.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 24.9%(2,079)
Women 15+
Never married 22.1%(1,854)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 24.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 63.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 41.8% 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) 21%(226)
Gulf War (1990s) 23.9%(257)
Share of the 1,076 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Smith County Head to head
Compare Smith County to nearby counties SMITH COUNTY VS
Trousdale County
Income $72,747 +10%
Home value $337,600 +38%
Population 12,623 −40%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SMITH COUNTY VS
Jackson County
Income $47,951 −28%
Home value $155,500 −36%
Population 12,466 −41%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SMITH COUNTY VS
Macon County
Income $59,177 −11%
Home value $225,700 −7%
Population 27,663 +32%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SMITH COUNTY VS
DeKalb County
Income $53,153 −20%
Home value $235,500 −3%
Population 21,873 +4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Smith County, Tennessee? Smith County, Tennessee has about 20,389 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Smith County, Tennessee? The typical household in Smith County, Tennessee earns about $66,293 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Smith County, Tennessee expensive? In Smith County, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $243,800, and the typical rent is about $922 a month.
How educated are people in Smith County, Tennessee? About 18.5% of adults age 25 and over in Smith County, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Smith County, Tennessee? About 10.0% of people in Smith County, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.
Has Smith County, Tennessee grown since 1990? Yes, Smith County, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,246 residents, a change of about 44 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 