COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

White County

Tennessee · 20,090 residents · 377 sq mi

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Part of the Cookeville micropolitan area

The short version

With 20,090 people, White County is a county in Tennessee. 82% of homes are owner-occupied. 8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 20% national rate. Median home value sits at $40,000. At a median age of 36.8, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Renters pay $264 a month at the median.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 36.8

US median: 33.0

Less educated

8% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 28%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

20,090

−13%vs 2000

vs 23,102 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

36.8

−5%vs 2000

vs 38.8 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

377 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202428K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.2%(1,244)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97.1%(1,422)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 146.4%(1,295)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 196.9%(1,386)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 246.3%(1,257)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.8%(2,971)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4413.6%(2,739)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5412%(2,411)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6410.6%(2,121)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 749.4%(1,881)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 845.6%(1,125)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.2%(238)

US avg: 1.2%

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Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$19,874

−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $29,383 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$9,299

−37%vs 2000

vs $14,791 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

17.0%

+2.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 14.3% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$40,000

−28%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $72,800 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$264

−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $392 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

81.5%

+1.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 79.8% in 2000

18.5% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic96.1%(22,196)

Black1.6%(377)

Hispanic / Latino1%(239)

Asian0.2%(52)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic97.9%(19,668)

Black1.7%(351)

Hispanic / Latino0.4%(87)

Asian0.2%(33)

Other0.2%(38)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican1.3%(377)

Puerto Rican0.6%(175)

Central American0.4%(105)

Guatemalan0.3%(80)

Cuban0.2%(67)

Dominican0.1%(30)

Salvadoran0.1%(25)

South American0.1%(16)

Ecuadorian0%(12)

Colombian0%(4)

Asian origin

Filipino0.3%(80)

Korean0.2%(44)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0.2%(46)

Ancestry

English20%(5,630)

American14.6%(4,115)

German10.4%(2,942)

Irish9.8%(2,763)

Scottish3.1%(870)

Italian1.9%(537)

Scotch-Irish1.9%(525)

French1.7%(469)

Dutch1.6%(456)

Polish1.3%(354)

Welsh0.7%(209)

British0.4%(109)

+ 22 more ancestry groups with data

Subsaharan African0.4%(106)

Swedish0.3%(87)

Nigerian0.2%(65)

Croatian0.2%(57)

Finnish0.2%(51)

Norwegian0.1%(35)

Hungarian0.1%(33)

Arab0.1%(29)

Lebanese0.1%(29)

Canadian0.1%(29)

French Canadian0.1%(26)

Slovak0.1%(24)

Romanian0.1%(17)

Russian0.1%(15)

Swiss0%(13)

Czech0%(12)

Ukrainian0%(12)

Belgian0%(9)

Greek0%(9)

Lithuanian0%(8)

Portuguese0%(7)

Danish0%(6)

RANKED:Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest Scottish population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

7.6%

−0.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 7.9% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

53.2%

−11.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 64.8% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

2.7%

−0.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 3.2% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

21.6 min

+49%vs 2000

vs 14.5 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married28.3%(3,209)

Married53.2%(6,042)

Widowed4.7%(535)

Divorced13.8%(1,569)

Women 15+

Never married19.9%(2,352)

Married49.2%(5,825)

Widowed13.6%(1,607)

Divorced17.3%(2,045)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

12.3%

−1.2 ptssince 2013

from 13.5% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

40.6%

−2.7 ptssince 2020

from 43.3% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

16.6%

+1.1 ptssince 2020

from 15.5% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

24.7%

+0.7 ptssince 2020

from 24.0% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

26.1%

+1.5 ptssince 2020

from 24.6% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

3.8%

+0.8 ptssince 2020

from 3.0% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

56.9%

−1.0 ptssince 2020

from 57.9% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

47.1%

+2.2 ptssince 2020

from 44.9% 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)20%(335)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)7.1%(118)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era38.6%(645)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War1.3%(21)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,673 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.

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