Cookeville is a metro area of 145,812 people. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 23% of adults. 4% of residents were born outside the United States. Growth has run 25% since 2000, or 29,293 more people. The typical home is worth $240,191, having roughly tripled since 2000. Renters pay $872 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $55,135, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 65%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Cookeville
What changed most since 1990
Median home value (2024 dollars)$112,654 → $240,191(+113%)US over the same years: +67%
White share97.2% → 88.4%(−8.8 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Homes owned by their occupants73.6% → 68.4%(−5.3 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Among the 27 metro and micro areas based in Tennessee
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)22.9%(1,722)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)20.3%(1,523)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39.6%(2,968)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.9%(291)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.3%(19)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 7,504 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
Cookeville, decade by decade
Cookeville population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
98,396
$48,892
$112,654
12.2%
6.8
2000
116,519
$53,746
$145,963
14.6%
11.9
2010
131,883
$49,730
$156,934
16.7%
17.3
2020
141,333
$51,929
$177,500
20.3%
28.9
2024
145,812
$55,135
$240,191
23.4%
26.4
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.
