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MICROPOLITAN AREA

Cookeville Micro

Cookeville, TN · 4 counties · 152,477 residents (2025 est.) · 1,520 sq mi
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The short version

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
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
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
145,812
+25%since 2000
from 116,519 in 2000
152,477 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
96 / sq mi
+25%since 2000
from 77 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
39.6
+8%since 2000
from 36.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
1,520 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
94K108K122K136K151K19902000201020202024Cookeville
2024146K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.3%(7,760)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.7%(8,246)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146%(8,715)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.1%(10,418)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248%(11,622)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413%(18,955)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.2%(16,373)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.1%(17,610)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413%(18,974)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.3%(16,481)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.8%(8,418)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.5%(2,240)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$55,135
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,504 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,174
+97%since 2000
from $15,803 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
37.5%
+22.4 ptssince 2009
from 15.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
17.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2000
from 16.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.463
+2%since 2010
from 0.455 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade16.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Information12.3%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6.7%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.2%
US avg: 1.6%
Education & health services1.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Construction0.8%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.4%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$240,191
+65%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $80,126 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$872
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $403 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
68.4%
−4.2 ptssince 2000
from 72.5% in 2000
31.6% rent
Vacancy rate
9.8%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.41 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.48 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
17.2%
−5.2 ptssince 2009
from 22.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
38.8%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 39.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.3
+37%since 2009
from 3.2 in 2009
2009 – 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
78
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic95.1%(110,799)
Black1.3%(1,486)
Hispanic / Latino2%(2,357)
Asian0.6%(650)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic88.4%(128,896)
Black1.8%(2,617)
Hispanic / Latino6%(8,691)
Asian0.8%(1,127)
Other3.1%(4,481)
Diversity Score
26
+70%since 2009
from 16 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
30
−12%since 2020
from 34 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
Central American2.2%(3,207)
Mexican1.9%(2,754)
Guatemalan2.1%(2,748)
Puerto Rican0.7%(1,067)
Colombian0.2%(298)
Salvadoran0.2%(256)
Cuban0.2%(243)
Spaniard0.2%(185)
Venezuelan0.1%(134)
Argentine0.3%(114)
Peruvian0.1%(112)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Panamanian0.1%(98)
Honduran0.1%(59)
Dominican0.1%(40)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.3%(278)
Filipino0.2%(202)
Asian Indian0.2%(172)
Chinese0.1%(147)
Laotian0.2%(145)
Korean0.1%(79)
Burmese0%(29)
Japanese0%(21)
Malaysian0%(19)
Thai0%(9)
Hmong0%(7)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(5)
Ancestry
American18.6%(27,161)
English16.1%(23,527)
German9.5%(13,852)
Irish9.1%(13,274)
Scottish2.7%(3,935)
Italian2%(2,951)
French1.9%(2,817)
Scotch-Irish1.8%(2,655)
Polish1%(1,459)
Dutch1%(1,406)
Welsh0.7%(970)
+ 36 more ancestry groups with data
British0.4%(574)
Swedish0.4%(527)
Norwegian0.4%(515)
Ghanaian0.5%(375)
Arab0.3%(338)
Lithuanian0.2%(247)
Hungarian0.2%(219)
Danish0.1%(189)
Russian0.1%(182)
Greek0.1%(159)
Canadian0.1%(140)
Portuguese0.1%(131)
Australian0.2%(130)
Nigerian0.1%(126)
Swiss0.1%(115)
Lebanese0.1%(113)
Finnish0.1%(97)
Czech0.1%(95)
Croatian0.1%(72)
Romanian0.1%(69)
Slovak0.1%(58)
Ukrainian0%(55)
West Indian0.1%(51)
Egyptian0.1%(50)
Jamaican0.1%(43)
Austrian0%(37)
Armenian0%(28)
Slovene0%(24)
Somali0%(22)
Bulgarian0%(14)
Iranian0%(13)
Belgian0%(11)
Turkish0%(6)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
23.4%
+8.8 ptssince 2000
from 14.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
86.7%
+19.1 ptssince 2000
from 67.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.6%
+3.2 ptssince 2000
from 5.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.5 min
+59%since 2000
from 14.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
79.9%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 83.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.3%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
9.8%
+6.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.9%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 5.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.3%
−4.6 ptssince 2011
from 8.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
58.8%
+3.1 ptssince 2011
from 55.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
69.4%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 68.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
13.6%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
33.9%
+5.9 ptssince 2009
from 28.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.9%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 49.3% in 2009
Female
50.1%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 50.7% in 2009
Foreign born
3.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.5%
−3.6 ptssince 2009
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.1%
Unchangedsince 2012
from 16.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.3%
−4.9 ptssince 2013
from 15.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
86.0%
+20.7 ptssince 2017
from 65.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
92.5%
+8.1 ptssince 2020
from 84.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
87.9%
+3.2 ptssince 2020
from 84.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
94.5%
−1.2 ptssince 2016
from 95.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
3.8%
+1.1 ptssince 2016
from 2.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married33%(19,841)
Married51.7%(31,055)
Widowed3.2%(1,946)
Divorced12.1%(7,266)
Women 15+
Never married24.8%(15,108)
Married49.8%(30,379)
Widowed11.6%(7,053)
Divorced13.8%(8,443)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.3%
−4.9 ptssince 2013
from 15.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
47.6%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 48.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
18.8%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 19.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 21.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
23.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 23.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
62.8%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 64.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
41.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 41.6% 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)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
In this metro

Largest cities

CookevilleCENTRAL38,212Sparta5,038Algood4,165Livingston4,147Monterey2,827Baxter2,128Dodson Branch1,425Gainesboro969Doyle540Hilham267Bon Air205
What's inside

4 component counties

Putnam CountyCENTRAL86,612White County29,612Overton County23,787Jackson County12,466
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Cookeville

Alexandria
Pop 147,952
Dothan
Pop 156,266
Hammond
Pop 141,346
Homosassa Springs
Pop 171,666
Places similar to Cookeville
Head to head

Compare Cookeville side by side

COOKEVILLE VS
Alexandria
Income$56,303+2%
Home value$175,518−27%
Population147,952−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COOKEVILLE VS
Dothan
Income$57,746+5%
Home value$171,459−29%
Population156,266+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COOKEVILLE VS
Hammond
Income$56,760+3%
Home value$212,900−11%
Population141,346−7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COOKEVILLE VS
Homosassa Springs
Income$56,546+3%
Home value$245,500+2%
Population171,666+13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Cookeville, TN?

Cookeville, TN has about 145,812 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Cookeville, TN?

The typical household in Cookeville, TN earns about $55,135 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Cookeville, TN expensive?

In Cookeville, TN, the median home is worth about $240,191, and the typical rent is about $872 a month.

How educated are people in Cookeville, TN?

About 23.4% of adults age 25 and over in Cookeville, TN hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Cookeville, TN?

About 17.2% of people in Cookeville, TN live below the federal poverty line.

Has Cookeville, TN grown since 1990?

Yes, Cookeville, TN has grown since 1990. The population has added about 47,416 residents, a change of about 48 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →