RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 112 SHOWN OF 112

Most residents in poverty, Tennessee cities · 1990

Tennessee cities with the most residents living below the poverty line, as of the 1990 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of people, not the poverty rate. This list covers the 112 cities in Tennessee that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 112 is 1,300.

TennesseeAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

RELATEDHighest median household income Lowest median household income Highest per-capita income Lowest poverty rate Highest poverty rate Most six-figure households

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPRESIDENTS IN POVERTYVS –

01Memphis, TNTN609,647140,154–

02Nashville, TNTN721,07465,344–

03Knoxville, TNTN202,02134,349–

04Chattanooga, TNTN194,14427,719–

05Jackson, TNTN69,33910,264–

06Clarksville, TNTN188,82910,043–

07Johnson City, TNTN74,9438,493–

08Murfreesboro, TNTN171,1787,182–

09Kingsport, TNTN57,5306,598–

10Cleveland, TNTN51,1725,273–

11Morristown, TNTN33,5174,296–

12Cookeville, TNTN38,2124,120–

13Columbia, TNTN50,0724,076–

14Dyersburg, TNTN15,9063,710–

15Gallatin, TNTN54,5903,071–

16Bristol, TNTN28,1072,964–

17Athens, TNTN15,2632,812–

18Shelbyville, TNTN26,1462,778–

19Covington, TNTN8,5852,771–

20Brownsville, TNTN9,3012,681–

21Maryville, TNTN32,4422,664–

22Oak Ridge, TNTN35,3952,588–

23Lebanon, TNTN53,4122,434–

24Elizabethton, TNTN14,3502,423–

25La Follette, TNTN7,1762,384–

26Tullahoma, TNTN21,2792,382–

27McMinnville, TNTN13,9432,329–

28Greeneville, TNTN16,1412,240–

29Springfield, TNTN20,0902,195–

30Paris, TNTN10,4682,169–

31Ripley, TNTN7,4992,127–

32Newport, TNTN7,0492,043–

33Millington, TNTN12,9531,998–

34Crossville, TNTN13,1131,984–

35Harriman, TNTN6,1921,917–

36Union City, TNTN10,8141,806–

37Lawrenceburg, TNTN12,2361,804–

38Pulaski, TNTN8,3941,781–

39Humboldt, TNTN7,8411,768–

40Martin, TNTN11,0601,749–

41Savannah, TNTN7,6891,730–

42Dickson, TNTN17,0511,691–

43Lewisburg, TNTN13,5171,665–

44East Ridge, TNTN21,9211,608–

45Bloomingdale, TNTN9,2921,570–

46Smyrna, TNTN63,3211,496–

47Bolivar, TNTN5,0431,463–

48Franklin, TNTN90,2261,457–

49Hendersonville, TNTN64,2661,444–

50Milan, TNTN8,3671,416–

51Fayetteville, TNTN7,0681,415–

52Jefferson City, TNTN9,1031,414–

53Clinton, TNTN10,4661,384–

54Sevierville, TNTN19,0101,341–

55Soddy-Daisy, TNTN13,4741,312–

56Lenoir City, TNTN12,5301,300–

57Rockwood, TNTN5,6071,257–

58Henderson, TNTN6,5901,229–

59Red Bank, TNTN12,4051,222–

60Dayton, TNTN7,8191,182–

61Sparta, TNTN5,0381,179–

62Manchester, TNTN13,7761,170–

63Lexington, TNTN8,1301,161–

64Winchester, TNTN10,4381,019–

65Smithville, TNTN5,620963–

66Collierville, TNTN51,909956–

67Dunlap, TNTN6,089906–

68Alcoa, TNTN13,689898–

69Mount Pleasant, TNTN5,103886–

70Sweetwater, TNTN6,706819–

71Erwin, TNTN6,019797–

72Lafayette, TNTN6,020786–

73McKenzie, TNTN5,632773–

74Church Hill, TNTN7,297750–

75Portland, TNTN13,658750–

76Loudon, TNTN6,963727–

77Bartlett, TNTN56,416629–

78South Cleveland, TNTN7,452613–

79Kingston, TNTN6,299594–

80Eagleton, TNTN5,598579–

81Goodlettsville, TNTN17,506544–

82Powell, TNTN13,739543–

83Fairview, TNTN10,877518–

84La Vergne, TNTN42,146508–

85Middle Valley, TNTN12,187475–

86Madisonville, TNTN5,428474–

87Ashland City, TNTN5,650444–

88Munford, TNTN6,996419–

89Seymour, TNTN16,216416–

90Collegedale, TNTN11,499406–

91Halls, TNTN10,272400–

92Jonesborough, TNTN6,990383–

93Millersville, TNTN6,438366–

94Germantown, TNTN40,001364–

95Pigeon Forge, TNTN6,598346–

96Harrison, TNTN8,011258–

97Mount Carmel, TNTN5,540253–

98Mount Juliet, TNTN45,172248–

99Farragut, TNTN25,121236–

100Brentwood, TNTN45,313228–

101White House, TNTN17,872183–

102Spring Hill, TNTN61,336178–

103Greenbrier, TNTN7,170165–

104Green Hill, TNTN6,866132–

105Arlington, TNTN15,703131–

106Signal Mountain, TNTN8,82477–

107Fairfield Glade, TNTN9,48775–

108Medina, TNTN5,81372–

109Atoka, TNTN10,64566–

110Oakland, TNTN10,83559–

111Lakeland, TNTN14,42226–

112Nolensville, TNTN15,78925–

SHOWING 1–112 OF 112

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS