RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 117 SHOWN OF 117

Most residents in poverty, Tennessee cities · 2020

Tennessee cities with the most residents living below the poverty line, as of the 2020 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of people, not the poverty rate. This list covers the 117 cities in Tennessee that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

TennesseeAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPRESIDENTS IN POVERTYVS 2000

01Memphis, TNTN609,647155,938+17%

02Nashville, TNTN721,07499,119+37%

03Knoxville, TNTN202,02142,873+18%

04Chattanooga, TNTN194,14431,854+15%

05Clarksville, TNTN188,82922,927+110%

06Murfreesboro, TNTN171,17819,915+106%

07Jackson, TNTN69,33916,410+61%

08Johnson City, TNTN74,94314,965+70%

09Kingsport, TNTN57,53010,913+42%

10Cleveland, TNTN51,1729,644+62%

11Morristown, TNTN33,5178,217+71%

12Cookeville, TNTN38,2127,829+41%

13Gallatin, TNTN54,5906,244+87%

14Franklin, TNTN90,2265,916+112%

15Lebanon, TNTN53,4125,645+114%

16Bristol, TNTN28,1075,368+44%

17Smyrna, TNTN63,3215,271+133%

18Columbia, TNTN50,0725,067+10%

19Oak Ridge, TNTN35,3954,887+64%

20La Vergne, TNTN42,1464,708+428%

21Hendersonville, TNTN64,2664,443+76%

22Shelbyville, TNTN26,1464,402+69%

23Springfield, TNTN20,0904,282+68%

24McMinnville, TNTN13,9434,238+35%

25Dyersburg, TNTN15,9063,742+4%

26Sevierville, TNTN19,0103,396+71%

27Lawrenceburg, TNTN12,2363,383+91%

28Elizabethton, TNTN14,3503,379+30%

29Athens, TNTN15,2633,331+37%

30Tullahoma, TNTN21,2793,325+8%

31Martin, TNTN11,0603,153+11%

32Union City, TNTN10,8143,009+65%

33East Ridge, TNTN21,9213,007+83%

34Maryville, TNTN32,4423,005+29%

35Bartlett, TNTN56,4162,963+166%

36Greeneville, TNTN16,1412,813−11%

37Lewisburg, TNTN13,5172,810+68%

38Paris, TNTN10,4682,792+50%

39Crossville, TNTN13,1132,711+23%

40Dickson, TNTN17,0512,643+41%

41Mount Juliet, TNTN45,1722,399+631%

42Lexington, TNTN8,1302,391+145%

43Brownsville, TNTN9,3012,215−3%

44Pulaski, TNTN8,3942,207+56%

45Ripley, TNTN7,4992,192+3%

46Humboldt, TNTN7,8412,180+27%

47Newport, TNTN7,0492,164+3%

48Goodlettsville, TNTN17,5062,158+67%

49La Follette, TNTN7,1762,065−21%

50Portland, TNTN13,6582,050+131%

51Covington, TNTN8,5852,042−14%

52Millington, TNTN12,9531,941+92%

53Savannah, TNTN7,6891,926+17%

54Dayton, TNTN7,8191,859+78%

55Jefferson City, TNTN9,1031,859−3%

56Lenoir City, TNTN12,5301,852+70%

57Winchester, TNTN10,4381,726+18%

58Milan, TNTN8,3671,635+38%

59Dunlap, TNTN6,0891,631+94%

60Manchester, TNTN13,7761,606+10%

61Henderson, TNTN6,5901,581+47%

62Bloomingdale, TNTN9,2921,559+21%

63Clinton, TNTN10,4661,524−2%

64Red Bank, TNTN12,4051,490+50%

65Collierville, TNTN51,9091,486+94%

66Spring Hill, TNTN61,3361,458+370%

67Collegedale, TNTN11,4991,421+197%

68Pigeon Forge, TNTN6,5981,399+105%

69Bolivar, TNTN5,0431,380+3%

70Smithville, TNTN5,6201,369+55%

71Erwin, TNTN6,0191,365+87%

72Lafayette, TNTN6,0201,354+94%

73Fayetteville, TNTN7,0681,340−8%

74South Cleveland, TNTN7,4521,320+112%

75Seymour, TNTN16,2161,278+244%

76McKenzie, TNTN5,6321,178+66%

77Brentwood, TNTN45,3131,162+152%

78Hartsville/Trousdale County, TNTN12,6231,137–

79Alcoa, TNTN13,6891,085+18%

80Soddy-Daisy, TNTN13,4741,082+7%

81Powell, TNTN13,7391,076–

82Sweetwater, TNTN6,7061,039+14%

83Farragut, TNTN25,1211,030+102%

84Rockwood, TNTN5,6071,012−20%

85Eagleton, TNTN5,5981,012+58%

86Mount Pleasant, TNTN5,103998+20%

87Germantown, TNTN40,001975+21%

88Fairview, TNTN10,877953+101%

89Harriman, TNTN6,192923−40%

90Fairfield Glade, TNTN9,487922+709%

91Madisonville, TNTN5,428907+23%

92Ashland City, TNTN5,650805+136%

93Sparta, TNTN5,038804−18%

94Lakeland, TNTN14,422797+291%

95Church Hill, TNTN7,297746+5%

96White House, TNTN17,872731+208%

97Halls, TNTN10,272723–

98Loudon, TNTN6,963701−9%

99Greenbrier, TNTN7,170628+139%

100Middle Valley, TNTN12,187626−3%

101Lynchburg, TNTN6,920518−6%

102Atoka, TNTN10,645513+261%

103Jonesborough, TNTN6,990482−28%

104Kingston, TNTN6,299473−10%

105Arlington, TNTN15,703455+57%

106Munford, TNTN6,996424−32%

107Millersville, TNTN6,438402−36%

108Mount Carmel, TNTN5,540381−16%

109Thompson's Station, TNTN9,469378+563%

110Harrison, TNTN8,011374+58%

111Tellico, TNTN7,414334–

112Green Hill, TNTN6,866327+37%

113Pleasant View, TNTN5,797236+65%

114Oakland, TNTN10,835232+222%

115Signal Mountain, TNTN8,824201−21%

116Nolensville, TNTN15,789197+116%

117Medina, TNTN5,813191+93%

SHOWING 1–117 OF 117

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS