Fentress County, Tennessee Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Fentress County, Tennessee, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Fentress County, Tennessee. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Fentress County, Tennessee. The estimated population of Fentress County, Tennessee is 18,385 people, with a median age of 45.7.

We can look at the total population in Fentress County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
18,385
 -0.11% +2.48%
2020
18,405
+1.05%
-
2019
18,213
+1.22%
-
2018
17,994
+0.3%
-
2017
17,940
 - -

Population of Fentress County, Tennessee by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
95.9%
96.7%
 -0.83%
Black/African American
0.3%
0.2%
 +50.00%
Native
0%
0.1%
 -100.00%
Hispanic
1.7%
1.4%
 +21.43%
Asian
0.3%
0.4%
 -25.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.2%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
1.6%
1.1%
 +45.45%
Other
0%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Fentress County, Tennessee by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 45.7 +0.44% 43.9 -0.23% 47.2 +0.85%
2020 45.5 +0.66% 44 +0.69% 46.8 +0.65%
2019 45.2 +0.44% 43.7 +0.23% 46.5 +1.53%
2018 45 +0.45% 43.6 +1.63% 45.8 +0.44%
2017 44.8 - 42.9 - 45.6 -

The median age of Fentress County, Tennessee gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 1,018 +10.48% 937 +12.97% 1,127 1,059
10 to 19 1,188 -9.31% 1,109 -10.81% 1,073 987
20 to 29 964 +2.12% 892 +4.48% 982 931
30 to 39 900 +23.86% 868 +13.97% 1,117 988
40 to 49 1,129 -8.02% 1,244 -21.32% 1,040 994
50 to 59 1,316 +12.57% 1,347 -0.2% 1,485 1,342
60 to 69 1,317 -3.68% 1,473 -3.72% 1,260 1,408
70+ 1,014 +13.27% 1,224 +16.63% 1,154 1,438

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Fentress County, Tennessee is $43,464.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Fentress County.

  • Under 25
    $0.00
  • 25 to 44
    $52,245.00
  • 45 to 64
    $43,905.00
  • 65 and over
    $39,247.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Fentress County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Fentress County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Fentress County, Tennessee is currently $50,910.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

0.94% of households in Fentress County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Fentress County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    29.03%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    30.62%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    18.31%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    11.69%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    7.93%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    1.48%
  • $200,000 or more
    0.94%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Fentress County is $21,889.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Fentress County by the total population of Fentress County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Fentress County, Tennessee, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Fentress County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    6.80%
  • Bachelor's degree
    20.17%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    14.31%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    56.56%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.16%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Fentress County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Fentress County over the age of 16 is 15,097.

Of those people, a total of 50.30% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Fentress County is 46.60%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 958 63.40% 32.60%
20 to 24 years 938 79.30% 3.60%
25 to 29 years 975 76.50% 1.50%
30 to 34 years 918 86.50% 14.50%
35 to 44 years 2,000 83.10% 10.30%
45 to 54 years 2,531 60.30% 0.30%
55 to 59 years 1,517 52.30% 3.00%
60 to 64 years 1,297 31.40% 1.70%
65 to 74 years 2,531 11.70% 0.00%
75 years and over 1,432 1.40% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Fentress County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 14,647 50.10% 7.60%
Black or African American 50 32.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 10 100.00% 0.00%
Asian 21 0.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 31 100.00% 0.00%
Other 65 100.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 273 50.20% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 168 53.60% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 14,624 50.10% 7.60%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Fentress County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Fentress County is 7,037, with median earnings of $27,734.00.

Women in Fentress County, Tennessee earning approximately 85.70% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 7,037 $27,734.00
Male 3,878 $29,868.00
Female 3,159 $25,606.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 699 $41,760.00
Business and Financial 124 $54,091.00
Computer and Mathematical 27 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 64 $40,833.00
Community and Social Service 55 $41,397.00
Legal 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 305 $39,491.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 53 $16,656.00
Healthcare Practitioners 497 $52,731.00
Healthcare Support 651 $22,924.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 34 $32,167.00
Law Enforcement 100 $38,333.00
Food Preparation and Serving 399 $14,233.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 136 $14,123.00
Personal Care and Service 205 $20,820.00
Sales 712 $11,415.00
Office and Administrative Support 602 $30,633.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 99 $6,705.00
Construction and Extraction 723 $26,287.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 370 $38,333.00
Production 609 $25,423.00
Transportation and Material Moving 309 $40,694.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 455 $42,821.00 244 $17,292.00
Business and Financial 77 $52,898.00 47 $56,641.00
Computer and Mathematical 27 $0.00 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 56 $0.00 8 $0.00
Community and Social Service 39 $42,426.00 16 $16,333.00
Legal 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 47 $14,948.00 258 $39,537.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 53 $16,656.00 0 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 48 $87,656.00 449 $47,361.00
Healthcare Support 226 $21,911.00 425 $24,219.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 34 $32,167.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 100 $38,333.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 116 $2,499.00 283 $16,854.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 83 $14,175.00 53 $13,438.00
Personal Care and Service 15 $0.00 190 $21,016.00
Sales 254 $23,676.00 458 $9,583.00
Office and Administrative Support 114 $54,236.00 488 $29,613.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 99 $6,705.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 708 $26,348.00 15 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 370 $38,333.00 0 $0.00
Production 421 $21,891.00 188 $26,959.00
Transportation and Material Moving 302 $41,667.00 7 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 7,443 households in Fentress County, with an average household size of 2.45 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 4,724 families in Fentress County with an average family size of 3.11 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 3,548 424 752 2,719
Average Household Size 3.19 3.04 3.48 1.1
Total Families 3,548 424 752 0
Average Household Size 3.16 2.43 3.23 0

Poverty

Of the 4,724 families in Fentress County, 14.90% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Fentress County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 9,184 housing units in Fentress County, Tennessee.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 7,443 81.04%
Vacant 1,741 18.96%

17.08% of the total 9,184 housing units in Fentress County are rental units. This is approximately 1,569 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 5,609 are occupied by the owner - or 61.07% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Fentress County is $589.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Fentress County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    265
  • Less than $500
    597
  • $500 to $999
    947
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    25
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    0
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Fentress County is $110,600.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Fentress County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    1,184
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    1,428
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    859
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    600
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    666
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    738
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    130
  • $1,000,000 or more
    4

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Fentress County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Fentress County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    182
  • 1940 to 1949
    210
  • 1950 to 1959
    439
  • 1960 to 1969
    1,191
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,379
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,329
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,998
  • 2000 to 2009
    1,566
  • 2010 to 2013
    890
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Fentress County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    531
  • 1 vehicle available
    2,102
  • 2 vehicles available
    2,623
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    2,187

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Fentress County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Fentress County that commute to work in a particular way.

24.2 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Fentress County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    453
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    811
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    1,322
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    1,017
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    767
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    143
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    636
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    128
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    226
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    582
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    319
  • 90 or more minutes
    216

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Fentress County, Tennessee in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Fentress County, Tennessee

We have data for 9 places in Fentress County, Tennessee. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.