Obion County, Tennessee Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Obion 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 Obion County, Tennessee. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Obion County, Tennessee. The estimated population of Obion County, Tennessee is 30,722 people, with a median age of 42.2.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
30,722
+1.25%
+0.21%
2020
30,343
 -0.07% -
2019
30,365
 -0.51% -
2018
30,520
 -0.45% -
2017
30,659
 - -

Population of Obion 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
80.4%
83.4%
 -3.60%
Black/African American
10.8%
10.3%
 +4.85%
Native
0.1%
0.3%
 -66.67%
Hispanic
4.9%
4%
 +22.50%
Asian
0.4%
0.3%
 +33.33%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.1%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
3%
1.6%
 +87.50%
Other
0.3%
0.2%
 +50.00%

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 Obion 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 42.2 -0.47% 41.7 -0.71% 42.8 -0.23%
2020 42.4 -0.47% 42 -0.24% 42.9 -2.5%
2019 42.6 -0.93% 42.1 -1.41% 44 +0.69%
2018 43 +0.94% 42.7 +1.18% 43.7 +1.16%
2017 42.6 - 42.2 - 43.2 -

The median age of Obion 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 1,651 0.45% 1,755 +2.58% 1,646 1,798
10 to 19 2,036 +4.3% 2,083 -11.4% 2,120 1,851
20 to 29 1,640 +3.19% 1,666 +9.16% 1,692 1,823
30 to 39 1,602 -1.11% 1,829 +4.42% 1,574 1,910
40 to 49 2,069 +1.39% 1,970 -15.69% 2,096 1,678
50 to 59 2,086 -2.23% 2,389 -0.99% 2,032 2,360
60 to 69 1,918 -5.29% 1,890 +5.64% 1,812 1,989
70+ 1,677 +13.57% 2,398 +1.31% 1,914 2,427

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Obion County, Tennessee is $45,606.00.

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 Obion County.

  • Under 25
    $45,426.00
  • 25 to 44
    $52,031.00
  • 45 to 64
    $49,082.00
  • 65 and over
    $34,462.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Obion 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 Obion County, Tennessee is currently $60,557.00.

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.

1.99% of households in Obion 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 Obion County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    28.12%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    27.34%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    18.27%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    12.95%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    8.97%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    2.37%
  • $200,000 or more
    1.99%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Obion County is $25,785.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Obion 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 Obion 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
    6.61%
  • Bachelor's degree
    17.11%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    9.97%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    62.24%
  • Less than high school diploma
    4.07%

Employment

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

The total population of Obion County over the age of 16 is 24,727.

Of those people, a total of 55.80% 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 Obion County is 52.90%.

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 1,420 37.90% 12.20%
20 to 24 years 1,664 70.40% 16.60%
25 to 29 years 1,851 76.60% 5.60%
30 to 34 years 1,574 79.50% 4.90%
35 to 44 years 3,853 83.20% 3.50%
45 to 54 years 3,841 71.00% 3.10%
55 to 59 years 2,382 60.10% 1.40%
60 to 64 years 1,926 48.20% 1.10%
65 to 74 years 3,630 28.40% 5.30%
75 years and over 2,586 4.20% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Obion 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 20,753 55.60% 4.90%
Black or African American 2,462 58.10% 7.30%
American Indian and Alaska Native 23 60.90% 0.00%
Asian 128 55.50% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 29 100.00% 41.40%
Other 409 83.40% 0.00%
Two or more races 923 42.10% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 933 74.80% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 20,452 55.50% 5.00%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Obion 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 Obion County is 13,083, with median earnings of $33,120.00.

Women in Obion County, Tennessee earning approximately 72.30% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 13,083 $33,120.00
Male 6,870 $39,607.00
Female 6,213 $28,635.00

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 1,022 $41,875.00
Business and Financial 427 $49,632.00
Computer and Mathematical 90 $48,500.00
Architecture and Engineering 96 $72,788.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 125 $39,543.00
Community and Social Service 246 $39,583.00
Legal 66 $207,708.00
Educational and Library 662 $43,081.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 162 $33,309.00
Healthcare Practitioners 779 $43,098.00
Healthcare Support 306 $19,565.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 185 $51,012.00
Law Enforcement 204 $43,103.00
Food Preparation and Serving 611 $15,897.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 704 $24,500.00
Personal Care and Service 262 $21,316.00
Sales 1,274 $28,077.00
Office and Administrative Support 1,162 $30,843.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 38 $18,750.00
Construction and Extraction 718 $32,361.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 574 $40,673.00
Production 1,721 $32,096.00
Transportation and Material Moving 733 $35,893.00

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 684 $47,778.00 338 $30,729.00
Business and Financial 131 $54,583.00 296 $49,510.00
Computer and Mathematical 41 $46,691.00 49 $58,315.00
Architecture and Engineering 93 $72,861.00 3 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 31 $58,417.00 94 $39,085.00
Community and Social Service 108 $43,661.00 138 $33,824.00
Legal 61 $207,882.00 5 $0.00
Educational and Library 169 $46,542.00 493 $39,564.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 88 $36,129.00 74 $13,542.00
Healthcare Practitioners 154 $84,886.00 625 $36,938.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 306 $19,565.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 180 $51,111.00 5 $0.00
Law Enforcement 155 $44,009.00 49 $34,205.00
Food Preparation and Serving 216 $11,357.00 395 $16,498.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 444 $23,929.00 260 $24,808.00
Personal Care and Service 27 $14,911.00 235 $21,382.00
Sales 494 $55,667.00 780 $18,485.00
Office and Administrative Support 192 $40,423.00 970 $29,614.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 34 $15,000.00 4 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 718 $32,361.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 556 $41,538.00 18 $0.00
Production 975 $32,068.00 746 $32,292.00
Transportation and Material Moving 609 $39,479.00 124 $25,948.00

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 12,526 households in Obion County, with an average household size of 2.42 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 7,961 families in Obion County with an average family size of 3.06 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 5,947 642 1,372 4,565
Average Household Size 3.08 2.91 3.43 1.18
Total Families 5,947 642 1,372 0
Average Household Size 3.07 2.61 3.21 0

Poverty

Of the 7,961 families in Obion County, 12.70% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Obion 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 14,376 housing units in Obion County, Tennessee.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 12,526 87.13%
Vacant 1,850 12.87%

25.69% of the total 14,376 housing units in Obion County are rental units. This is approximately 3,693 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 8,135 are occupied by the owner - or 56.59% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Obion County is $666.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Obion 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
    698
  • Less than $500
    750
  • $500 to $999
    2,702
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    183
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    49
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    9

Property Value

The median value of a property in Obion County is $102,600.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    1,076
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    2,878
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    1,852
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    1,036
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    800
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    339
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    100
  • $1,000,000 or more
    54

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    1,327
  • 1940 to 1949
    956
  • 1950 to 1959
    1,548
  • 1960 to 1969
    2,234
  • 1970 to 1979
    2,513
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,779
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,984
  • 2000 to 2009
    1,181
  • 2010 to 2013
    820
  • 2014 or later
    34

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 Obion County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    947
  • 1 vehicle available
    4,351
  • 2 vehicles available
    4,680
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    2,548

Commuting to Work

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

20.3 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Obion 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
    895
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,857
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    2,152
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    2,381
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    1,881
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    717
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    1,252
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    244
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    157
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    478
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    306
  • 90 or more minutes
    262

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Obion 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 Obion County, Tennessee

We have data for 15 places in Obion County, Tennessee. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.