Fentress County, Tennessee
Located in Tennessee, Fentress County has a population of 19,309 residents and a median age of 46.9 years, making it the #1,923 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 21.0%. The median home value is $168,200, and the median household income is $51,149, which is 32% below the national median.
Demographics
Fentress County has a population of 19,309, making it the #1,923 most populous county in the US. The median age is 46.9 years, which is 20.6% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Fentress County is $51,149, ranking #2,710 out of 3,222 counties — 31.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 21.0% and unemployment stands at 4.7%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Fentress County is $168,200 (-40.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $709/mo and the homeownership rate is 82.6%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Fentress County, 14.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 56.8% below the national average, ranking #2,874 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Fentress County is 70.1 years. 25.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 12.8% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
26.4% of adults in Fentress County smoke , 40.1% are obese , and 17.2% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 49.1 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 29.5 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 24.6 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
26.6% of children in Fentress County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 29.2 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Fentress County is 60.0%. The mean commute time is 28.1 min, which is 1.9% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Fentress County voted Republican with a margin of 75.8%. The vote was 11.8% Dem / 87.6% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 4.5 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Fentress County, Tennessee
Fentress County, Tennessee has a total population of 19,309, making it the 1,923rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Fentress County is 46.9 years, which is 20.6% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Fentress County is $51,149, which ranks #2,710 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 31.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 21.0%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.7%.
The median home value in Fentress County is $168,200, 40.3% below the national median. Renters in Fentress County pay a median gross rent of $709 per month. The homeownership rate is 82.6%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Fentress County, 14.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 56.8% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 89.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 28.1 min.
Fentress County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 94.0% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic or Latino (2.1%).
All data for Fentress County, Tennessee comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.