Lewis County, Tennessee

County in TN, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

12,992

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

41.9

years ∙ half population younger than 41.9, half older

Diversity Index

16.1%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

0.4%

foreign-born population

99.6%Native

0.4% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Lewis County is a county in Tennessee, United States.

Location

County in TN, US

Co-ordinates

DEC35.523244° N, 87.496983° W

DMS35° 31′ 23.68″ N, 87° 29′ 49.14″ W

Population Density & area

46.05/sq mi (17.78/km²)

Total Area

282.5 sq mi (731.6 km²)

Land Area

282.1 sq mi (730.6 km²) · 99.86%

Water Area

0.4 sq mi (1 km²) · 0.14%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

50.8% male

Male 50.8%

Female 49.2%

males per 100 females

Lewis County 103.1

Tennessee 96.4

United States 98

Nativity

0.4%

foreign-born population

99.6%Native

0.4% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Lewis County 0.4%

Tennessee 6.1%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

41.9

years ∙ half population younger than 41.9, half older

Lewis County

41.9

Tennessee

38.9

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

71.5

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Lewis County 71.5

Tennessee 64.6

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Lewis County	Tennessee	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	21.1%	22.2%	22%
Working age (18-64)	58.3%	60.7%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	20.6%	17.1%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	71.5	64.6	64.4
Child dependency ratio	36.3	36.5	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	35.3	28.1	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

91.4%

Black

0.6%

Asian

0.2%

Hispanic

3.2%

Other

4.6%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

16.1%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Lewis County 16.1%

Tennessee 46.5%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Lewis County population

	Lewis County	Tennessee	United States
Hispanic or Latino	3.2%	7.4%	19.3%
Mexican	0.5%	3.8%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	1%	0.6%	1.8%
Cuban	0.3%	0.3%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	1.3%	2.7%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	96.8%	92.6%	80.7%
One race	92.1%	88.9%	76.4%
White	91.4%	71%	57.4%
Black or African American	0.6%	15.4%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0%	0.1%	0.5%
Asian	0.2%	1.9%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0.1%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0%	0.4%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	4.7%	3.7%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

64.2% family

Family 64.2%

Non family 35.8%

% family households

Lewis County 64.2%

Tennessee 64.2%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.36

persons per household

Lewis County

2.36

Tennessee

2.45

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Lewis County population

	Lewis County	Tennessee	United States
Total households	5,387	2,824,277	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.36	2.45	2.53
Family households	3,456	1,813,072	82,990,528
Average family size	2.98	3.04	3.14
Married couple family	2,636	1,321,068	60,637,388
Other families	820	492,004	22,353,140
Male householder	175	135,443	6,572,819
Female householder	645	356,561	15,780,321
Non-family households	1,931	1,011,205	46,236,968
One-person households	1,656	832,106	37,140,836
Male householder	1,017	377,158	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	542	115,070	5,225,110
Female householder	639	454,948	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	356	220,217	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	275	179,099	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

5,804

housing units

Lewis County 5,804

Tennessee 3,143,670

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

92.8% occupied

Occupied 92.8%

Vacant 7.2%

vacancy rate

Lewis County 7.2%

Tennessee 10.2%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

72.7%

Single family houses

72.7%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

2.5%

Mobile homes

24.3%

Boat, RV, van, etc

0.6%

Median Year Built

1991

Half of houses were built before 1991, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

1.9%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

24.5%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

43.9%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

29.7%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Lewis County	Tennessee	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5.9	5.7	5.5
1–3 rooms	9.5%	11%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	53.1%	53.7%	51.6%
7+ rooms	37.4%	35.4%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	0.8%	1.7%	2.9%
1 bedroom	8.5%	8.2%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	23.9%	24.5%	25%
3 bedrooms	51.2%	45.2%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	15.5%	20.4%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1991	1988	1981
Total housing units	5,804	3,143,670	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

81.9% owners

Renter-occupied 18.1%

Owner-occupied 81.9%

homeownership rate

Lewis County 81.9%

Tennessee 66.9%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.44

Owner-occupied

2.02

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Lewis County 2.44

Tennessee 2.53

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Lewis County	Tennessee	United States
Total occupied units	5,387	2,824,277	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	24.4%	26.2%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	33.7%	39.4%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	18.8%	15.7%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	23.2%	18.8%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	98.5%	97.8%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	1.2%	1.5%	2.2%
1.51 or more	0.3%	0.6%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	2.5%	5.2%	8.4%
1 vehicle	27.5%	30.9%	33.1%
2 vehicles	31.1%	38%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	38.9%	25.9%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	36.9%	34.1%	51.4%
Electricity	57.4%	63.7%	41.3%
Solar	0%	0%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	1.3%	0.3%	3.9%
All other fuels	4.4%	1.3%	2%
No fuel used	0%	0.5%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.7%	0.3%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	1.3%	0.8%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.9%	1%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$173,400

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Lewis County

$173,400

Tennessee

$286,700

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

28.8%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

28.8%

Owners without a mortgage

13.5%

Renters

38.9%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Lewis County	Tennessee	United States
Property value
Median Value	$173,400	$286,700	$332,700
Under $100,000	26.6%	13%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	28%	18.5%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	19%	21%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	15.8%	28.3%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	8.7%	15.3%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	1.8%	3.8%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	52.2%	57.9%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	47.8%	42.1%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,218	$1,566	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$394	$464	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$708	$1,189	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

10.3%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Lewis County 10.3%

Tennessee 31.1%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

13.2%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Lewis County 13.2%

Tennessee 10%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

2,543

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

5.3%

K–12

76.9%

College / Undergraduate

16.9%

Graduate / Professional

0.8%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

28.6%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Lewis County

28.6%

Tennessee

36.1%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Lewis County	Tennessee	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	2,543	1,593,794	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	5.3%	5.4%	5.7%
K–12	76.9%	70.7%	67.6%
Kindergarten	6.2%	5.3%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	26.2%	21%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	15.5%	21.9%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	29%	22.5%	21.7%
College or graduate school	17.7%	24%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	16.9%	18.7%	21%
Graduate, professional school	0.8%	5.3%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	28.6%	36.1%	40.9%
School type
Public school	92.5%	79.8%	82%
Private school	7.5%	20.2%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

9,194

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

5.3%

9th-12th, no diploma

7.9%

HS graduate

43.6%

Some college no degree

22.3%

Associates degree

10.6%

Bachelors degree

7.7%

Graduate or professional degree

2.5%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

61.9% · 38.1%

9th-12th, no diploma

65% · 35%

HS graduate

49.1% · 50.9%

Some college no degree

44.2% · 55.8%

Associates degree

36.3% · 63.7%

Bachelors degree

55.2% · 44.8%

Graduate or professional degree

28.2% · 71.8%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Lewis County	Tennessee	United States
Population (25+)	9,194	4,870,330	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	5.3%	3.7%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	7.9%	6.3%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	43.6%	31.2%	26%
Some college, no degree	22.3%	19.9%	19.1%
Associate's degree	10.6%	7.9%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	10.3%	31.1%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	7.7%	19.4%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	2.5%	11.7%	14.1%
High School or higher	86.8%	90%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$42,348

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$60,581

HS graduate

$36,296

Some college or associates

$40,764

Bachelors degree

$78,775

Graduate or professional degree

$90,375

Poverty Rate

11.9%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

28%

HS graduate

20.9%

Some college or associates

8.2%

Bachelors degree or higher

11.9%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Lewis County	Tennessee	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$42,348	$48,058	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$60,581	$31,689	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$36,296	$38,347	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$40,764	$44,566	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$78,775	$61,810	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$90,375	$76,817	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	28%	27.9%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	20.9%	15.1%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	8.2%	9.7%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	11.9%	4.3%	4.5%

Insights for Lewis County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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