Most Americans have never been to small town Tennessee. However, as the Tennessean who live there know, small town Tennessee is an awesome place to call home.
But is it all roses? Definitely not. Just like any other state, Tennessee has its trouble spots. This article aims to determine, using Saturday Night Science, the absolute worst small towns to live in the Volunteer State. Don’t freak out, we will use data to show which places have high crime, poverty, and unemployment.
After analyzing more than 177 of Tennessee’s smallest cities, we came up with this list as the 10 worst small towns in Tennessee where you’d never want to live:
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
These are the worst small towns in Tennessee for 2024:
- Jellico
- Lakewood Park
- Henning
- Huntsville
- Trenton
- Tiptonville
- Sneedville
- Waynesboro
- Ridgely
- East Cleveland
So what is the worst small town to call home in Tennessee for 2024? According to the most recent census data, Jellico is the worst small town to live in Tennessee.
While many of these small towns have seen better days, they have wonderful communities and people. This report in no way means to knock the folks that call towns like Jellico home. Everyone
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers, or scroll to the bottom to see how your town ranked.
And if you already know about the small towns, check out the best places to live in Tennessee or the worst places to live in Tennessee.
If you’re looking for something more national, check out the worst cities in America or the worst states in America.
The 10 Worst Small Towns In Tennessee For 2024
1. Jellico
/10
Population: 1,808
Median Home Value: $123,668
Median Income: $35,800
Unemployment Rate: 16.2%
2. Lakewood Park
Population: 1,070
Median Home Value: $169,513
Median Income: $35,612
Unemployment Rate: 6.0%
3. Henning
/10
Population: 1,320
Median Home Value: $110,665
Median Income: $41,514
Unemployment Rate: 22.3%
4. Huntsville
/10
Population: 1,889
Median Home Value: $140,839
Median Income: $28,750
Unemployment Rate: 12.4%
5. Trenton
/10
Population: 4,202
Median Home Value: $112,580
Median Income: $32,178
Unemployment Rate: 15.9%
6. Tiptonville
/10
Population: 3,832
Median Home Value: $90,021
Median Income: $26,898
Unemployment Rate: 11.8%
7. Sneedville
/10
Population: 1,590
Median Home Value: $158,269
Median Income: $23,897
Unemployment Rate: 13.6%
8. Waynesboro
/10
Population: 2,379
Median Home Value: $155,445
Median Income: $27,031
Unemployment Rate: 7.8%
9. Ridgely
/10
Population: 1,798
Median Home Value: $85,784
Median Income: $27,500
Unemployment Rate: 8.3%
10. East Cleveland
/10
Population: 2,146
Median Home Value: $138,813
Median Income: $39,620
Unemployment Rate: 18.3%
Methodology: How do you decide if a small place in Tennessee is lousy or not?
To rank the worst small towns to live in Tennessee, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. Assuming that people like low crime, solid education, things to do, and a stable economy isn’t a stretch.
We then analyzed the criteria using Saturday Night Science, the thinking you’d use at a bar. It seems like even your crazy Uncle would agree that a town with high crime is worse than a town with low crime; all else the same.
Using FBI crime data and the Census’s 2018-2022 American Community Survey, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (The lower, the worse)
- Highest Unemployment Rates
- Low housing costs (meaning there’s no demand)
- Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
- Education (Number of high school dropouts)
- High Crime
We looked at cities with populations between 1,000 and 5,000 people, of which there were many – 177 to be exact.
We get the crime numbers from the FBI, which gets them from the cities. Dropout numbers are based on the adult population, not just the current graduation rates of teenagers.
We base all our research on facts, which is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2024, which is our tenth time ranking the worst small places to live in Tennessee.
There You Have It – The Worst Small Towns In Tennessee
If you’re analyzing teeny places in the Volunteer State with the worst economic situations, where there’s high crime and there’s not a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The worst small towns in Tennessee are Jellico, Lakewood Park, Henning, Huntsville, Trenton, Tiptonville, Sneedville, Waynesboro, Ridgely, and East Cleveland.
If you’re curious enough, here are the best small towns to live in Tennessee, according to science:
- Oak Hill (Pop. 4,764)
- Belle Meade (Pop. 2,933)
- Lookout Mountain (Pop. 2,128)
For more Tennessee reading, check out:
Worst Small Towns In Tennessee
| Rank | Town | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jellico | 1,808 | 16.2% | $123,668 | $35,800 |
| 2 | Lakewood Park | 1,070 | 6.0% | $169,513 | $35,612 |
| 3 | Henning | 1,320 | 22.3% | $110,665 | $41,514 |
| 4 | Huntsville | 1,889 | 12.4% | $140,839 | $28,750 |
| 5 | Trenton | 4,202 | 15.9% | $112,580 | $32,178 |
| 6 | Tiptonville | 3,832 | 11.8% | $90,021 | $26,898 |
| 7 | Sneedville | 1,590 | 13.6% | $158,269 | $23,897 |
| 8 | Waynesboro | 2,379 | 7.8% | $155,445 | $27,031 |
| 9 | Ridgely | 1,798 | 8.3% | $85,784 | $27,500 |
| 10 | East Cleveland | 2,146 | 18.3% | $138,813 | $39,620 |
| 11 | Gruetli-Laager | 1,585 | 8.4% | $176,453 | $48,145 |
| 12 | Mountain City | 2,396 | 9.1% | $200,340 | $32,383 |
| 13 | Red Boiling Springs | 1,347 | 10.0% | $174,211 | $30,046 |
| 14 | Rutledge | 1,550 | 3.9% | $215,777 | $30,739 |
| 15 | Cowan | 1,827 | 12.5% | $177,831 | $33,955 |
| 16 | Graysville | 1,548 | 14.1% | $125,634 | $38,281 |
| 17 | Winfield | 1,306 | 4.7% | $160,437 | $40,526 |
| 18 | Jamestown | 2,126 | 7.3% | $200,074 | $24,750 |
| 19 | Erin | 1,460 | 5.4% | $191,129 | $36,719 |
| 20 | Atwood | 1,229 | 12.7% | $133,582 | $34,926 |
| 21 | Mason | 1,221 | 12.1% | $160,204 | $37,000 |
| 22 | Celina | 1,767 | 13.9% | $178,973 | $33,689 |
| 23 | Decatur | 1,840 | 22.9% | $235,334 | $48,066 |
| 24 | Ardmore | 1,354 | 7.3% | $251,989 | $45,750 |
| 25 | South Pittsburg | 3,068 | 5.3% | $163,902 | $45,250 |
| 26 | Scotts Hill | 1,200 | 3.9% | $134,950 | $35,538 |
| 27 | Monteagle | 1,915 | 13.3% | $335,200 | $49,917 |
| 28 | Pikeville | 2,541 | 6.7% | $206,131 | $27,240 |
| 29 | Oneida | 3,799 | 5.5% | $176,794 | $39,191 |
| 30 | Benton | 1,584 | 7.5% | $229,344 | $37,569 |
| 31 | Parsons | 2,452 | 7.2% | $145,695 | $39,000 |
| 32 | Crump | 1,946 | 0.7% | $144,001 | $38,846 |
| 33 | Wartburg | 1,330 | 8.8% | $197,641 | $28,036 |
| 34 | Tazewell | 2,207 | 7.2% | $196,423 | $39,554 |
| 35 | Midtown | 1,260 | 7.8% | $154,830 | $36,815 |
| 36 | Tellico Plains | 1,275 | 6.5% | $234,200 | $39,886 |
| 37 | Bon Aqua Junction | 1,677 | 1.5% | $180,991 | $33,321 |
| 38 | Unicoi | 3,802 | 7.9% | $255,258 | $39,236 |
| 39 | Byrd | 1,275 | 4.3% | $161,237 | $32,125 |
| 40 | Hohenwald | 3,734 | 13.8% | $212,986 | $36,523 |
| 41 | Gainesboro | 1,086 | 8.6% | $192,602 | $37,404 |
| 42 | Decherd | 2,667 | 7.4% | $229,325 | $28,438 |
| 43 | Lone Oak | 1,584 | 0.0% | $243,191 | $1,000 |
| 44 | Bradford | 1,132 | 6.0% | $137,003 | $37,250 |
| 45 | Adamsville | 2,334 | 6.1% | $166,786 | $48,571 |
| 46 | Clifton | 2,622 | 3.2% | $150,602 | $45,145 |
| 47 | Whiteville | 4,734 | 11.7% | $151,090 | $46,138 |
| 48 | Caryville | 2,181 | 10.7% | $225,132 | $54,257 |
| 49 | Alexandria | 1,160 | 10.3% | $282,829 | $45,694 |
| 50 | Waverly | 4,284 | 20.8% | $208,891 | $43,750 |
| 51 | Centerville | 3,515 | 5.0% | $202,893 | $46,719 |
| 52 | Rutherford | 1,221 | 4.1% | $118,001 | $46,161 |
| 53 | Trezevant | 1,142 | 10.9% | $119,341 | $52,813 |
| 54 | Englewood | 1,645 | 14.5% | $229,081 | $45,946 |
| 55 | Somerville | 3,385 | 4.2% | $285,391 | $33,750 |
| 56 | Collinwood | 1,224 | 5.6% | $151,776 | $51,190 |
| 57 | Maynardville | 2,455 | 8.4% | $263,566 | $43,773 |
| 58 | Fincastle | 1,170 | 8.4% | $155,097 | $43,750 |
| 59 | Allardt | 1,191 | 11.7% | $228,018 | $68,750 |
| 60 | Mosheim | 2,492 | 0.6% | $182,726 | $45,294 |
| 61 | Monterey | 2,751 | 2.7% | $250,970 | $38,869 |
| 62 | Mascot | 2,715 | 4.2% | $241,421 | $44,955 |
| 63 | Spencer | 1,469 | 0.2% | $180,816 | $41,042 |
| 64 | Bells | 2,675 | 4.4% | $184,747 | $49,205 |
| 65 | Kenton | 1,413 | 1.6% | $115,150 | $39,306 |
| 66 | Sharon | 1,168 | 3.9% | $128,587 | $31,333 |
| 67 | Greenfield | 2,297 | 6.0% | $131,931 | $38,951 |
| 68 | Alamo | 2,405 | 3.0% | $150,437 | $50,135 |
| 69 | Coalfield | 2,905 | 4.0% | $248,396 | $52,375 |
| 70 | Tracy City | 2,008 | 3.3% | $164,240 | $56,481 |
| 71 | Spring City | 2,294 | 10.6% | $252,241 | $36,190 |
| 72 | Whitwell | 1,652 | 5.4% | $198,810 | $65,978 |
| 73 | South Fulton | 2,285 | 4.1% | $137,809 | $48,646 |
| 74 | Wildwood Lake | 3,758 | 5.6% | $237,585 | $60,179 |
| 75 | Oliver Springs | 3,727 | 6.1% | $223,018 | $47,690 |
| 76 | Obion | 1,066 | 2.5% | $120,767 | $47,500 |
| 77 | Sparta | 4,950 | 10.9% | $243,348 | $42,670 |
| 78 | Lyles | 1,060 | 0.0% | $216,807 | $47,095 |
| 79 | Rogersville | 4,630 | 10.6% | $203,699 | $45,797 |
| 80 | Etowah | 3,614 | 18.1% | $185,507 | $42,571 |
| 81 | Camden | 3,670 | 5.3% | $172,125 | $42,500 |
| 82 | Surgoinsville | 2,316 | 3.7% | $202,681 | $46,250 |
| 83 | Cornersville | 1,756 | 7.1% | $279,623 | $63,063 |
| 84 | Plainview | 2,357 | 3.1% | $278,659 | $58,352 |
| 85 | Dyer | 2,498 | 4.5% | $131,995 | $41,989 |
| 86 | South Carthage | 1,698 | 1.4% | $259,238 | $45,804 |
| 87 | Troy | 1,941 | 3.7% | $155,384 | $49,839 |
| 88 | Halls | 1,919 | 2.3% | $137,171 | $40,375 |
| 89 | Linden | 1,469 | 8.6% | $156,003 | $46,836 |
| 90 | Central | 1,942 | 4.6% | $175,652 | $38,690 |
| 91 | Livingston | 3,921 | 1.8% | $207,638 | $37,346 |
| 92 | Huntingdon | 4,384 | 0.0% | $163,191 | $46,167 |
| 93 | White Pine | 2,527 | 6.1% | $218,462 | $57,463 |
| 94 | Tennessee Ridge | 1,400 | 6.8% | $205,497 | $50,109 |
| 95 | Wildwood | 1,064 | 1.8% | $249,731 | $1,000 |
| 96 | Selmer | 4,444 | 4.6% | $144,989 | $46,696 |
| 97 | Bruceton | 1,311 | 2.9% | $121,426 | $54,740 |
| 98 | Bean Station | 2,963 | 3.3% | $205,513 | $51,458 |
| 99 | Gatlinburg | 3,636 | 5.0% | $497,676 | $50,483 |
| 100 | Blaine | 2,496 | 8.3% | $289,204 | $56,942 |
I am just a little curious as to why three out of the ten towns listed were all out of the county. Another interesting addition to the article was the list titled “Ranking of the 100 worst small towns in Tennessee”. when the article did not claim to have analyzed more than a total of 110 towns. I personally lived in Grundy County for 5 years as a teenager, in Palmer. I graduated, as did most of our class of 2008. Someone once told me that there are a lot of bad, mean people in Grundy County but just leave them alone and mind your own business. However that person also told me that in the very same county lies some of the very best, sweetest and kindest people that you will find anywhere. They were right. When there are hardships, everyone bands together, takes up money, and helps out. There are also a lot of wonderful teachers and programs for students that encourage community service and positive lifestyles. Just remember that in any county there is good and bad, you have to choose what you embrace.
I agree! I live in Grundy county still
Whoever wrote this, there’s a valuable lesson in this for you. There’s a big difference between what paper says and what an actual environment is like. Besides pushing a pen and mouse to gather info and data on locations, visit them and EXPERIENCE the very thing you wish to trash talk.
Did you half wit journalist even actually visit any of these towns. If you drive an hour from Palmer you are about 50 minutes past where Mary’s kitchen was at. I would say with about 10 minutes of real research a person could find out a lot better info on all of these towns. When did you visit Palmer, Coalmont, or Beersheba Mr Tapman. Or are you just a big city internet troll with nothing to do?
What a load of crap. You choose a lot of factor which you think is bad but the residents prefer.
Many of these small communities are farm communities so you have some good hard working neighbors.
Lower cost housing means you can get more house for your dollar in these communities.
A number of these town are filled with retirees who left the city to return to small town living. After 55 years of living and working in Memphis my dad chose to return to Milledgeville to retire. So did four of his siblings. All returned to their family homestead area to spend their latter years.
Most of the crime was due to a small portion of youth which had drug issues and many of them did not originally live in this area.
We still keep my late father’s property and home in Milledgeville and gather there twice a year. And nothing has turned up missing in all this time except for when he was visited by people he knew from Memphis.
Problem is you look at things through the eyes of urban-ites. You have no concept of what country living is about.
I’m from Johnson City & know our states history pretty good, but what & where’s “Mary’s Kitchen” (i.e. c 1st comment above)?
Mary’s kitchen has not been open in years so I don’t know when these people done their study of these cites. I personally wouldn’t trade Coalmont for any big city.
I am from Coalmont some of the best people live here they are true neighbors loving carding willing to help people I feel sorry for people that live in city’s and don’t know there next door neighbor get sick or have a member of your family die its amazing at the pouring out of love they share .
this is the criteria we used:
Population Density (The lower the worse)
Highest Unemployment Rates
Low housing costs (meaning there’s no demand)
Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
Education (Number of high school dropouts)
High Crime
According to your so called scientific article, and I use that term very loosely, I live between 3 of the most dangerous and destitute towns in TN although I have my Masters Degree and earn a 6 figure income. I live between Guys, Ramer, and Eastview, oh, I’m sure you actually know these towns and visited them before you wrote this garbage you call an article! Before you pass judgement on any other person living in another city, county or state, I invite you to actually visit the area! I believe that you will discover you are so very wrong! Your article blast people that are warm, kind and God fearing. These people would bend over backwards to help their neighbors and strangers alike regardless of color, political views or religious affiliation! Your article is nothing but garbage and a slap in the face to those that choose to live in rule areas. You sir or madam need to go back to school and learn another profession, because your career opportunities are very limited in journalism given the lack of talent on your part.
People are very defensive about this piece of infotainment. The 3 best small towns aren’t really small towns though, just fancy enclaves within cities.