Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Cities in Tennessee

Cities in Tennessee by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Martin, TN had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 65 cities in 2023, at 27.9%. Nolensville, TN had the lowest, at 2.2%. The median was 14.1% and the figure for Tennessee was 13.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest27.9Martin, TN
Lowest2.2Nolensville, TN
Median14.165 cities
Tennessee13.8History

Top 40 cities, 2023

Martin, TN: 27.9 %Martin, TN27.9Lewisburg, TN: 25.7 %Lewisburg, TN25.7Morristown, TN: 25.4 %Morristown, TN25.4Paris, TN: 24.8 %Paris, TN24.8Dyersburg, TN: 23.5 %Dyersburg, TN23.5Lawrenceburg, TN: 23.3 %Lawrenceburg, TN23.3Jackson, TN: 22.7 %Jackson, TN22.7Memphis, TN: 22.5 %Memphis, TN22.5Union City, TN: 22.4 %Union City, TN22.4Cookeville, TN: 21.9 %Cookeville, TN21.9Johnson City, TN: 21.1 %Johnson City, TN21.1Kingsport, TN: 20.8 %Kingsport, TN20.8Springfield, TN: 20.8 %Springfield, TN20.8Knoxville, TN: 20.5 %Knoxville, TN20.5Shelbyville, TN: 20.3 %Shelbyville, TN20.3Lenoir City, TN: 20.1 %Lenoir City, TN20.1Crossville, TN: 19.5 %Crossville, TN19.5Elizabethton, TN: 19 %Elizabethton, TN19McMinnville, TN: 18.5 %McMinnville, TN18.5Tullahoma, TN: 18.5 %Tullahoma, TN18.5Athens, TN: 18.4 %Athens, TN18.4Chattanooga, TN: 17.6 %Chattanooga, TN17.6Cleveland, TN: 17.4 %Cleveland, TN17.4Greeneville, TN: 16.7 %Greeneville, TN16.7Manchester, TN: 15.9 %Manchester, TN15.9Alcoa, TN: 15.4 %Alcoa, TN15.4Sevierville, TN: 15.3 %Sevierville, TN15.3Millington, TN: 14.9 %Millington, TN14.9East Ridge, TN: 14.8 %East Ridge, TN14.8Columbia, TN: 14.3 %Columbia, TN14.3Clinton, TN: 14.3 %Clinton, TN14.3Nashville, TN: 14.1 %Nashville, TN14.1Bristol, TN: 14.1 %Bristol, TN14.1Lebanon, TN: 14 %Lebanon, TN14Winchester, TN: 13.5 %Winchester, TN13.5Oak Ridge, TN: 13 %Oak Ridge, TN13Red Bank, TN: 12.9 %Red Bank, TN12.9Clarksville, TN: 12.8 %Clarksville, TN12.8Gallatin, TN: 12.5 %Gallatin, TN12.5Dickson, TN: 12.2 %Dickson, TN12.2Martin, TN: 27.9 %Martin, TN27.9Lewisburg, TN: 25.7 %Lewisburg, TN25.7Morristown, TN: 25.4 %Morristown, TN25.4Paris, TN: 24.8 %Paris, TN24.8Dyersburg, TN: 23.5 %Dyersburg, TN23.5Lawrenceburg, TN: 23.3 %Lawrenceburg, TN23.3Jackson, TN: 22.7 %Jackson, TN22.7Memphis, TN: 22.5 %Memphis, TN22.5Union City, TN: 22.4 %Union City, TN22.4Cookeville, TN: 21.9 %Cookeville, TN21.9Johnson City, TN: 21.1 %Johnson City, TN21.1Kingsport, TN: 20.8 %Kingsport, TN20.8Springfield, TN: 20.8 %Springfield, TN20.8Knoxville, TN: 20.5 %Knoxville, TN20.5Shelbyville, TN: 20.3 %Shelbyville, TN20.3Lenoir City, TN: 20.1 %Lenoir City, TN20.1Crossville, TN: 19.5 %Crossville, TN19.5Elizabethton, TN: 19 %Elizabethton, TN19McMinnville, TN: 18.5 %McMinnville, TN18.5Tullahoma, TN: 18.5 %Tullahoma, TN18.5Athens, TN: 18.4 %Athens, TN18.4Chattanooga, TN: 17.6 %Chattanooga, TN17.6Cleveland, TN: 17.4 %Cleveland, TN17.4Greeneville, TN: 16.7 %Greeneville, TN16.7Manchester, TN: 15.9 %Manchester, TN15.9Alcoa, TN: 15.4 %Alcoa, TN15.4Sevierville, TN: 15.3 %Sevierville, TN15.3Millington, TN: 14.9 %Millington, TN14.9East Ridge, TN: 14.8 %East Ridge, TN14.8Columbia, TN: 14.3 %Columbia, TN14.3Clinton, TN: 14.3 %Clinton, TN14.3Nashville, TN: 14.1 %Nashville, TN14.1Bristol, TN: 14.1 %Bristol, TN14.1Lebanon, TN: 14 %Lebanon, TN14Winchester, TN: 13.5 %Winchester, TN13.5Oak Ridge, TN: 13 %Oak Ridge, TN13Red Bank, TN: 12.9 %Red Bank, TN12.9Clarksville, TN: 12.8 %Clarksville, TN12.8Gallatin, TN: 12.5 %Gallatin, TN12.5Dickson, TN: 12.2 %Dickson, TN12.2
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Martin, TN27.9-0.6 pts
2Lewisburg, TN25.7+1 pts
3Morristown, TN25.4-0.3 pts
4Paris, TN24.8-0.4 pts
5Dyersburg, TN23.5+2.3 pts
6Lawrenceburg, TN23.3-4.1 pts
7Jackson, TN22.7-0.3 pts
8Memphis, TN22.5-1.1 pts
9Union City, TN22.4+0.9 pts
10Cookeville, TN21.9+0.5 pts
11Johnson City, TN21.1-0.6 pts
12Kingsport, TN20.8+0.6 pts
13Springfield, TN20.8-0.5 pts
14Knoxville, TN20.5-0.3 pts
15Shelbyville, TN20.3+2.2 pts
16Lenoir City, TN20.1+2.2 pts
17Crossville, TN19.5-1 pts
18Elizabethton, TN19-1.7 pts
19McMinnville, TN18.5-3.2 pts
19Tullahoma, TN18.5+0.6 pts
21Athens, TN18.4-0.7 pts
22Chattanooga, TN17.6+0.7 pts
23Cleveland, TN17.4+0.1 pts
24Greeneville, TN16.7-0.3 pts
25Manchester, TN15.9-0.6 pts
26Alcoa, TN15.4+3.8 pts
27Sevierville, TN15.3-0.1 pts
28Millington, TN14.9-0.7 pts
29East Ridge, TN14.8-0.9 pts
30Columbia, TN14.3+1.8 pts
31Clinton, TN14.3+0.8 pts
32Nashville, TN14.1-0.4 pts
33Bristol, TN14.1-3.6 pts
34Lebanon, TN14-0.7 pts
35Winchester, TN13.5-1.9 pts
36Oak Ridge, TN13-1.7 pts
37Red Bank, TN12.9+0.2 pts
38Clarksville, TN12.8-0.1 pts
39Gallatin, TN12.5-0.9 pts
40Dickson, TN12.2-3 pts
41Portland, TN12.1-0.3 pts
42Fairview, TN11.6+0.3 pts
43Smyrna, TN11.5-0.3 pts
44La Vergne, TN11.4+1.3 pts
45Hartsville, TN10.3-1.1 pts
46Murfreesboro, TN10-1.5 pts
47Collegedale, TN9.7+1.7 pts
48Goodlettsville, TN9.6-1.4 pts
49Soddy-Daisy, TN8.8+1 pts
50Maryville, TN8.1-0.3 pts
51Atoka, TN6.6-1.7 pts
52Hendersonville, TN6.3-0.6 pts
53Oakland, TN6.2+1 pts
54White House, TN6.1+1.4 pts
55Bartlett, TN6+1.1 pts
56Arlington, TN5.4-0.5 pts
57Franklin, TN4.8-0.3 pts
58Spring Hill, TN4.2+0.8 pts
59Mount Juliet, TN4.1-0.7 pts
60Farragut, TN2.9+0.5 pts
61Germantown, TN2.9+0.5 pts
62Collierville, TN2.6-0.1 pts
63Brentwood, TN2.5+0.1 pts
64Lakeland, TN2.4-2.5 pts
65Nolensville, TN2.2+0.7 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People with income in the past 12 months below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status is determined. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The headline single-year rate for states and counties is poverty_rate (SAIPE). Poverty status is not determined for people in institutions, military group quarters or college dormitories, or for unrelated children under 15. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Tennessee by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Tennessee by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/tennessee-cities?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Tennessee by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/tennessee-cities?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Tennessee by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/tennessee-cities?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_tennessee_by_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Tennessee by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/tennessee-cities?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Tennessee by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/tennessee-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/tennessee-cities?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Cities in Tennessee by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which city has the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Martin, TN, with 27.9% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Nolensville, TN, with 2.2% in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Cities in Tennessee: more rankings