The median household income in Tennessee is $69,595, which ranks in the top 56% nationally.
Top income thresholds in Tennessee
Tennessee ranks #42 of 51 states (and D.C.) by median household income.
States with a similar income level
This state's median household income
Pinch or drag to pan/zoom, double-tap to toggle zoom
Median income · Single households
This section digs into Tennessee's income figures — the $69,595 median, the thresholds for the top of the distribution, earnings by age, and the gap between its richest and poorest counties.
Tennessee is among the lower-income states: its median household income, $69,595, ranks 42nd of 51 and is 14% below the national $80,734. Keep in mind the numbers aren't price-adjusted, so they compare incomes, not purchasing power.
Tennessee's top-quarter threshold of about $120,245 compares with $141,925 across the country. The share of households at $200,000 or more is 9% versus 13% nationwide, 4 points lower.
Comparing the two Census products: $71,997 in the 2024 one-year estimate, $69,595 in the 2020–2024 five-year estimate (+3%).
Roughly 9% of households in Tennessee sit in the $200,000-and-up bracket. By household income, the top 25% start at about $120,245, and the top 10% at about $189,998. The table marks lines that fall above $200,000 rather than guessing their value: the Census groups everyone above that amount together, so the exact top-5% and top-1% cutoffs can't be read from this data.
If your household earns the US median of $80,734, you'd be about top 43% among Tennessee households, above the middle.
Comparing the two lines gives a ratio of 1.74 (top quarter over median), narrower than the 1.77 seen nationwide.
| Line | Household income |
|---|---|
| Median (top 50%) | $69,180 |
| Top 25% | $120,245 |
| Top 10% | $189,998 |
| Top 5% | Above $200,000 (top bracket) |
| Top 1% | Above $200,000 (top bracket) |
For individual workers, median earnings in Tennessee rise from $42,453 at ages 25–34 to a peak of $54,991 at 45–54 (+30%). On average the state runs −9% relative to the US at each age, with the largest difference among workers aged 35–44. These figures are personal earnings (wages plus self-employment) from Census microdata, so they're lower than household income, which can combine several earners.
| Age | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 25–34 | $42,453 | $46,177 |
| 35–44 | $50,763 | $58,657 |
| 45–54 | $54,991 | $60,915 |
| 55–64 | $51,309 | $55,860 |
| 65+ | $33,058 | $34,745 |
Married couples' median household income in Tennessee is $103,699; for single and non-family households it's $42,377. That 2.4× gap is mostly the second earner.
Williamson County ($135,594) and Lake County ($28,814) mark the two ends of a wide county range, 4.7 to 1. The five highest-income counties are Williamson County, Wilson County, Sumner County, Cheatham County, and Fayette County; the five lowest are Lake County, Hancock County, Clay County, Scott County, and Decatur County.
Counting counties: 8 of 95 (8%) are above the $80,734 national median, and the county in the middle of the ranking, Chester County, reports $59,341.
| Highest | Median | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williamson County | $135,594 | Lake County | $28,814 |
| Wilson County | $95,839 | Hancock County | $34,960 |
| Sumner County | $90,301 | Clay County | $39,972 |
| Cheatham County | $89,852 | Scott County | $44,711 |
| Fayette County | $88,456 | Decatur County | $45,375 |
About the numbers: household figures are the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates for Tennessee and its 95 counties; the earnings-by-age table comes from 145,489 individual survey records in the same period, in 2024 dollars.
Reference statistics only — not financial advice.
US Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates (B19013, B19001)
Based on US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates — actual figures may differ from your real income/assets. Not financial advice.