Richest Counties in Tennessee (2024)

by Kristen Carney Kristen Carney

Updated: June 20, 2024

Richest County in Tennessee

The richest county in Tennessee is Williamson County with an average household income of $169,404 as of 2022 and 264,460 people as of 2023 according to the most current Census data available (citation).

Download the newest population data for Tennessee counties

Save 40+ hours of searching for data in the deep, dark internet rabbit hole, and get the most current Census income data for all Tennessee counties. Sort your Excel file from the most affluent counties to the least affluent counties in Tennessee with 2 mouse clicks. Download the sample below.

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20 Richest Counties in Tennessee

Rank County Population Average Income Median Income
1 Williamson County 264,460 $169,404 $125,943
2 Wilson County 163,674 $114,341 $89,462
3 Davidson County 712,334 $105,799 $71,863
4 Sumner County 207,994 $104,078 $81,883
5 Fayette County 44,175 $101,659 $81,074
6 Hamilton County 379,864 $98,703 $69,069
7 Loudon County 60,591 $96,654 $75,008
8 Rutherford County 367,101 $95,579 $78,291
9 Knox County 500,669 $95,220 $68,580
10 Dyer County 36,498 $92,632 $53,150
11 Robertson County 76,776 $92,227 $74,440
12 Cheatham County 42,254 $92,149 $77,014
13 Shelby County 910,042 $90,500 $59,621
14 Maury County 110,760 $89,976 $71,500
15 Blount County 141,456 $89,542 $70,935
16 Roane County 56,096 $87,984 $66,460
17 Dickson County 56,729 $86,922 $68,492
18 Moore County 6,748 $86,601 $69,250
19 Tipton County 62,015 $85,338 $70,674
20 Washington County 138,420 $83,142 $58,507

Median Income versus Average Income: Which Should You Use?

We usually suggest using median income data – either instead of or in addition to – average income data as a true indicator of wealth. If you haven’t thought about median versus average since your last standardized test, you aren’t alone. Here’s what they are:

  • average is the sum of a set of numbers divided by the count of numbers in the set
  • median is the middle number in the set of numbers
illustation of median vs average

Now let’s say you had the following simplified set of income data.

Household 1: $30,000
Household 2: $50,000
Household 3: $1,000,000

The average income for this set is $360,000. The outlier data point ($1,000,000) skews the average WAY up. Conversely, the average income would be skewed WAY down if someone had an income of $500. The median income for the same data set is $50,000. Outlier data doesn’t skew the median.

Most Business Owners Should Use Median Income

So most business owners should use the median income as a true indicator of wealth, because it provides a more accurate representation of a typical income, especially in areas with significant income disparity.

When Should You Use Average Income

If your target market is high-income households, the average income may be more relevant. This is because the average income can highlight the presence of a higher concentration of wealthy individuals, which is beneficial for luxury goods and services marketing. We’re using average income on this page because using the Census’s highest reported median value of $250,001 could result in multiple ties for the richest geography.

Why do so many cities have a median value of $250,001?

The Census' American Community Survey uses $250,000+ as a jam value for median income estimates to protect privacy, ensure data consistency, and simplify reporting. A "jam value" in survey data refers to a placeholder or default value used when actual data points are unavailable, incomplete, or exceed certain thresholds. We represent this jam value as $250,001 to make it easy for you to sort.

Email Me When New Data Are Released

Join thousands of subscribers and receive just 1 (ONE!) email a year in December when the US Census Bureau releases new income data for Tennessee richest counties.

SOURCES

United States Census Bureau. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Web. May 2024. http://www.census.gov/.

United States Census Bureau. B01001 SEX BY AGE, 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 7 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.

United States Census Bureau. B19013 Median Household Income, 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 7 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.

United States Census Bureau. “DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS.” 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 07 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.

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