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Living in
Cookeville.
About
Life in Cookeville
Cookeville works well if you want a genuinely affordable place with a stable job market and reasonable access to bigger cities without actually living in one. The median home value sits around $305,000 with median household income near $51,375, and the cost of living ranks among the lowest in the country—you're not stretching your budget the way you would in Nashville or Knoxville. Job prospects are solid thanks to a diversified economy: manufacturing anchors things with over 100 plants, but health care, retail, education, and growing tech sectors provide alternatives.
Cookeville at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
29.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
23.5%
Foreign-Born
9.3%
Broadband Internet
88.3%
of households
Population Growth
+9.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics9.3% foreign-born, most often from Guatemala
Who lives in Cookeville: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Cookeville, the largest foreign-born group is from Guatemala (33.1%), and 8.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.7%
of residents
65 and Older
13.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
24.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.4%
of households
Married Couples
35.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.21
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 23% below TN average
Rent, home values, and income in Cookeville
In Cookeville, rent runs 23% below the TN average, and home values are 7% above the TN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.3%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,590
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
41.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1991
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $318,964 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for TN
Unemployment in Cookeville and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Cookeville is close to the TN average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Cookeville Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area
Commute18.9 min avg
How Cookeville residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Cookeville, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 82% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 66 mi
Nashville International Airport (BNA)
Major hub12.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 18% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Cookeville runs 18% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
270.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,489.5
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Cookeville Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 8 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
65.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Putnam County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Putnam County, which includes Cookeville, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 8 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | Drought | $1.1M |
| 2024 | 15 | Drought | $343,000 |
| 2023 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $6.1M |
| 2022 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $43,000 |
| 2021 | 11 | Winter Weather | $3.1M |
| 2020 | 13 | Winter Weather | $100.3M |
| 2019 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $60,000 |
| 2018 | 18 | Winter Weather | $55,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Putnam County, county-wide
Air Quality30 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Putnam County, which includes Cookeville, is typically good — 323 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
30
Good Days
323
per year
Moderate Days
36
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Putnam County, county-wide
Climate86°F summers, 29°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Cookeville has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 29°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
69°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
71°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
50°/29°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
59.6"
Annual Snowfall
6.1"
Hot Days/Year
29
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
97
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
137
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°F | 27°F | 5.29" |
| Feb | 51°F | 29°F | 5.48" |
| Mar | 60°F | 35°F | 5.46" |
| Apr | 70°F | 43°F | 5.35" |
| May | 78°F | 53°F | 5.15" |
| Jun | 84°F | 62°F | 5.45" |
| Jul | 87°F | 66°F | 5.69" |
| Aug | 87°F | 64°F | 3.93" |
| Sep | 82°F | 57°F | 4.47" |
| Oct | 72°F | 45°F | 3.35" |
| Nov | 60°F | 35°F | 4.30" |
| Dec | 51°F | 30°F | 6.10" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Cookeville
Cookeville has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
13.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Cookeville Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Saint Thomas Highlands Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14 mi away · Sparta
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Cookeville
Cookeville's student/teacher ratio is 14.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 34.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
34.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Cookeville
Tennessee Technological University
Public · 4-year · 8,698 students · in-state tuition $11,926 · 62% graduate · median earnings $52,901 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 334 students · in-state tuition $15,542 · 62% graduate · median earnings $40,111 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Obed Wild & Scenic River, 51 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Cookeville
Cookeville has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Obed Wild & Scenic River (51 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Obed Wild & Scenic River
Wild & Scenic River
51 mi awayBig South Fork National River & Recreation Area
National River & Recreation Area
54 mi awayStones River National Battlefield
National Battlefield
55 mi awayMill Springs Battlefield National Monument
National Monument
77 mi awayMammoth Cave National Park
National Park
80 mi awayRussell Cave National Monument
National Monument
83 mi awayChickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
National Military Park
84 mi awayAbraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
National Historical Park
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Cookeville
Putnam County Library
50 East Broad Street, Cookeville
Cities Near Cookeville
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Cookeville?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Cookeville FAQ
Is Cookeville, Tennessee affordable?⌄
Cookeville's median rent is $917/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $51,375/year. Median home value is $305,400.
Is Cookeville, Tennessee safe?⌄
Cookeville's violent crime rate was 271 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1490 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Cookeville, Tennessee?⌄
Cookeville has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Cookeville, Tennessee?⌄
The cost of living in Cookeville is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $917/month and median household income is $51,375/year. The median home value is $305,400. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Cookeville, Tennessee?⌄
The average commute in Cookeville is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from