The 10 Worst Small Towns In Tennessee For 2024


The worst small towns in Tennessee are Jellico and Lakewood Park for 2024 based on Friday Night Science.

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:

  1. Jellico
  2. Lakewood Park
  3. Henning
  4. Huntsville
  5. Trenton
  6. Tiptonville
  7. Sneedville
  8. Waynesboro
  9. Ridgely
  10. East Cleveland

Worst Small Towns To Live In Tennessee Map

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

Jellico, TN

Source: Wikipedia User Brian Stansberry | CC BY 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 1,808
Median Home Value: $123,668
Median Income: $35,800
Unemployment Rate: 16.2%

2. Lakewood Park

Overall SnackAbility

/10

Population: 1,070
Median Home Value: $169,513
Median Income: $35,612
Unemployment Rate: 6.0%

3. Henning

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 1,320
Median Home Value: $110,665
Median Income: $41,514
Unemployment Rate: 22.3%

4. Huntsville

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 1,889
Median Home Value: $140,839
Median Income: $28,750
Unemployment Rate: 12.4%

5. Trenton

Trenton, TN

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 4,202
Median Home Value: $112,580
Median Income: $32,178
Unemployment Rate: 15.9%

6. Tiptonville

Tiptonville, TN

Source: Wikipedia User Flickr user chiacomo | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 3,832
Median Home Value: $90,021
Median Income: $26,898
Unemployment Rate: 11.8%

7. Sneedville

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 1,590
Median Home Value: $158,269
Median Income: $23,897
Unemployment Rate: 13.6%

8. Waynesboro

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 2,379
Median Home Value: $155,445
Median Income: $27,031
Unemployment Rate: 7.8%

9. Ridgely

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 1,798
Median Home Value: $85,784
Median Income: $27,500
Unemployment Rate: 8.3%

10. East Cleveland

Overall SnackAbility

4
/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:

  1. Oak Hill (Pop. 4,764)
  2. Belle Meade (Pop. 2,933)
  3. 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
About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 260,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.

11 thoughts on “The 10 Worst Small Towns In Tennessee For 2024

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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?

  4. 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.

  5. I’m from Johnson City & know our states history pretty good, but what & where’s “Mary’s Kitchen” (i.e. c 1st comment above)?

    1. 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.

  6. 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 .

    1. 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

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

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