Like all states, Tennessee has certain places that are going on hard times. These Tennessee places have an above-average percentage of people living in poverty, out of work, or not making as much as they should be.
Even as the economy continues to improve, it’s worthwhile to look at the places in each state struggling to make ends meet. So we set our sites on locating the poorest places in Tennessee.
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the newest Census data from the American Community Survey for the 101 cities in Tennessee with more than 5,000 people.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Poorest Places In Tennessee For 2026:
What’s the poorest city in Tennessee? According to the facts, Smithville is the poorest place in Tennessee for 2026.
This isn’t a commentary on the people that live there or the vibrant culture and traditions of these places. Instead, it’s just a look at the facts.
For more Tennessee reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Tennessee
- Cheapest Places To Live In Tennessee
- Most Dangerous Cities In Tennessee
- The poorest states in the US
- The poorest cities in the US
The 10 Poorest Cities In Tennessee For 2026
1. Smithville
/10
Population: 5,288
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Income: $33,192 (2nd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 33.4% (2nd highest)
People In Poverty: 1,768
More on Smithville: Crime | Movers
Smithville, unfortunately, ranks as the poorest place in Tennessee thanks to combination of low pay and and a lack of jobs.
The city of 5,288 people averages the 2nd lowest median household income in Tennessee and the 2nd highest poverty rate. At the very least, the cost of living ranks in the bottom 15% of place in the state, so things like housing are relatively affordable.
2. Ripley
/10
Population: 7,658
Rank Last Year: 4 (Up 2)
Median Income: $37,432 (4th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 30.7% (3rd highest)
People In Poverty: 2,351
More on Ripley: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The second poorest city in Tennessee is Ripley.
The city ranks as having the 3rd highest incidence of poverty and 4th lowest median household income. However, the unemployment rate ‘only’ ranks as the 11th highest in the Volunteer State.
3. Newport
/10
Population: 6,881
Rank Last Year: 5 (Up 2)
Median Income: $31,250 (lowest)
Poverty Rate: 27.2% (8th highest)
People In Poverty: 1,873
More on Newport: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Placing as the third poorest city, Newport’s median income ranks as the lowest.
And that’s a sign that there’s a relatively substantial jump in the quality of the economy from second to third place on our list. The poverty rate is 27.22% and ranks near the bottom of places in the state.
But what makes up for the relatively low incomes of the city is its low cost of living. The income you do make here goes further than in most parts of the Volunteer State.
4. Savannah
/10
Population: 7,412
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 5)
Median Income: $39,712 (7th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 29.8% (4th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,205
More on Savannah: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Savannah ranks as the fourth poorest place in Tennessee.
The town ranks as having the 7th lowest median household income and the 4th highest incidence of poverty in the state.
That being said, there’s still a ton of cultural diversity in the city as it hosts many events throughout the year.
5. La Follette
/10
Population: 7,273
Rank Last Year: 2 (Down 3)
Median Income: $37,581 (5th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 28.2% (6th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,051
More on La Follette: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The fifth poorest city in Tennessee is La Follette.
The city ranks as having the 5th lowest median income in the state. However, an extremely low cost of living prevents a good number of folks from living in poverty as the poverty rate only ranks as the 6th highest in Tennessee.
Still not the best news for La Follette.
6. Covington
/10
Population: 8,587
Rank Last Year: 12 (Up 6)
Median Income: $42,254 (10th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 29.2% (5th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,511
More on Covington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Covington ranks as the sixth poorest place in the Volunteer State.
It ranks as having the 5th highest incidence of poverty and the 6th highest unemployment rate.
7. Paris
/10
Population: 10,338
Rank Last Year: 11 (Up 4)
Median Income: $41,012 (9th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 26.3% (9th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,719
More on Paris: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Paris places as the seventh poorest city in Tennessee.
The city of over 10,338 ranks as having the 9th highest incidence of poverty in the state. However, it has a very low cost of living which helps to pay the bills each month.
8. Dunlap
/10
Population: 5,678
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 5)
Median Income: $45,589 (17th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 34.3% (highest)
People In Poverty: 1,948
More on Dunlap: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Dunlap ranks as the eighth poorest city in Tennessee.
The big issue for the town is the unemployment rate which ranks as one of the highest in the state.
9. Martin
/10
Population: 10,915
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 2)
Median Income: $43,381 (12th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 26.3% (10th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,867
More on Martin: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Martin couldn’t stay out of the top ten poorest places in Tennessee; it ranks number 9.
While the median income is the 12th lowest, there are a substantial number of people that live below the poverty line. Overall, Martin ranks as having the 10th most people living in poverty of all the places we analyzed in Tennessee.
10. Brownsville
/10
Population: 9,622
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 4)
Median Income: $43,494 (13th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 25.7% (13th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,469
More on Brownsville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
And rounding out the top ten poorest cities in Tennessee is Brownsville.
The city of 9,622 people ranks in the bottom 20% for both median income and poverty rate in the Volunteer State.
Methodology: How We Determined The Poorest Places In Tennessee for 2026
The first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think about determining the poorest places is to simply the poverty rate. That is, the number of people living below a federally established level of income for a household of a certain size.
However, we don’t think that one statistic wholly encompasses what it means to be one of the “poorest places”. So we used Saturday Night Science to look at this set of criteria from the newly released 2020-2024 American Community Survey:
- Poverty Level
- Median Household Income
After we collected the data for all 101 places with more than 5,000 people in Tennessee, we ranked each place from 1 to 101 for each of the criteria, with 1 being the poorest.
We then averaged all the rankings for a place into a “Poor Score” with the place having the lowest overall Poor Score, Smithville, crowned the “Poorest Place In Tennessee For 2026”.
This report has been updated for 2026, which is our eleventh time ranking the poorest places in Tennessee.
Summary: The Poorest Cities In Tennessee For 2026
Like we said earlier, when we set out to identify the poorest places in Tennessee, we weren’t sure what we’d encounter, but it ended up being some of the best places to live in Tennessee.
When you look at the data, the cities and places mentioned above meet the criteria for being at the very bottom of the income ladder for everyone that lives there.
If you’re curious enough, here are the richest cities in Tennessee, according to data:
- Richest: Nolensville
2nd Richest: Germantown
3rd Richest: Brentwood
For more Tennessee reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Tennessee
- Safest Places In Tennessee
- Worst Places To Live In Tennessee
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Tennessee
Detailed List Of The Poorest Places To Live In Tennessee
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Rate | Median Income | People In Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smithville | 5,288 | 33.4% | $33,192 | 1,768 |
| 2 | Ripley | 7,658 | 30.7% | $37,432 | 2,351 |
| 3 | Newport | 6,881 | 27.2% | $31,250 | 1,873 |
| 4 | Savannah | 7,412 | 29.8% | $39,712 | 2,205 |
| 5 | La Follette | 7,273 | 28.2% | $37,581 | 2,051 |
| 6 | Covington | 8,587 | 29.2% | $42,254 | 2,511 |
| 7 | Paris | 10,338 | 26.3% | $41,012 | 2,719 |
| 8 | Dunlap | 5,678 | 34.3% | $45,589 | 1,948 |
| 9 | Martin | 10,915 | 26.3% | $43,381 | 2,867 |
| 10 | Brownsville | 9,622 | 25.7% | $43,494 | 2,469 |
| 11 | Bolivar | 5,144 | 21.7% | $39,028 | 1,116 |
| 12 | McKenzie | 5,631 | 21.2% | $37,236 | 1,191 |
| 13 | Henderson | 6,411 | 24.1% | $45,938 | 1,543 |
| 14 | Morristown | 31,527 | 26.0% | $47,917 | 8,197 |
| 15 | Lawrenceburg | 11,844 | 21.5% | $42,343 | 2,547 |
| 16 | Pulaski | 8,285 | 25.7% | $48,538 | 2,132 |
| 17 | Milan | 8,244 | 21.3% | $43,886 | 1,753 |
| 18 | Lafayette | 5,727 | 27.6% | $51,736 | 1,578 |
| 19 | Harriman | 6,090 | 21.2% | $44,653 | 1,289 |
| 20 | Rockwood | 5,566 | 22.1% | $47,791 | 1,228 |
| 21 | Crossville | 12,428 | 22.9% | $48,802 | 2,846 |
| 22 | Union City | 10,982 | 23.5% | $50,870 | 2,579 |
| 23 | Madisonville | 5,241 | 18.1% | $39,878 | 949 |
| 24 | Cookeville | 36,088 | 23.5% | $51,375 | 8,469 |
| 25 | Dayton | 7,625 | 22.2% | $49,719 | 1,694 |
| 26 | McMinnville | 13,844 | 20.7% | $47,179 | 2,867 |
| 27 | Memphis | 618,980 | 23.1% | $51,736 | 143,170 |
| 28 | Elizabethton | 14,374 | 18.8% | $46,975 | 2,706 |
| 29 | Lewisburg | 12,861 | 19.9% | $48,341 | 2,556 |
| 30 | Jackson | 68,435 | 22.2% | $53,032 | 15,213 |
| 31 | Dyersburg | 15,979 | 21.6% | $52,064 | 3,449 |
| 32 | Sweetwater | 6,532 | 14.6% | $45,451 | 951 |
| 33 | Lexington | 7,962 | 18.4% | $49,057 | 1,466 |
| 34 | Springfield | 19,255 | 22.4% | $59,465 | 4,307 |
| 35 | Kingsport | 56,262 | 20.7% | $52,490 | 11,668 |
| 36 | Greeneville | 15,646 | 18.5% | $49,889 | 2,888 |
| 37 | Pigeon Forge | 6,375 | 21.0% | $53,261 | 1,337 |
| 38 | Fayetteville | 7,057 | 16.9% | $49,223 | 1,190 |
| 39 | Shelbyville | 24,661 | 20.7% | $55,073 | 5,102 |
| 40 | Knoxville | 195,185 | 20.2% | $54,039 | 39,388 |
| 41 | Johnson City | 72,222 | 20.3% | $57,254 | 14,639 |
| 42 | Millington | 11,289 | 16.5% | $49,979 | 1,860 |
| 43 | Erwin | 5,988 | 12.6% | $47,487 | 755 |
| 44 | Sevierville | 18,397 | 15.4% | $52,421 | 2,827 |
| 45 | Athens | 14,471 | 17.0% | $53,929 | 2,464 |
| 46 | Jefferson City | 8,579 | 19.0% | $60,638 | 1,633 |
| 47 | Chattanooga | 185,783 | 19.1% | $64,523 | 35,577 |
| 48 | Tullahoma | 21,103 | 18.0% | $60,979 | 3,794 |
| 49 | Humboldt | 7,787 | 13.3% | $52,917 | 1,038 |
| 50 | Cleveland | 48,829 | 16.7% | $58,559 | 8,144 |
| 51 | Manchester | 12,944 | 14.9% | $57,500 | 1,929 |
| 52 | Bristol | 27,636 | 13.6% | $58,162 | 3,752 |
| 53 | Lenoir City | 11,110 | 17.0% | $67,259 | 1,888 |
| 54 | Columbia | 45,441 | 14.2% | $63,719 | 6,443 |
| 55 | Winchester | 9,799 | 13.5% | $62,782 | 1,319 |
| 56 | East Ridge | 22,070 | 13.1% | $62,247 | 2,888 |
| 57 | Alcoa | 12,222 | 12.9% | $65,714 | 1,581 |
| 58 | Red Bank | 12,010 | 12.0% | $63,983 | 1,446 |
| 59 | Clinton | 10,239 | 12.7% | $68,882 | 1,299 |
| 60 | Dickson | 16,424 | 12.8% | $69,678 | 2,095 |
| 61 | Clarksville | 176,456 | 12.3% | $69,303 | 21,757 |
| 62 | La Vergne | 40,243 | 15.1% | $81,313 | 6,072 |
| 63 | Lebanon | 44,788 | 13.1% | $72,848 | 5,862 |
| 64 | Gallatin | 48,532 | 13.0% | $77,518 | 6,309 |
| 65 | Oak Ridge | 32,693 | 12.2% | $72,311 | 3,998 |
| 66 | Hartsville/Trousdale County | 11,957 | 11.9% | $72,747 | 1,419 |
| 67 | Goodlettsville | 17,597 | 9.7% | $70,758 | 1,713 |
| 68 | Millersville | 5,836 | 10.5% | $71,789 | 613 |
| 69 | Portland | 13,449 | 11.2% | $72,647 | 1,506 |
| 70 | Mount Carmel | 5,472 | 7.0% | $68,866 | 380 |
| 71 | Jonesborough | 6,232 | 11.7% | $74,015 | 727 |
| 72 | Church Hill | 7,139 | 6.4% | $65,526 | 454 |
| 73 | Collegedale | 11,330 | 7.3% | $70,246 | 832 |
| 74 | Smyrna | 56,692 | 12.5% | $81,926 | 7,086 |
| 75 | Kingston | 6,224 | 7.1% | $71,675 | 441 |
| 76 | Soddy-Daisy | 13,231 | 7.3% | $75,113 | 972 |
| 77 | Murfreesboro | 161,445 | 8.8% | $80,108 | 14,142 |
| 78 | Fairview | 10,009 | 11.6% | $91,131 | 1,157 |
| 79 | Munford | 6,588 | 8.8% | $89,531 | 577 |
| 80 | Ashland City | 5,424 | 6.4% | $79,231 | 347 |
| 81 | Maryville | 32,392 | 6.7% | $81,963 | 2,170 |
| 82 | White House | 14,631 | 7.0% | $90,019 | 1,022 |
| 83 | Atoka | 10,385 | 7.0% | $89,663 | 723 |
| 84 | Greenbrier | 6,971 | 6.0% | $85,174 | 414 |
| 85 | Hendersonville | 63,091 | 6.3% | $97,200 | 3,974 |
| 86 | Mount Juliet | 42,073 | 6.0% | $107,068 | 2,537 |
| 87 | Oakland | 9,979 | 5.8% | $97,798 | 575 |
| 88 | Bartlett | 56,876 | 5.1% | $102,070 | 2,883 |
| 89 | Spring Hill | 55,765 | 4.3% | $112,013 | 2,386 |
| 90 | Franklin | 87,133 | 4.7% | $119,528 | 4,051 |
| 91 | Arlington | 15,205 | 4.9% | $135,105 | 740 |
| 92 | Medina | 5,407 | 2.6% | $107,807 | 142 |
| 93 | Thompson’s Station | 8,294 | 3.5% | $132,647 | 286 |
| 94 | Lakeland | 14,192 | 3.2% | $116,250 | 455 |
| 95 | Farragut | 24,634 | 3.8% | $142,093 | 926 |
| 96 | Pleasant View | 5,276 | 1.4% | $109,213 | 73 |
| 97 | Signal Mountain | 8,860 | 3.3% | $141,008 | 293 |
| 98 | Collierville | 51,515 | 3.2% | $138,598 | 1,669 |
| 99 | Brentwood | 45,556 | 3.6% | $182,088 | 1,626 |
| 100 | Germantown | 40,673 | 2.7% | $149,920 | 1,102 |