You’re probably never going to make enough money to live in the richest counties in Tennessee.
The median household income in Williamson County, the richest county in Tennessee is $125,943, significantly higher than the US median of $74,580, which means based purely on math most people never make enough to live there.
And that’s okay because it’s still fun to look at the people living in the lap of luxury.
So we used Saturday Night Science and the most recent Census to rank home prices and incomes for all 94 counties in the Volunteer State. Let’s star gaze together.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | Summary
The 10 Richest Counties In Tennessee For 2024
What is the richest county in Tennessee? The richest county in Tennessee is Williamson County. In contrast, the poorest county in state is Lake County, according to the Census data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Tennessee. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Tennessee and the cheapest places to live in Tennessee.
The Richest Counties In Tennessee For 2024
1. Williamson County
Biggest Place: Franklin
Population: 248,897
Median Income: $125,943 (highest)
Median Home Price: $843,617 (highest)
More on Williamson County: Data
2. Wilson County
Biggest Place: Lebanon
Population: 149,096
Median Income: $89,462 (2nd highest)
Median Home Price: $471,192 (2nd highest)
More on Wilson County: Data
3. Sumner County
Biggest Place: Hendersonville
Population: 196,845
Median Income: $81,883 (3rd highest)
Median Home Price: $415,821 (4th highest)
More on Sumner County: Data
4. Rutherford County
Biggest Place: Murfreesboro
Population: 343,727
Median Income: $78,291 (5th highest)
Median Home Price: $390,345 (7th highest)
More on Rutherford County: Data
5. Davidson County
Biggest Place: Alexander
Population: 709,786
Median Income: $71,863 (9th highest)
Median Home Price: $427,685 (3rd highest)
More on Davidson County: Data
6. Loudon County
Biggest Place: Farragut
Population: 55,507
Median Income: $75,008 (7th highest)
Median Home Price: $397,399 (6th highest)
More on Loudon County: Data
7. Cheatham County
Biggest Place: Ashland City
Population: 41,184
Median Income: $77,014 (6th highest)
Median Home Price: $369,787 (9th highest)
More on Cheatham County: Data
8. Fayette County
Biggest Place: Collierville
Population: 42,228
Median Income: $81,074 (4th highest)
Median Home Price: $352,853 (11th highest)
More on Fayette County: Data
9. Maury County
Biggest Place: Spring Hill
Population: 102,002
Median Income: $71,500 (10th highest)
Median Home Price: $377,922 (8th highest)
More on Maury County: Data
10. Robertson County
Biggest Place: Springfield
Population: 73,297
Median Income: $74,440 (8th highest)
Median Home Price: $351,892 (12th highest)
More on Robertson County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Tennessee county is the richest?
To determine the richest county in Tennessee, we have to look at a handful of metrics that correlate with how rich people are. To do that, we made assumptions about what makes a county rich. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to the American Community Survey data and Zillow for the most recent reporting period for data on the following:
- Average Home Price
- Median Income
We then ranked each county in Tennessee for each of the criteria from one to 94, with one being the richest.
Taking the average rank across the two criteria, we created a Rich Score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Richest County In Tennessee.”
The result is some of the places with the most expensive real estate and highest earners in the Volunteer State.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our first time ranking the richest counties to live in Tennessee. We have also ranked the richest states and richest cities in the United States.
Summary: The Richest Counties In Tennessee For 2024
Living in Tennessee can vary from one part of the state to the next, with pretty extreme variance in home prices and incomes across counties.
The richest counties in Tennessee are Williamson County, Wilson County, Sumner County, Rutherford County, Davidson County, Loudon County, Cheatham County, Fayette County, Maury County, and Robertson County.
Now you know the parts of the state where Goodwill will have the best goodies, and that’s what you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the poorest counties in Tennessee according to the data:
- Lake County
- Hardeman County
- Lauderdale County
For more Tennessee reading, check out:
- Best Counties To Live In Tennessee
- Safest Places In Tennessee
- Richest Cities In Tennessee
- Cheapest Places To Live In Tennessee
Detailed List Of The Richest Counties In Tennessee
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Williamson County | 248,897 | $125,943 | $843,617 |
| 2 | Wilson County | 149,096 | $89,462 | $471,192 |
| 3 | Sumner County | 196,845 | $81,883 | $415,821 |
| 4 | Rutherford County | 343,727 | $78,291 | $390,345 |
| 5 | Davidson County | 709,786 | $71,863 | $427,685 |
| 6 | Loudon County | 55,507 | $75,008 | $397,399 |
| 7 | Cheatham County | 41,184 | $77,014 | $369,787 |
| 8 | Fayette County | 42,228 | $81,074 | $352,853 |
| 9 | Maury County | 102,002 | $71,500 | $377,922 |
| 10 | Robertson County | 73,297 | $74,440 | $351,892 |
| 11 | Blount County | 135,951 | $70,935 | $357,922 |
| 12 | Knox County | 481,406 | $68,580 | $345,550 |
| 13 | Hamilton County | 367,193 | $69,069 | $322,383 |
| 14 | Sevier County | 98,455 | $60,103 | $413,349 |
| 15 | Dickson County | 54,563 | $68,492 | $334,599 |
| 16 | Marshall County | 34,567 | $65,325 | $310,420 |
| 17 | Trousdale County | 11,596 | $62,018 | $317,339 |
| 18 | Montgomery County | 222,305 | $67,890 | $299,138 |
| 19 | Jefferson County | 55,017 | $60,393 | $301,173 |
| 20 | Bedford County | 50,533 | $59,955 | $302,977 |
| 21 | Tipton County | 61,116 | $70,674 | $251,186 |
| 22 | Bradley County | 108,859 | $60,692 | $284,411 |
| 23 | Roane County | 53,777 | $66,460 | $269,798 |
| 24 | Anderson County | 77,337 | $60,633 | $276,849 |
| 25 | Cannon County | 14,481 | $57,651 | $288,721 |
| 26 | Smith County | 20,034 | $57,677 | $286,879 |
| 27 | Franklin County | 42,980 | $57,933 | $286,695 |
| 28 | Washington County | 133,282 | $58,507 | $276,791 |
| 29 | Meigs County | 12,839 | $59,434 | $257,399 |
| 30 | Lincoln County | 35,365 | $61,374 | $235,271 |
| 31 | Cumberland County | 61,552 | $56,002 | $288,252 |
| 32 | Coffee County | 58,080 | $57,424 | $279,326 |
| 33 | Union County | 19,860 | $57,094 | $272,131 |
| 34 | Putnam County | 80,157 | $54,371 | $287,877 |
| 35 | Mcminn County | 53,532 | $57,982 | $230,276 |
| 36 | Giles County | 30,317 | $56,877 | $240,231 |
| 37 | Marion County | 28,852 | $58,139 | $223,114 |
| 38 | Shelby County | 926,440 | $59,621 | $216,182 |
| 39 | Stewart County | 13,724 | $57,257 | $225,386 |
| 40 | Monroe County | 46,489 | $52,123 | $258,088 |
| 41 | Rhea County | 33,031 | $55,568 | $230,511 |
| 42 | Sullivan County | 158,722 | $54,357 | $231,095 |
| 43 | Sequatchie County | 16,065 | $53,038 | $237,186 |
| 44 | Warren County | 41,163 | $52,948 | $232,891 |
| 45 | Macon County | 25,365 | $51,215 | $240,383 |
| 46 | Humphreys County | 19,032 | $54,185 | $221,849 |
| 47 | Madison County | 98,644 | $55,280 | $216,726 |
| 48 | Polk County | 17,620 | $53,775 | $217,604 |
| 49 | Hawkins County | 57,107 | $53,647 | $217,613 |
| 50 | White County | 27,420 | $48,220 | $242,504 |
| 51 | Hamblen County | 64,531 | $49,656 | $234,087 |
| 52 | Crockett County | 13,955 | $59,136 | $162,510 |
| 53 | Lawrence County | 44,377 | $51,038 | $222,580 |
| 54 | Grainger County | 23,648 | $47,098 | $242,318 |
| 55 | Dekalb County | 20,209 | $46,907 | $244,392 |
| 56 | Greene County | 70,399 | $51,975 | $212,468 |
| 57 | Bledsoe County | 14,816 | $51,783 | $213,678 |
| 58 | Campbell County | 39,397 | $48,258 | $220,164 |
| 59 | Unicoi County | 17,845 | $49,855 | $215,800 |
| 60 | Chester County | 17,392 | $57,471 | $154,214 |
| 61 | Perry County | 8,432 | $55,978 | $157,271 |
| 62 | Morgan County | 21,124 | $51,971 | $192,937 |
| 63 | Gibson County | 50,455 | $55,455 | $160,031 |
| 64 | Houston County | 8,253 | $51,544 | $198,449 |
| 65 | Overton County | 22,576 | $46,580 | $225,057 |
| 66 | Henderson County | 27,845 | $51,576 | $186,382 |
| 67 | Fentress County | 18,642 | $47,884 | $212,742 |
| 68 | Carter County | 56,315 | $47,994 | $212,098 |
| 69 | Hickman County | 24,996 | $54,669 | $142,829 |
| 70 | Dyer County | 36,818 | $53,150 | $151,177 |
| 71 | Lewis County | 12,637 | $44,613 | $219,966 |
| 72 | Johnson County | 17,982 | $47,571 | $207,031 |
| 73 | Wayne County | 16,325 | $49,360 | $168,802 |
| 74 | Henry County | 32,305 | $48,025 | $186,360 |
| 75 | Cocke County | 36,186 | $45,110 | $210,155 |
| 76 | Grundy County | 13,550 | $47,948 | $179,348 |
| 77 | Carroll County | 28,381 | $49,700 | $156,776 |
| 78 | Benton County | 15,933 | $47,737 | $165,938 |
| 79 | Weakley County | 32,946 | $47,769 | $163,621 |
| 80 | Jackson County | 11,730 | $42,357 | $212,057 |
| 81 | Hardin County | 26,824 | $46,902 | $185,268 |
| 82 | Pickett County | 5,042 | $44,317 | $201,071 |
| 83 | Obion County | 30,670 | $50,638 | $140,819 |
| 84 | Claiborne County | 32,092 | $42,406 | $204,261 |
| 85 | Van Buren County | 6,182 | $44,730 | $190,901 |
| 86 | Decatur County | 11,483 | $48,466 | $148,968 |
| 87 | Clay County | 7,592 | $39,572 | $187,243 |
| 88 | Mcnairy County | 25,895 | $46,920 | $155,271 |
| 89 | Haywood County | 17,806 | $44,890 | $154,241 |
| 90 | Scott County | 21,917 | $39,744 | $161,848 |
| 91 | Hancock County | 6,726 | $31,809 | $164,774 |
| 92 | Lauderdale County | 25,171 | $46,702 | $132,731 |
| 93 | Hardeman County | 25,519 | $43,566 | $143,849 |
| 94 | Lake County | 6,898 | $32,064 | $87,204 |
