Highest Poverty in Tennessee

Top 100 cities ranked by highest poverty

Largest Cities Smallest Cities Most Dense Least Dense Highest Income Lowest Income Lowest Unemployment Highest Unemployment Lowest Poverty Highest Poverty Highest Home Value Most Affordable Highest Rent Lowest Rent Most Educated Youngest Cities Oldest Cities Safest Cities Highest Crime Warmest Cities Coldest Cities Rainiest Cities Driest Cities

All Countries · United States · Tennessee

Highest Poverty — Tennessee

1 Dunlap 40.4%

2 Lawrenceburg 27.5%

3 La Follette 26.7%

4 Smithville 26.5%

5 Ripley 25.9%

6 Brownsville 25.0%

7 Lewisburg 24.5%

8 Savannah 23.9%

9 Henderson 23.3%

10 Pulaski 22.7%

11 Newport 22.1%

12 Bloomingdale 21.0%

13 Morristown 20.7%

14 Covington 20.4%

15 Pigeon Forge 20.4%

16 Shelbyville 20.3%

17 Paris 19.9%

18 Jackson 19.6%

19 Lenoir City 18.4%

20 Memphis 17.9%

21 Martin 17.9%

22 Union City 17.8%

23 Harriman 17.8%

24 McKenzie 17.3%

25 Springfield 17.1%

26 Kingsport 16.6%

27 Jefferson City 16.4%

28 Humboldt 15.7%

29 Cookeville 15.6%

30 Lexington 15.1%

31 Elizabethton 15.0%

32 Bolivar 15.0%

33 Athens 14.9%

34 Dayton 14.7%

35 Fayetteville 14.0%

36 Dyersburg 13.8%

37 Eagleton Village 13.8%

38 Sweetwater 13.6%

39 Crossville 13.5%

40 Tullahoma 13.3%

41 Manchester 13.3%

42 McMinnville 13.2%

43 Erwin 13.1%

44 Knoxville 13.0%

45 Cleveland 13.0%

46 Millington 12.9%

47 Jonesborough 12.8%

48 Milan 12.7%

49 Chattanooga 12.4%

50 Johnson City 12.0%

51 Sevierville 11.9%

52 Loudon 11.8%

53 Rockwood 11.7%

54 Columbia 11.1%

55 East Ridge 11.0%

56 Munford 10.9%

57 Lebanon 10.7%

58 Greeneville 10.5%

59 Nashville-Davidson 10.3%

60 Red Bank 10.2%

61 Bristol 10.1%

62 Hartsville/Trousdale County 9.8%

63 Lafayette 9.6%

64 Madisonville 9.4%

65 Clarksville 9.2%

66 Millersville 9.0%

67 Clinton 8.7%

68 Ashland City 8.7%

69 Gallatin 8.5%

70 Dickson 8.5%

71 Collegedale 8.4%

72 Smyrna 8.3%

73 Fairview 8.1%

74 Portland 8.0%

75 Alcoa 7.9%

76 La Vergne 7.7%

77 Oak Ridge 7.6%

78 South Cleveland 7.1%

79 Lynchburg 6.9%

80 Winchester 6.6%

81 White House 6.1%

82 Kingston 6.1%

83 Atoka 6.0%

84 Greenbrier 6.0%

85 Murfreesboro 5.8%

86 Mount Carmel 5.8%

87 Medina 5.5%

88 Maryville 5.3%

89 Bartlett 4.9%

90 Soddy-Daisy 4.8%

91 Oakland 4.8%

92 Goodlettsville 4.5%

93 Seymour 4.5%

94 Fairfield Glade 4.3%

95 Arlington 4.1%

96 Church Hill 4.1%

97 Spring Hill 3.9%

98 Powell 3.5%

99 Mount Juliet 3.4%

100 Harrison 3.4%

Cities with the highest poverty rates in Tennessee face deep economic challenges affecting a significant portion of their population. Dunlap has a poverty rate of 40.4%.

High poverty rates impact communities in multiple ways: reduced access to healthcare and healthy food, lower educational outcomes, higher crime rates, and deteriorating infrastructure. These challenges are interconnected and require comprehensive solutions.

Addressing poverty in these cities requires a multi-pronged approach including economic development, affordable housing, quality education, healthcare access, and workforce training programs targeting underserved populations.

Did You Know?

1. In Dunlap, 40.4% of residents — roughly 1 in 2 people — live below the poverty line.
2. Child poverty rates in these cities are often even higher than the overall rate, sometimes exceeding 40%.
3. Poverty is measured by household income relative to family size — the threshold varies from $15,060 for an individual to $31,200 for a family of four.

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