Rutherford County, Tennessee Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 5th-largest in Tennessee

The population of Rutherford County, Tennessee is 351,591 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 5th-largest county in Tennessee. The median household income is $82,588, the median home value is $346,400, and the median age is 34.0.

The population of Rutherford County has grown 43.0% since 2010 (263,721 → 376,996), a +2.59% annualized rate.

Rutherford County within Tennessee · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

351,591

Population

+2.59%

Annual growth

568

People / sq mi

$82,588

Median Income

$346,400

Median Home Value

Rutherford County covers 619 sq mi of land at 567.8 people per square mile.

About Rutherford County, TN

Age is the most distinctive thing about Rutherford County: a median age of 34.0, younger than the national median. With 351,591 residents, Rutherford County is a county in Tennessee. That makes it one of the ten largest counties in Tennessee in the country, at #5 by population.

Households take in a median $82,588, comfortably above the US median of $78,538. Only 5.9% of residents live in poverty, below the national 12.4%. Home values run above average at $346,400, with typical rent around $1,405.

Educational attainment is on the higher side for US counties — 34.4% of adults hold a four-year degree, near the national 35.0%. A solid 13.0% of workers are based at home, below the national 14.0%, and the average commute runs about 28 minutes each way.

Rutherford County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Rutherford County had a population of 263,721 in 2010 and 376,996 in 2024, a 43.0% growth over 14 years. The peak was 376,996 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 2.59%.

Rutherford County population, 2010–2024 · Source: U.S. Census Bureau — decennial census & Population Estimates

376,996

Population (2024)

263,721

Population (2010)

376,996

Peak (2024)

2.59%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	263,721	-	-	estimate
2011	269,206	+5,485	+2.08%	estimate
2012	274,482	+5,276	+1.96%	estimate
2013	281,277	+6,795	+2.48%	estimate
2014	289,014	+7,737	+2.75%	estimate
2015	298,401	+9,387	+3.25%	estimate
2016	307,724	+9,323	+3.12%	estimate
2017	316,777	+9,053	+2.94%	estimate
2018	324,809	+8,032	+2.54%	estimate
2019	332,125	+7,316	+2.25%	estimate
2020	343,302	+11,177	+3.37%	estimate
2021	351,241	+7,939	+2.31%	estimate
2022	362,044	+10,803	+3.08%	estimate
2023	369,649	+7,605	+2.10%	estimate
2024	376,996	+7,347	+1.99%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	68.0%
Black or African American	15.0%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.0%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

34.0

Median Age

50.7%

Female

49.3%

Male

11.0%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

6.3%

5–9

6.5%

10–14

7.6%

15–19

7.4%

20–24

8.7%

25–34

14.7%

35–44

14.4%

45–54

12.8%

55–59

5.7%

60–64

5.1%

65–74

6.9%

75–84

3.1%

85+

1.0%

Children (under 15): 20.4% · Seniors (65+): 11.0%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$82,588+$15,491 vs state
Mean household income	$101,352
Per-capita income	$37,294
Poverty rate	5.9%-4.0% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.4%
Employment-to-population	68.7%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

21.0%

Manufacturing

12.6%

Finance & real estate

11.3%

Education & health care

9.8%

Retail trade

6.9%

Construction

6.9%

Information

5.9%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.5%

The largest employment sector in Rutherford County is professional & business services, accounting for 21.0% of workers.

How residents commute

0.3%

Drive alone

0.9%

Carpool

75.0%

Public transit

13.0%

Work from home

28.2 min

Avg commute

Housing

$346,400+$89,600 vs state

Median home value

$1,405

Median rent

65.0%

Homeownership rate

135,336

Total housing units

93.0%

Occupied

7.0%

Vacant

35.0%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

90.2%

With health insurance

97.2%

With broadband internet

36.0%

Foreign-born

6.2%

Veterans (18+)

11.0%

With a disability

84.5%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

92.4%

High School+

34.4%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Tennessee

Nashville-Davidson (684,298)Memphis (629,063)Knoxville (193,721)Chattanooga (182,832)Clarksville (171,897)Murfreesboro (157,547)Franklin (85,575)Johnson City (71,455)Jackson (68,098)Hendersonville (62,390)All Tennessee cities →

Other counties in Tennessee

Shelby County (922,195)Davidson County (709,846)Knox County (487,401)Hamilton County (370,913)Williamson County (254,609)Montgomery County (227,957)Sumner County (200,553)Sullivan County (159,693)Wilson County (153,587)Blount County (137,747)All Tennessee counties →

Part of Tennessee

Tennessee demographic profile All Tennessee data →

Metro areas in Tennessee

Nashville (2,043,713)Memphis (1,341,606)Knoxville (919,553)Chattanooga (569,333)Clarksville (328,626)Kingsport (309,580)Johnson City (208,934)Jackson (180,844)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Rutherford County, Tennessee has a population of 351,591 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 5th-largest county in Tennessee. Population density is 568 people per square mile.

The population of Rutherford County has grown 43.0% since 2010 (263,721 → 376,996), a +2.59% annualized rate.

The median household income in Rutherford County, Tennessee is $82,588, with mean (average) household income of $101,352 and per-capita income of $37,294. 5.9% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Rutherford County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (68.0%), Black or African American (15.0%), Hispanic or Latino (1.0%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Rutherford County, Tennessee is 34.0 years. Residents are 50.7% female and 49.3% male.

The median home value in Rutherford County is $346,400 and median monthly rent is $1,405. 65.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 135,336 total housing units, 7.0% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Rutherford County, Tennessee is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 21.0% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.4%.

Nashville-Davidson is among the largest cities associated with Rutherford County, Tennessee, with a population of 684,298.