Lake County, Tennessee Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Lake County, TN Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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D
Health Well below averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in Tennessee
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F
Income Well below averageLeast wealthy county in Tennessee
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F
Education Well below averageLeast educated county in Tennessee
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Lake County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,577 | 7,058,506 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 33.9 | 167.5 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.85% | 0.94% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 42.9 | 37.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,067 | 2,819,839 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Lake County declined by 11.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 6,577 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Lake County is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 25.3% of residents. That is 3.7 points above Tennessee as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,373 20.9% -0.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,661 25.3% +3.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,535 23.3% +3.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,072 16.3% -1.0 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Tennessee, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 37.2% of the people living in Lake County and men 62.8%.
- Women 37.2% Tennessee 50.9%
- Men 62.8% Tennessee 49.1%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Lake County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Lake County has a the economy index of F, which means it scores poorly in the economy.
| Metric | Lake County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $29,158 | $69,901 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | -0.12% | 5.19% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Lake County is about 58% lower than in Tennessee.
Housing
| Metric | Lake County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $51,364 | $255,786 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $531 | $1,188 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 47.7% | 66.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Lake County is about 8.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $531 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Lake County spend about 36 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 150 hours, about 6.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Lake County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.0 | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 36.0 | 44.8 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 150 | 187 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,655 | $5,785 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 2.7% | 12.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,552 | 9,259 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 317 | 1,225 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Tennessee:
Dyer County (15.9 min), Henry County (16.7 min), Obion County (17.1 min).
Slowest:
Cannon County (33.3 min), Union County (33.2 min), Fayette County (33.1 min).
The average commute time in Lake County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Tennessee.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Lake County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Lake County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.7% | 27.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.15 | 2.45 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Tennessee:
Williamson County (0.4), Davidson County (0.3), Knox County (0.3).
Lowest:
Lake County (0.1), Van Buren County (0.1), Lauderdale County (0.1).
Health
Lake County has a health index of D, which means it is barely healthy.
| Metric | Lake County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 73.5 | 74.8 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 24.6% | 19.5% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 30.6% | 25.1% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Tennessee:
Williamson County (0.8), Rutherford County (0.8), Wilson County (0.8).
Lowest:
Clay County (0.8), Lake County (0.8), Hancock County (0.8).
Lake County, TN Compared With Nearby Counties
How Lake County, TN compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County, TN | 6,577 | $29,158 #3/3 | $51,364 #3/3 | 18.0 min #3/3 |
| Dyer County, TN | 36,498 | $57,668 | $173,212 | 15.9 min |
| Obion County, TN | 30,444 | $53,903 | $115,187 | 17.1 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Lake County, Tennessee.
How big is Lake County, Tennessee by population?
About 6,577 people live in Lake County, Tennessee, in 2,067 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 42.9, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
How densely populated is Lake County, Tennessee?
Averaged over its land area, Lake County, Tennessee has 34 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 39% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Lake County, Tennessee an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.8 times the median household income ($51,364 against $29,158), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $531 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How educated are people in Lake County, Tennessee?
9.7% of adults in Lake County, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 10), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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