Oak Ridge, Tennessee Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Oak Ridge, 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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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below average
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A
Education Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Oak Ridge | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,080 | 7,058,506 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 334.4 | 167.5 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.06% | 0.94% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.7 | 37.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 12,955 | 2,819,839 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Oak Ridge grew by 18.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 30,080 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Oak Ridge is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 20.7% of residents. That is 0.4 points above Tennessee as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 5,727 19.0% -2.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 6,135 20.4% -1.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 6,228 20.7% +0.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,522 18.4% +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 51.8% of the people living in Oak Ridge and men 48.2%.
- Women 51.8% Tennessee 50.9%
- Men 48.2% Tennessee 49.1%
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Economy
Oak Ridge has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Oak Ridge | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,381 | $69,901 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.37% | 5.19% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Oak Ridge is about 5% higher than in Tennessee.
Housing
| Metric | Oak Ridge | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $149,636 | $255,786 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,122 | $1,188 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 65.1% | 66.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Oak Ridge is about 11.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,122 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Oak Ridge spend about 40 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 168 hours, about 7.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Oak Ridge | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.2 | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 40.4 | 44.8 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 168 | 187 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,217 | $5,785 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 17.0% | 12.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 9,663 | 9,259 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,739 | 1,225 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Oak Ridge is 20 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
Oak Ridge has a education index of A, which means it is very educated.
| Metric | Oak Ridge | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.7% | 27.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.29 | 2.45 | 2.53 |
Health
Oak Ridge has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Oak Ridge | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.2 | 74.8 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.7% | 19.5% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.3% | 25.1% | 19.0% |
Oak Ridge, TN Compared With Nearby Cities
How Oak Ridge, TN compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Ridge, TN | 30,080 | $73,381 #2/2 | $149,636 #2/2 | 20.2 min #1/2 |
| Farragut, TN | 24,078 | $137,090 | $167,047 | 21.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
How big is Oak Ridge, Tennessee by population?
About 30,080 people live in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, in 12,955 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 38.7, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Oak Ridge, Tennessee urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Oak Ridge, Tennessee has 334 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 3.9 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Oak Ridge, Tennessee?
The median home costs 2.0 times the median household income ($149,636 against $73,381), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,122 a month takes about 18% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Oak Ridge, Tennessee?
Unemployment in Oak Ridge, Tennessee is only 3.9%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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