Rutherford County, TN

County

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2021 Population

335,595

3.53% 1-year growth

US Senator

Marsha Blackburn

Republican Party

US Senator

Bill Hagerty

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

33.9

0.893% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

10.2%

1.69% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$72,985

6.21% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$256,700

9.37% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

178,349

3.73% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Rutherford County, TN had a population of 336k people with a median age of 33.9 and a median household income of $72,985. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Rutherford County, TN grew from 324,139 to 335,595, a 3.53% increase and its median household income grew from $68,718 to $72,985, a 6.21% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Rutherford County, TN are White (Non-Hispanic) (68.6%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (15%), White (Hispanic) (4.72%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.71%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (3.54%).

None of the households in Rutherford County, TN reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95.5% of the residents in Rutherford County, TN are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Rutherford County, TN are Middle Tennessee State University (4,731 degrees awarded in 2021), Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro (373 degrees), and Paul Mitchell the School-Murfreesboro (149 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Rutherford County, TN was $256,700, and the homeownership rate was 65.1%.

Most people in Rutherford County, TN drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 28.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Rutherford County, TN was 2 cars per household.

Rutherford County, TN borders Bedford County, TN, Cannon County, TN, Coffee County, TN, Davidson County, TN, Marshall County, TN, Williamson County, TN, and Wilson County, TN.

About the photo: Stones River, Murfreesboro, TN

Photo by Casey Fleser

United States Tennessee Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

Population & Diversity

Rutherford County, TN is home to a population of 336k people, from which 95.5% are citizens. As of 2021, 8.05% of Rutherford County, TN residents were born outside of the country (27k people).

In 2021, there were 4.56 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (230k people) in Rutherford County, TN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 50.5k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 15.8k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.5%

2021 Citizenship

95.8%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 95.5% of Rutherford County, TN residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Rutherford County, TN was 95.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Rutherford County, TN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Rutherford County, TN

White (Non-Hispanic)
230k ± 690
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
50.5k ± 1.16k
White (Hispanic)
15.8k ± 1.41k

8.72%

Hispanic Population

29.3k people

8.72% of the people in Rutherford County, TN are hispanic (29.3k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Rutherford County, TN as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Tennessee.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
86,142 ± 7,160 people
India
24,764 ± 3,857 people
Guatemala
18,995 ± 3,379 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Tennessee was Mexico, the natal country of 86,142 Tennessee residents, followed by India with 24,764 and Guatemala with 18,995.

Foreign-Born Population

8.05%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

27k people

7.47%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

24.2k people

As of 2021, 8.05% of Rutherford County, TN residents (27k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Rutherford County, TN was 7.47%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Rutherford County, TN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
5,149 ± 691
Vietnam
4,786 ± 510
Gulf War (1990s)
3,667 ± 574

Rutherford County, TN has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.08 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Rutherford County, TN employs 178k people. The largest industries in Rutherford County, TN are Manufacturing (24,276 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (23,128 people), and Retail Trade (20,861 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($97,905), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($68,750), and Utilities ($63,947).

Males in Tennessee have an average income that is 1.37 times higher than the average income of females, which is $49,162. The income inequality in Tennessee (measured using the Gini index) is 0.463, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

178k

2021 Value

± 4,116

3.73%

1 Year growth

± 3.12%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Rutherford County, TN grew at a rate of 3.73%, from 172k employees to 178k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Rutherford County, TN, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (21,426 people), Management Occupations (18,142 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (17,538 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Rutherford County, TN.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Tennessee (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

178k

2021 Value

± 4,116

3.73%

1 Year growth

± 3.12%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Rutherford County, TN grew at a rate of 3.73%, from 172k employees to 178k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Rutherford County, TN, are Manufacturing (24,276 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (23,128 people), and Retail Trade (20,861 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Rutherford County, TN, though some of these residents may live in Rutherford County, TN and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$45,598

Median earning men ± $1,597

$34,321

Median earning women ± $966

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($60,295), Public Administration ($58,345), and Manufacturing ($56,552).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($49,526), Construction ($42,560), and Wholesale Trade ($41,693).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Tennessee. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Tennessee.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

2,328
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
1,431
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
1,092
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$4.23M
Manufacturing
$1.71M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$989k
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Tennessee to other states, or from other states to Tennessee.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Tennessee product (by dollars) was Electronics with $51.3B, followed by Motorized vehicles ($50.3B) and Pharmaceuticals ($49.5B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Tennessee products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Tennessee.

$471B

2020 Value in Tennessee

$1.05T

Projected 2050 Value in Tennessee

123% growth

In 2020, total outbound Tennessee trade was $471B. This is expected to increase 123% to $1.05T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Tennessee trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Tennessee to other states, or from other states to Tennessee.

Most Common Trade Partners

Georgia
$34.2B
Texas
$26.7B
Kentucky
$21B

In 2020, the top outbound Tennessee domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Georgia with $34.2B, followed by Texas with $26.7B and Kentucky and $21B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Tennessee shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Rutherford County, TN went to Donald J. Trump with 56.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.2%), followed by Other (2.12%).

Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are the senators currently representing the state of Tennessee. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Tennessee is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (56.6%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.2%)
Democratic Party
Other (2.12%)
Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Rutherford County, TN went to Donald J. Trump with 56.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.2%), followed by Other (2.12%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Rutherford County, TN for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Tennessee

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

Marsha Blackburn

Senator from Tennessee

Assumed office on January 3, 2019

Bill Hagerty

Senator from Tennessee

Assumed office on January 3, 2021

Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are the senators currently representing Tennessee.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Tennessee over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Tennessee

Tennessee is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Tennessee have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Rutherford County, TN awarded 5,350 degrees. The student population of Rutherford County, TN in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 9,853 male students and 12,636 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Rutherford County, TN are White (3,565 and 67.3%), followed by Black or African American (910 and 17.2%), Hispanic or Latino (322 and 6.08%), and Asian (274 and 5.17%).

The largest universities in Rutherford County, TN by number of degrees awarded are Middle Tennessee State University (4,731 and 88.4%), Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro (373 and 6.97%), and Paul Mitchell the School-Murfreesboro (149 and 2.79%).

The most popular majors in Rutherford County, TN are General Business Administration & Management (325 and 6.07%), General Psychology (266 and 4.97%), and Other Multidisciplinary Studies (253 and 4.73%).

The median tuition cost in Rutherford County, TN for a public four year colleges is $7,344 for in-state students and $26,376 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Rutherford County, TN, the percentage of applicants admitted was 68.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 35.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 22,489 (43.8% men and 56.2% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 22,489 students enrolled in Rutherford County, TN, 43.8% men and 56.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 14,796 records, of which 55.6% were women and 44.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Other Multidisciplinary Studies
253 degrees awarded
General Psychology
239 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
239 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Rutherford County, TN was Other Multidisciplinary Studies with 253 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Rutherford County, TN according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Middle Tennessee State University
4,731 degrees awarded
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro
373 degrees awarded
Paul Mitchell the School-Murfreesboro
149 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Middle Tennessee State University with 4,731 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 2,226 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Rutherford County, TN, which is 0.713 times less than the 3,124 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,565 degrees mean that there were 3.92 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 910 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($22,348) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,888) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,260) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

Measure

In 2021, 0.767% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.729% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (1.73M), Some college (1.19M), and Bachelors Degree (920k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Rutherford County, TN was $256,700 in 2021, which is 1.05 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $234,700 to $256,700, a 9.37% increase. The homeownership rate in Rutherford County, TN is 65.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Rutherford County, TN have an average commute time of 28.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Rutherford County, TN is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Rutherford County, TN is $72,985. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Rutherford County, TN was Census Tract 413.01 with a value of $130,000, followed by Census Tract 403.07 and Census Tract 408.08, with respective values of $117,850 and $114,858.

In 2022, 12.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Rutherford County, TN. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.23%.

Housing

Property

$256,700

Median Property Value 2021

±$4,081

$77,479

Median Property Taxes

±$2,391

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Rutherford County, TN the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Rutherford County, TN compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

65.1%

Homeownership

2021

68.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 65.1% of the housing units in Rutherford County, TN were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 65.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Rutherford County, TN compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 413.01
Census Tract 403.07
Census Tract 408.08

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Rutherford County, TN was Census Tract 413.01 with a value of $130,000, followed by Census Tract 403.07 and Census Tract 408.08, with respective values of $117,850 and $114,858.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Rutherford County, TN colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$72,985

Median Household Income

± $1,378

119k

Number of Households

± 3,286

In 2021, the median household income of the 119k households in Rutherford County, TN grew to $72,985 from the previous year's value of $68,718.

The following chart displays the households in Rutherford County, TN distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Rutherford County, TN is from Tennessee.

0.463

2021 Wage GINI in Tennessee

0.463

2020 Wage GINI in Tennessee

In 2021, the income inequality in Tennessee was 0.463 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.126% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Tennessee was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Tennessee in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Tennessee across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (79.3%)
Carpooled (9.51%)
Worked At Home (9.17%)

In 2021, 79.3% of workers in Rutherford County, TN drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.51%) and those who worked at home (9.17%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

28.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Rutherford County, TN have a longer commute time (28.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.54% of the workforce in Rutherford County, TN have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Rutherford County, TN compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Rutherford County, TN distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Rutherford County, TN have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 12.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Rutherford County, TN. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.23%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

10.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Rutherford County, TN (33.6k out of 330k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Rutherford County, TN is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 9.7% of the children was living in poverty in Rutherford County, TN. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 7%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 492 in Rutherford County, TN. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 66.4 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

90.8% of the population of Rutherford County, TN has health coverage, with 57.4% on employee plans, 11.6% on Medicaid, 7.91% on Medicare, 12.3% on non-group plans, and 1.65% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Rutherford County, TN see 2308 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.66% decrease from the previous year (2371 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1844 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 983 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.8% were men and 51.2% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,308 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Rutherford County, TN

Primary care physicians in Rutherford County, TN see an average of 2,308 patients per year. This represents a 2.66% decrease from the previous year (2,371 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Rutherford County, TN in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26.4% under 18 years, 25% between 18 and 34 years, 38.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 10.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.8% were men and 51.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

9.18%

Uninsured

57.4%

Employer Coverage

11.6%

Medicaid

7.91%

Medicare

12.3%

Non-Group

1.65%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Rutherford County, TN grew by 2.49% from 8.96% to 9.18%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Rutherford County, TN changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 47.4 in Rutherford County, TN.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Rutherford County, TN.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 38% in Rutherford County, TN.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Rutherford County, TN.

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