Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
Counties with the most seniors in Tennessee
Seniors will comprise more than 20% of U.S. residents in 2030, up from 15% in 2020. By 2034, older adults will outnumber children, according to Census Bureau projections.
Across the U.S., 52 million Americans are 65 years or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and a quarter of them live in just three states: California, Florida, and Texas. By comparison, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, and Alaska each have fewer than 150,000 senior residents. The size of a state's senior population means a lot in terms of demand for resources like health care, affordable housing, assisted living, in-home and nursing care, and support services, and the quality and availability of those resources help determine where seniors migrate.
With baby boomers moving into old age, fewer babies being born, and longer life expectancies, the senior population of America is on a spectacular rise. The lengthening of the U.S. life expectancy has been particularly dramatic, rising to nearly 79 years from 68 years in 1950.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the most seniors in Tennessee using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percentage of residents 65 years or older according to 2020 5-year estimates.
Keep reading to find out which counties have the most seniors in Tennessee.
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Ichabod // Wikimedia Commons
#50. Lincoln County
- Population aged 65 or older: 19.1%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 22.3%
- Median age: 42.9 years old
--- Median age of males: 40.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 44.8 years old
- Total population: 34,158 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#49. Wayne County
- Population aged 65 or older: 19.2%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 17.4%
- Median age: 44 years old
--- Median age of males: 41.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 46.9 years old
- Total population: 16,638 people
Christina Blust // Wikimedia Commons
#48. Humphreys County
- Population aged 65 or older: 19.4%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.6%
- Median age: 41.7 years old
--- Median age of males: 40.1 years old
--- Median age of females: 44.2 years old
- Total population: 18,528 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#47. Marion County
- Population aged 65 or older: 19.4%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.0%
- Median age: 43.2 years old
--- Median age of males: 41.6 years old
--- Median age of females: 45.3 years old
- Total population: 28,639 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#46. Claiborne County
- Population aged 65 or older: 19.6%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 18.7%
- Median age: 42.7 years old
--- Median age of males: 40.3 years old
--- Median age of females: 44.3 years old
- Total population: 31,827 people
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#45. Sevier County
- Population aged 65 or older: 19.6%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.6%
- Median age: 42.9 years old
--- Median age of males: 41 years old
--- Median age of females: 45.2 years old
- Total population: 98,007 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#44. McMinn County
- Population aged 65 or older: 19.8%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.1%
- Median age: 42.4 years old
--- Median age of males: 42.1 years old
--- Median age of females: 42.8 years old
- Total population: 53,392 people
Geobeedude // Wikimedia Commons
#43. Stewart County
- Population aged 65 or older: 19.8%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.2%
- Median age: 43.8 years old
--- Median age of males: 42.6 years old
--- Median age of females: 44.7 years old
- Total population: 13,553 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#42. Carroll County
- Population aged 65 or older: 19.9%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.5%
- Median age: 43 years old
--- Median age of males: 40.3 years old
--- Median age of females: 44.8 years old
- Total population: 27,841 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#41. Anderson County
- Population aged 65 or older: 19.9%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.1%
- Median age: 43.1 years old
--- Median age of males: 41.3 years old
--- Median age of females: 45.2 years old
- Total population: 76,513 people
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#40. Jefferson County
- Population aged 65 or older: 19.9%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.6%
- Median age: 44.2 years old
--- Median age of males: 42.9 years old
--- Median age of females: 45.1 years old
- Total population: 54,162 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#39. Franklin County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.0%
- Median age: 42 years old
--- Median age of males: 40.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 43.8 years old
- Total population: 41,999 people
Ichabod // Wikimedia Commons
#38. Giles County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.8%
- Median age: 43.6 years old
--- Median age of males: 42.5 years old
--- Median age of females: 45.4 years old
- Total population: 29,403 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#37. White County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20.2%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.9%
- Median age: 43.3 years old
--- Median age of males: 42.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 44.5 years old
- Total population: 27,087 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#36. Blount County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20.2%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.2%
- Median age: 43.9 years old
--- Median age of males: 42.6 years old
--- Median age of females: 45.2 years old
- Total population: 131,641 people
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Thomas R Machnitzki (thomasmachnitzki.com) // Wikimedia Commons
#35. Obion County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20.4%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.8%
- Median age: 42.4 years old
--- Median age of males: 42 years old
--- Median age of females: 42.9 years old
- Total population: 30,343 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#34. Overton County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20.4%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.5%
- Median age: 43.2 years old
--- Median age of males: 42.3 years old
--- Median age of females: 45 years old
- Total population: 22,171 people
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#33. Perry County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20.5%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 23.1%
- Median age: 43.1 years old
--- Median age of males: 44.1 years old
--- Median age of females: 41.8 years old
- Total population: 8,020 people
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#32. Campbell County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20.5%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.5%
- Median age: 44.1 years old
--- Median age of males: 43.1 years old
--- Median age of females: 45.1 years old
- Total population: 39,818 people
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#31. Houston County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20.6%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.7%
- Median age: 43.8 years old
--- Median age of males: 40.9 years old
--- Median age of females: 45.4 years old
- Total population: 8,201 people
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#30. Sequatchie County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20.7%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.3%
- Median age: 44.4 years old
--- Median age of males: 41.5 years old
--- Median age of females: 46.6 years old
- Total population: 14,936 people
AppalachianCentrist // Wikimedia Commons
#29. Grainger County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20.7%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.9%
- Median age: 46.2 years old
--- Median age of males: 45.2 years old
--- Median age of females: 46.8 years old
- Total population: 23,268 people
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#28. Grundy County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20.8%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.9%
- Median age: 43.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 41.6 years old
--- Median age of females: 44.8 years old
- Total population: 13,371 people
Walker Kinsler // Wikimedia Commons
#27. Hawkins County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20.9%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.8%
- Median age: 45.2 years old
--- Median age of males: 44.1 years old
--- Median age of females: 46.7 years old
- Total population: 56,735 people
Skye Marthaler // Wikimedia Commons
#26. McNairy County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.7%
- Median age: 43.6 years old
--- Median age of males: 42.3 years old
--- Median age of females: 45.1 years old
- Total population: 25,814 people
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#25. Polk County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 18.9%
- Median age: 46.3 years old
--- Median age of males: 45.7 years old
--- Median age of females: 47 years old
- Total population: 16,807 people
Skye Marthaler // Wikimedia Commons
#24. Lewis County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21.1%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.4%
- Median age: 42 years old
--- Median age of males: 40.7 years old
--- Median age of females: 45.1 years old
- Total population: 12,131 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#23. Hancock County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21.1%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.3%
- Median age: 44.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 43.1 years old
--- Median age of females: 45.6 years old
- Total population: 6,568 people
Daniel Hartwig from San Mateo, CA, USA // Wikimedia Commons
#22. Moore County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21.1%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.3%
- Median age: 45.9 years old
--- Median age of males: 44.5 years old
--- Median age of females: 47.3 years old
- Total population: 6,396 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#21. Monroe County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21.2%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.4%
- Median age: 44.1 years old
--- Median age of males: 42.6 years old
--- Median age of females: 45.2 years old
- Total population: 46,413 people
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Dwight Burdette // Wikimedia Commons
#20. Cocke County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21.3%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.4%
- Median age: 45.3 years old
--- Median age of males: 44.7 years old
--- Median age of females: 45.8 years old
- Total population: 35,797 people
Thomas R Machnitzki (thomas@machnitzki.com) // Wikimedia Commons
#19. Fayette County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21.3%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.1%
- Median age: 46.2 years old
--- Median age of males: 44.9 years old
--- Median age of females: 46.9 years old
- Total population: 40,612 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#18. Fentress County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21.4%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.9%
- Median age: 45.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 44 years old
--- Median age of females: 46.8 years old
- Total population: 18,405 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#17. Meigs County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21.5%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.3%
- Median age: 45.9 years old
--- Median age of males: 44.8 years old
--- Median age of females: 46.9 years old
- Total population: 12,237 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#16. Carter County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21.7%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 18.3%
- Median age: 45.7 years old
--- Median age of males: 44.7 years old
--- Median age of females: 47.4 years old
- Total population: 56,452 people
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AppalachianCentrist // Wikimedia Commons
#15. Greene County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21.9%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.4%
- Median age: 45 years old
--- Median age of males: 43.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 46.4 years old
- Total population: 69,077 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#14. Sullivan County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21.9%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.3%
- Median age: 45.3 years old
--- Median age of males: 43.7 years old
--- Median age of females: 46.8 years old
- Total population: 157,707 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#13. Jackson County
- Population aged 65 or older: 22.5%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 18.2%
- Median age: 47.4 years old
--- Median age of males: 46.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 48.1 years old
- Total population: 11,767 people
Ballinindasierra // Wikimedia Commons
#12. Hardin County
- Population aged 65 or older: 22.6%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.2%
- Median age: 45.4 years old
--- Median age of males: 44.3 years old
--- Median age of females: 45.8 years old
- Total population: 25,665 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#11. Roane County
- Population aged 65 or older: 22.7%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 18.7%
- Median age: 47.3 years old
--- Median age of males: 45.9 years old
--- Median age of females: 48.7 years old
- Total population: 53,331 people
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#10. Johnson County
- Population aged 65 or older: 22.8%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 16.9%
- Median age: 46.1 years old
--- Median age of males: 42.9 years old
--- Median age of females: 48.8 years old
- Total population: 17,755 people
Cj4258 // Wikimedia Commons
#9. Henry County
- Population aged 65 or older: 23.1%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.5%
- Median age: 45.8 years old
--- Median age of males: 44.2 years old
--- Median age of females: 46.5 years old
- Total population: 32,251 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#8. Van Buren County
- Population aged 65 or older: 23.1%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.1%
- Median age: 46.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 45.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 47.2 years old
- Total population: 5,813 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#7. Unicoi County
- Population aged 65 or older: 23.7%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 16.5%
- Median age: 47.4 years old
--- Median age of males: 45.2 years old
--- Median age of females: 48.8 years old
- Total population: 17,821 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#6. Benton County
- Population aged 65 or older: 23.9%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.8%
- Median age: 47.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 45.2 years old
--- Median age of females: 49.4 years old
- Total population: 16,133 people
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#5. Clay County
- Population aged 65 or older: 24%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.6%
- Median age: 47 years old
--- Median age of males: 46.3 years old
--- Median age of females: 49.3 years old
- Total population: 7,640 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#4. Decatur County
- Population aged 65 or older: 24.5%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.9%
- Median age: 46.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 44.7 years old
--- Median age of females: 48.3 years old
- Total population: 11,663 people
Scott Basford // Wikimedia Commons
#3. Loudon County
- Population aged 65 or older: 26.3%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.4%
- Median age: 47.8 years old
--- Median age of males: 46.8 years old
--- Median age of females: 49.3 years old
- Total population: 53,169 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#2. Pickett County
- Population aged 65 or older: 27.3%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 18.7%
- Median age: 50.7 years old
--- Median age of males: 49.8 years old
--- Median age of females: 51.3 years old
- Total population: 5,068 people
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#1. Cumberland County
- Population aged 65 or older: 30.8%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 17.5%
- Median age: 51.8 years old
--- Median age of males: 49.9 years old
--- Median age of females: 53.4 years old
- Total population: 60,016 people
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