Poverty and living standards in Tennessee, United States: official figures
The Census Bureau estimates that 13.3% of people in Tennessee lived below the federal poverty line in 2024, about 942,730 people; joint 13th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 12.1%).
Has poverty in Tennessee gone up or down?
In 2019 the estimate for Tennessee was 13.8% (919,850 people), so the rate is down 0.5 percentage points over five years; the national rate moved from 12.3% to 12.1%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many children live in poverty in Tennessee?
18.4% of children under 18 in Tennessee were in poverty in 2024, about 285,986 children; 10th highest among the 50 states and DC. For children under 5 the rate was 17.9% (U.S.: 15.5% for under-18s, 16.5% for under-5s).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in Tennessee?
The Gini index of household income inequality in Tennessee was 0.4747 in 2024 (0 means every household has the same income, 1 means one household has it all); joint 12th most unequal among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 0.4809).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in Tennessee are cost-burdened?
50.2% of renting households in Tennessee spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2024, and 23.3% spent half or more; the 30% share is 24th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 51.8%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in Tennessee get food stamps?
9.4% of households in Tennessee (275,155) said they received SNAP food benefits at some point in the previous 12 months in the 2024 American Community Survey; 18th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 11.8%). 51% of those households had incomes below the poverty line, and 63% of households below the poverty line did not receive SNAP.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people get SNAP in Tennessee?
An average of 696,070 people in Tennessee received SNAP benefits each month in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), down 2.2% on fiscal 2024 (711,946), according to USDA administrative data; nationally the average was 42.14 million.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow much are SNAP benefits in Tennessee?
SNAP benefits paid in Tennessee totaled $1.7 billion in fiscal 2025, an average of $206.31 per person per month (U.S.: $189.36); 4th largest average benefit among the 50 states and DC.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Tennessee?
Local counts on a single night in January 2025 found 8,850 people experiencing homelessness in Tennessee, up 6.9% on 2024 (8,280) and up 18.5% on 2019 (7,467); 18th largest count among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 745,652).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many homeless people in Tennessee sleep outside?
Of those counted in Tennessee in January 2025, 4,774 were in emergency shelters or transitional housing and 4,076 (46.1%) were unsheltered, sleeping outside or in places not meant for housing; 12th highest unsheltered share among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 35.7%).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyWho is homeless in Tennessee?
The January 2025 count in Tennessee included 1,549 people in families with children, 960 children under 18, 1,884 chronically homeless individuals and 659 veterans.
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many households in Tennessee are food insecure?
On average over 2021 to 2023, 11.7% of households in Tennessee were food insecure, meaning they had difficulty at some time in the year providing enough food because of a lack of resources; 24th highest among the 50 states and DC and not statistically different from the national average of 12.2%, according to USDA.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyIs food insecurity in Tennessee getting worse?
4.7% of households in Tennessee had very low food security in 2021-23, with some members eating less or skipping meals. Overall food insecurity was 12.5% in 2018-20 and 17.4% in 2011-13; the move from 2018-20 to 2021-23 is -0.8 percentage points, a change USDA does not rate as statistically significant.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyHow Tennessee compares with other states
People in poverty (all ages) (2024)
Tennessee ranks 13 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | People in poverty (all ages) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | New York | 14.0% |
| 11 | Texas | 13.4% |
| 12 | Michigan | 13.4% |
| 13 | Tennessee | 13.3% |
| 14 | South Carolina | 13.3% |
| 15 | Georgia | 12.8% |
| 16 | Ohio | 12.6% |
Children under 18 in poverty (2024)
Tennessee ranks 10 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | Children under 18 in poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Arkansas | 19.6% |
| 8 | Kentucky | 18.9% |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 18.7% |
| 10 | Tennessee | 18.4% |
| 11 | South Carolina | 18.1% |
| 12 | Texas | 17.9% |
| 13 | New York | 17.9% |
Gini index of household income inequality (2024)
Tennessee ranks 13 of 51, highest first. 0 = perfect equality, 1 = one household has all income
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income inequality |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | North Carolina | 0.4782 |
| 11 | Mississippi | 0.4766 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 0.4747 |
| 13 | Tennessee | 0.4747 |
| 14 | Alabama | 0.4745 |
| 15 | Georgia | 0.4730 |
| 16 | Washington | 0.4725 |
Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent (2024)
Tennessee ranks 23 of 51, highest first. Share of renter households for which the ratio can be computed
| Rank | Region | Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Washington | 50.7% |
| 21 | Mississippi | 50.3% |
| 22 | Delaware | 50.3% |
| 23 | Tennessee | 50.2% |
| 24 | Maine | 50.2% |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | 49.4% |
| 26 | New Hampshire | 49.4% |
Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months (2024)
Tennessee ranks 34 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey
| Rank | Region | Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Arizona | 10.2% |
| 32 | Delaware | 10.0% |
| 33 | South Carolina | 9.5% |
| 34 | Tennessee | 9.4% |
| 35 | Missouri | 9.3% |
| 36 | Virginia | 9.2% |
| 37 | New Jersey | 9.1% |
Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) (2021-2023)
Tennessee ranks 24 of 51, highest first. Low or very low food security
| Rank | Region | Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Florida | 12.0% |
| 22 | Arizona | 11.8% |
| 23 | Utah | 11.8% |
| 24 | Tennessee | 11.7% |
| 25 | Alabama | 11.5% |
| 26 | California | 11.4% |
| 27 | Idaho | 11.3% |
People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) (2025)
Tennessee ranks 18 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Ohio | 12,196 |
| 16 | Michigan | 10,155 |
| 17 | Nevada | 9,905 |
| 18 | Tennessee | 8,850 |
| 19 | Minnesota | 8,392 |
| 20 | Missouri | 8,345 |
| 21 | Virginia | 7,240 |
Share of homeless people who were unsheltered (2025)
Tennessee ranks 12 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | Share of homeless people who were unsheltered |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Idaho | 50.0% |
| 10 | Nevada | 49.6% |
| 11 | Florida | 47.2% |
| 12 | Tennessee | 46.1% |
| 13 | West Virginia | 45.9% |
| 14 | New Mexico | 45.8% |
| 15 | Texas | 43.4% |
People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) (FY2025)
Tennessee ranks 19 of 51, highest first. USDA FNS National Data Bank
| Rank | Region | People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Virginia | 817,733 |
| 17 | Oregon | 770,894 |
| 18 | Alabama | 740,270 |
| 19 | Tennessee | 696,070 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | 694,230 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 693,082 |
| 22 | Maryland | 675,134 |
More on Tennessee: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gini index of income inequality (B19083), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 dc8a2b21190b…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Receipt of food stamps/SNAP by poverty status for households (B22003), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 53dc663e0426…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gross rent as a percentage of household income (B25070), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 edf1abe1970b…)
- USDA Economic Research Service: Household Food Security in the United States in 2023 (ERR-337), tables 4 and 5: food insecurity by State, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c0eebe273d83…)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: 2007-2025 Point-in-Time Estimates of Homelessness by State (2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Part 1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c04ebcbe51c8…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2024 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cb52c47d75c1…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2019 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 229d90cb3e05…)
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service: SNAP Monthly State Participation and Benefit Summary, fiscal years 1969 to current (FY24.xlsx and FY25.xlsx), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d31418fd3b4b…)
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