The Town Files

Atoka, Tennessee

Town in Tipton County · population 10,008 (2020 Census)

Map: where Atoka is in TennesseeAtoka
Median home
$320,700
Household income
$89,663
Jan low / Jul high
29° / 89°
Snow a year
3 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
24
Median age
39.1

Atoka is a town of 10,008 people in Tipton County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $320,700, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for families than 96% of Tennessee towns, more of a college town than 93% of Tennessee towns, more upscale than 88% of Tennessee towns.

How Atoka ranks

Percentile among Tennessee towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Tennessee towns.

Atoka lifestyle rankings vs other Tennessee townsRetirement18th pctFamilies96th pctQuiet17th pctWalkability63rd pctFirst-time buyers31st pctYoung professionals69th pctVibrancy69th pctHip & trendy8th pctCollege town93rd pctUpscale88th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving82nd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Atoka is worth $320,700, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $89,663, which is more affordable than 54% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $1,237 a month. 85.1% of households own their home.

Atoka vs Tipton County vs typical Tennessee townAtokaTipton CountyTypical Tennessee townHome value$320,700$240,600$204,650Household income$89,663$74,127$57,917Monthly rent$1,237$1,013$863
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Tennessee towns with 500+ people.
HousingAtokaTypical Tennessee town
Median home value$320,700$204,650
Median rent$1,237$863
Median household income$89,663$57,917
Home value ÷ income3.6×3.7×
Homeownership85.1%69.7%
Median year built20021980
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Atoka

PeopleAtokaTypical Tennessee town
Median age39.140.8
Age 65 and over12.2%18.4%
Under 1822.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher35.2%18.2%
Below the poverty line7.0%14.2%
Veterans15.7%—
Born outside the U.S.1.1%—
Work from home14.7%8.2%
Average commute36.2 min25.9 min
Homes with broadband95.5%88.2%

Weather in Atoka

July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 28.5°F. About 55.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.5 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 49 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 70 nights at or below freezing.

Atoka monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing46°29°Jan51°32°Feb60°40°Mar70°48°Apr79°58°May86°66°Jun89°69°Jul88°67°Aug83°60°Sep72°49°Oct60°39°Nov50°32°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue4.40.84.60.75.30.95.35.84.34.43.63.63.84.95.80.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Covington 3 Sw station (9.8 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Atoka since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on March 31, 2023 about 3.4 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 98 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 31, 2023.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Atoka by decade21950s51960s61970s41980s01990s32000s12010s32020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 54 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 29, 2005.

Severe weather in Tipton County since 1996

Storm events in Tipton County since 1996 by typeHail86Heat88Flood13Drought25Tornado15Ice Storm6Flash Flood46Winter Storm31
NOAA Storm Events Database, Tipton County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 6 deaths recorded.

Tipton County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
February 6, 2026Winter StormDR-4898: Severe Winter Storm
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3635: Severe Winter Storm
June 19, 2025Severe StormDR-4878: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding
April 2, 2025Severe StormEM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding
September 4, 2023Severe StormDR-4735: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds

Jobs and pay in Tipton County

Tipton County had 11,848 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,303 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Atoka itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.

Largest industries in Tipton CountyManufacturing1,781 jobs · $61,219Retail1,697 jobs · $33,926Construction1,449 jobs · $75,393Hotels & restaurants966 jobs · $19,192Administrative & support362 jobs · $39,894Transportation & warehousing334 jobs · $60,896
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Tipton County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Tipton 3.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Atoka

1 public school with 868 students, about 17.0 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Atoka Elementary SchoolPK-586817.0

Towns near Atoka

Atoka questions

Is Atoka, Tennessee a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Atoka scores better for retirees than 18% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 17%. 12.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.1).

How much does a house cost in Atoka?

The median owner-occupied home in Atoka is valued at $320,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,663, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,237 a month.

What is the weather like in Atoka?

July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 28.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 55.8 inches of precipitation a year and 2.5 inches of snow.

Does Atoka get tornadoes?

24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Atoka since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on March 31, 2023. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Atoka's Census boundary (GEOID 4702340). Comparisons use the median of Tennessee towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.