The Town FilesBradford, Tennessee
Town in Gibson County · population 1,001 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $116,000
- Household income
- $47,361
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 33.3
Bradford is a town of 1,001 people in Gibson County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $116,000, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks easier by car than 99% of Tennessee towns, quieter than 98% of Tennessee towns, better for cycling than 95% of Tennessee towns.
How Bradford 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bradford is worth $116,000, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $47,361, which is more affordable than 90% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $740 a month. 69.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bradford | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $116,000 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $740 | $863 |
| Median household income | $47,361 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 69.8% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bradford
| People | Bradford | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.3 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.8% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 29.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.5% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.0% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 2.9% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.3% | 88.2% |
Weather in Bradford
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 27.7°F. About 56.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.4 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 59 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 90 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bradford since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 1, 1997 about 8.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 11 deaths and 190 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on February 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on February 15, 2025.
Severe weather in Gibson County since 1996
Gibson County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635: Severe Winter Storm |
| June 19, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4878: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| December 13, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4751: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Gibson County
Gibson County had 14,908 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,973 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Bradford itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Bradford
2 public schools with 627 students, about 15.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradford High School | 6-12 | 317 | 15.9 |
| Bradford Elementary | PK-6 | 310 | 15.5 |
Towns near Bradford
- Greenfield, TN6.3 mi · 2,031 people · home $95,300
- Dyer, TN9.9 mi · 2,308 people · home $113,500
- Trenton, TN10.0 mi · 4,240 people · home $126,000
- Rutherford, TN10.4 mi · 1,163 people · home $93,900
- Atwood, TN10.7 mi · 940 people · home $91,000
- Sharon, TN11.2 mi · 935 people · home $99,400
- Milan, TN11.7 mi · 8,171 people · home $144,100
- Trezevant, TN11.8 mi · 799 people · home $96,300
Bradford questions
Is Bradford, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bradford scores better for retirees than 43% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 98%. 17.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.3).
How much does a house cost in Bradford?
The median owner-occupied home in Bradford is valued at $116,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,361, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $740 a month.
What is the weather like in Bradford?
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 27.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.2 inches of precipitation a year and 2.4 inches of snow.
Does Bradford get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bradford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 1, 1997. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)