The Town FilesBurns, Tennessee
Town in Dickson County · population 1,573 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $286,400
- Household income
- $69,167
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 40.7
Burns is a town of 1,573 people in Dickson County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $286,400, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 98% of Tennessee towns, better for families than 91% of Tennessee towns, more upscale than 84% of Tennessee towns.
How Burns 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 Burns is worth $286,400, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $69,167, which is more affordable than 37% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $887 a month. 78.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Burns | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $286,400 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $887 | $863 |
| Median household income | $69,167 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 78.1% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Burns
| People | Burns | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.7 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.1% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 26.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.8% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.2% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 8.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.5% | 88.2% |
Weather in Burns
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 25.6°F. About 54.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.5 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 105 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burns since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 16, 1998 about 4.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 5, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 62 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on March 3, 2020.
Severe weather in Dickson County since 1996
Dickson County has been included in 27 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 Dickson County
Dickson County had 18,872 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,716 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Burns itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Public schools in Burns
2 public schools with 1,208 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stuart Burns Elementary | PK-5 | 717 | 14.6 |
| Burns Middle School | 6-8 | 491 | 15.3 |
Towns near Burns
- Dickson, TN2.7 mi · 16,058 people · home $292,600
- White Bluff, TN6.8 mi · 3,862 people · home $279,900
- Charlotte, TN8.9 mi · 1,656 people · home $252,900
- Bon Aqua Junction, TN9.0 mi · 1,279 people · home $187,500
- Lyles, TN9.7 mi · 763 people · home $219,100
- Kingston Springs, TN11.9 mi · 2,824 people · home $426,500
- Fairview, TN12.0 mi · 9,357 people · home $390,200
- Pegram, TN15.1 mi · 2,072 people · home $387,100
Burns questions
Is Burns, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Burns scores better for retirees than 41% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 67%. 16.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.7).
How much does a house cost in Burns?
The median owner-occupied home in Burns is valued at $286,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,167, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $887 a month.
What is the weather like in Burns?
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 25.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 54.9 inches of precipitation a year and 2.5 inches of snow.
Does Burns get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burns since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 16, 1998. 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)