The Town FilesCelina, Tennessee
City in Clay County · population 1,422 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $203,200
- Household income
- $32,220
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 43.0
Celina is a city of 1,422 people in Clay County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $203,200, close to the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better transit than 86% of Tennessee towns, quieter than 79% of Tennessee towns, hipper than 78% of Tennessee towns.
How Celina 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 Celina is worth $203,200, close to the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 6.3 times the median household income of $32,220, which is more affordable than 2% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $536 a month. 35.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Celina | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $203,200 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $536 | $863 |
| Median household income | $32,220 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 35.3% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.6% | — |
Who lives in Celina
| People | Celina | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.6% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.2% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.0% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.7% | — |
| Work from home | 3.0% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.5% | 88.2% |
Weather in Celina
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 27.2°F. About 53.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.9 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 90 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Celina since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 3, 1998 about 6.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 11, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 17, 2002.
Severe weather in Clay County since 1996
Clay County has been included in 22 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 |
| April 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 17, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4712: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| May 8, 2021 | Tornado | DR-4601: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Clay County
Clay County had 1,388 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $38,261 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Celina itself the ACS puts it at 22.2%.
Public schools in Celina
3 public schools with 869 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celina K-8 | PK-8 | 558 | 15.9 |
| Clay County High School | 9-12 | 311 | 13.5 |
| Clay Co Adult High School | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Celina
- Livingston, TN14.9 mi · 3,905 people · home $123,000
- Tompkinsville, KY14.9 mi · 2,309 people · home $99,000
- Gainesboro, TN15.1 mi · 920 people · home $170,600
- Dodson Branch, TN16.2 mi · 1,160 people · home $171,700
- Burkesville, KY18.4 mi · 1,388 people · home $117,300
- Red Boiling Springs, TN19.2 mi · 1,205 people · home $194,400
- Byrdstown, TN20.6 mi · 798 people · home $163,400
- Albany, KY22.7 mi · 1,760 people · home $111,100
Celina questions
Is Celina, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Celina scores better for retirees than 67% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 79%. 19.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.0).
How much does a house cost in Celina?
The median owner-occupied home in Celina is valued at $203,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $32,220, so homes cost about 6.3 times income. Median rent is $536 a month.
What is the weather like in Celina?
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 27.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.5 inches of precipitation a year and 3.9 inches of snow.
Does Celina get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Celina since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 3, 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)