The Town FilesCowan, Tennessee
City in Franklin County · population 1,759 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $174,500
- Household income
- $46,406
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 35.6
Cowan is a city of 1,759 people in Franklin County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $174,500, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better transit than 92% of Tennessee towns.
How Cowan 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 Cowan is worth $174,500, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $46,406, which is more affordable than 46% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $787 a month. 59.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cowan | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $174,500 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $787 | $863 |
| Median household income | $46,406 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 59.5% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cowan
| People | Cowan | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.7% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 32.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.3% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 30.8% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.1% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.3% | 88.2% |
Weather in Cowan
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 30.2°F. About 57.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.1 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 33 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 71 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cowan since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 6.6 miles from the town center and killed 5. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 8 deaths and 57 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 2, 2012.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 15 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 |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3473: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 11,619 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,979 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Cowan itself the ACS puts it at 10.5%.
Public schools in Cowan
2 public schools with 580 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Middle School | 6-8 | 318 | 13.3 |
| Cowan Elementary | PK-5 | 262 | 15.4 |
Towns near Cowan
- Decherd, TN5.0 mi · 2,379 people · home $144,600
- Winchester, TN5.6 mi · 9,375 people · home $216,900
- Sewanee, TN5.7 mi · 2,535 people · home $465,500
- Estill Springs, TN9.5 mi · 2,267 people · home $204,000
- Monteagle, TN10.5 mi · 1,393 people · home $309,500
- Tracy City, TN16.1 mi · 1,406 people · home $136,300
- Huntland, TN16.1 mi · 886 people · home $183,100
- Tullahoma, TN18.5 mi · 20,339 people · home $251,900
Cowan questions
Is Cowan, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cowan scores better for retirees than 41% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 60%. 18.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.6).
How much does a house cost in Cowan?
The median owner-occupied home in Cowan is valued at $174,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,406, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $787 a month.
What is the weather like in Cowan?
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 30.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.7 inches of precipitation a year and 4.1 inches of snow.
Does Cowan get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cowan since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 3, 1974. 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)