The Town FilesCrab Orchard, Tennessee
City in Cumberland County · population 720 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $164,700
- Household income
- $60,216
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 40.0
Crab Orchard is a city of 720 people in Cumberland County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $164,700, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks quieter than 97% of Tennessee towns, better transit than 81% of Tennessee towns.
How Crab Orchard 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 Crab Orchard is worth $164,700, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $60,216, which is more affordable than 84% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $750 a month. 90.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Crab Orchard | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $164,700 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $750 | $863 |
| Median household income | $60,216 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 90.0% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.7% | — |
Who lives in Crab Orchard
| People | Crab Orchard | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.2% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.5% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.9% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 15.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 73.2% | 88.2% |
Weather in Crab Orchard
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 26.4°F. About 57.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.0 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 84 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Crab Orchard since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 10, 2002 about 1.0 miles from the town center and killed 4. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 5 deaths and 42 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 20, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on November 10, 2002.
Severe weather in Cumberland County since 1996
Cumberland County has been included in 26 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 |
| September 27, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4742: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Cumberland County
Cumberland County had 19,316 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,674 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Crab Orchard itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Crab Orchard
1 public school with 418 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crab Orchard Elementary | PK-8 | 418 | 14.9 |
Towns near Crab Orchard
- Fairfield Glade, TN6.7 mi · 9,152 people · home $356,800
- Crossville, TN8.7 mi · 12,071 people · home $246,300
- Lake Tansi, TN10.2 mi · 4,629 people · home $280,900
- Rockwood, TN12.0 mi · 5,444 people · home $128,700
- Spring City, TN15.3 mi · 1,949 people · home $166,700
- Midtown, TN17.4 mi · 1,220 people · home $218,000
- Harriman, TN18.1 mi · 5,892 people · home $153,200
- Pleasant Hill, TN18.3 mi · 540 people · home $175,000
Crab Orchard questions
Is Crab Orchard, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Crab Orchard scores better for retirees than 58% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 97%. 16.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.0).
How much does a house cost in Crab Orchard?
The median owner-occupied home in Crab Orchard is valued at $164,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,216, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $750 a month.
What is the weather like in Crab Orchard?
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 26.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.5 inches of precipitation a year and 5.0 inches of snow.
Does Crab Orchard get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Crab Orchard since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 10, 2002. 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)