The Town FilesDickson, Tennessee
City in Dickson County · population 16,058 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $292,600
- Household income
- $69,678
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 33.8
Dickson is a city of 16,058 people in Dickson County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $292,600, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for cycling than 96% of Tennessee towns, better transit than 91% of Tennessee towns, better for young professionals than 78% of Tennessee towns.
How Dickson 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 Dickson is worth $292,600, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $69,678, which is more affordable than 32% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $1,063 a month. 61.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dickson | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $292,600 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $1,063 | $863 |
| Median household income | $69,678 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 61.7% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Dickson
| People | Dickson | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.8 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.3% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.8% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 7.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.4% | — |
| Work from home | 10.8% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 26.8 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.9% | 88.2% |
Weather in Dickson
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 27.5°F. About 54.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.5 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 84 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dickson since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 16, 1998 about 4.9 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 65 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 Dickson itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Dickson
7 public schools with 3,724 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dickson County High School | 9-12 | 1,423 | 17.8 |
| Centennial Elementary | PK-5 | 705 | 13.3 |
| Dickson Middle School | 6-8 | 563 | 13.1 |
| Oakmont Elementary | PK-5 | 482 | 11.5 |
| Dickson Elementary | PK-5 | 225 | 10.2 |
| The Discovery School | K-5 | 225 | 13.2 |
| Special Services | PK-11 | 101 | 16.8 |
Towns near Dickson
- White Bluff, TN9.1 mi · 3,862 people · home $279,900
- Kingston Springs, TN14.6 mi · 2,824 people · home $426,500
- Fairview, TN14.6 mi · 9,357 people · home $390,200
- Centerville, TN16.8 mi · 3,532 people · home $213,400
- Ashland City, TN23.0 mi · 5,193 people · home $294,100
- Waverly, TN23.3 mi · 4,297 people · home $171,900
- Belle Meade, TN28.7 mi · 2,901 people · home $2,000,001
- Pleasant View, TN28.8 mi · 4,807 people · home $390,900
Dickson questions
Is Dickson, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dickson scores better for retirees than 10% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 34%. 14.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.8).
How much does a house cost in Dickson?
The median owner-occupied home in Dickson is valued at $292,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,678, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,063 a month.
What is the weather like in Dickson?
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 27.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 54.1 inches of precipitation a year and 2.5 inches of snow.
Does Dickson get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dickson 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)