The Town FilesGainesboro, Tennessee
Town in Jackson County · population 920 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $170,600
- Household income
- $51,923
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 49.0
Gainesboro is a town of 920 people in Jackson County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $170,600, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks quieter than 89% of Tennessee towns, better for retirees than 78% of Tennessee towns.
How Gainesboro 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 Gainesboro is worth $170,600, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $51,923, which is more affordable than 68% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $819 a month. 72.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gainesboro | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $170,600 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $819 | $863 |
| Median household income | $51,923 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 72.0% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Gainesboro
| People | Gainesboro | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.0 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.6% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 15.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.2% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 26.9% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 20.5% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.4% | 88.2% |
Weather in Gainesboro
July highs average 89.9°F and January lows 23.6°F. About 56.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.6 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 48 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 104 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gainesboro since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 26, 1959 about 6.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 21 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on February 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on September 5, 2025.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 35 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 |
| June 17, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4792: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 17, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4712: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
Jobs and pay in Jackson County
Jackson County had 1,523 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,206 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Gainesboro itself the ACS puts it at 8.6%.
Public schools in Gainesboro
3 public schools with 1,154 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County Middle School | 4-8 | 434 | 14.5 |
| Jackson County High School | 9-12 | 389 | 16.2 |
| Gainesboro Elementary | PK-3 | 331 | 13.8 |
Towns near Gainesboro
- Dodson Branch, TN7.3 mi · 1,160 people · home $171,700
- Baxter, TN14.5 mi · 1,578 people · home $219,000
- Celina, TN15.1 mi · 1,422 people · home $203,200
- Algood, TN15.9 mi · 3,963 people · home $190,300
- Red Boiling Springs, TN16.0 mi · 1,205 people · home $194,400
- Cookeville, TN16.8 mi · 34,842 people · home $305,400
- Carthage, TN18.0 mi · 2,291 people · home $257,300
- Livingston, TN18.0 mi · 3,905 people · home $123,000
Gainesboro questions
Is Gainesboro, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gainesboro scores better for retirees than 78% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 89%. 22.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.0).
How much does a house cost in Gainesboro?
The median owner-occupied home in Gainesboro is valued at $170,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,923, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $819 a month.
What is the weather like in Gainesboro?
July highs average 89.9°F and January lows 23.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.5 inches of precipitation a year and 4.6 inches of snow.
Does Gainesboro get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gainesboro since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 26, 1959. 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)