The Town FilesHelenwood, Tennessee
Community in Scott County · population 635 (2020 Census)
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 79.7
Helenwood is a community of 635 people in Scott County, Tennessee.
How Helenwood 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
58.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Helenwood | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $204,650 |
| Median rent | — | $863 |
| Median household income | — | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 58.5% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | — | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Helenwood
| People | Helenwood | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 79.7 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 73.3% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 0.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 0.0% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 26.7% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 37.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | — | 8.2% |
| Average commute | — min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 88.2% |
Weather in Helenwood
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 24.5°F. About 58.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.5 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 117 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Helenwood since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 3, 1974 about 5.3 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 38 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 11, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on March 2, 2012.
Severe weather in Scott County since 1996
Scott 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 |
| May 8, 2021 | Tornado | DR-4601: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 21, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4594: Severe Winter Storms |
Jobs and pay in Scott County
Scott County had 5,869 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,563 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Helenwood itself the ACS puts it at 100%.
Towns near Helenwood
- Huntsville, TN2.7 mi · 1,270 people · home $201,100
- Oneida, TN6.1 mi · 3,787 people · home $170,600
- Winfield, TN10.7 mi · 947 people · home $100,700
- Sunbright, TN15.0 mi · 519 people · home $120,400
- Pine Knot, KY17.2 mi · 1,380 people · home —
- Stearns, KY18.6 mi · 1,365 people · home $160,700
- Allardt, TN18.6 mi · 555 people · home $157,600
- Whitley City, KY20.4 mi · 968 people · home $116,700
Helenwood questions
Is Helenwood, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Helenwood scores better for retirees than 9% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 50%. 73.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 79.7).
What is the weather like in Helenwood?
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 24.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 58.1 inches of precipitation a year and 5.5 inches of snow.
Does Helenwood get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Helenwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 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)