The Town FilesLoretto, Tennessee
City in Lawrence County · population 1,739 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $161,900
- Household income
- $55,592
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 39.6
Loretto is a city of 1,739 people in Lawrence County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $161,900, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 96% of Tennessee towns, better for families than 89% of Tennessee towns, better transit than 80% of Tennessee towns.
How Loretto 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 Loretto is worth $161,900, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $55,592, which is more affordable than 79% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $737 a month. 85.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Loretto | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $161,900 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $737 | $863 |
| Median household income | $55,592 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 85.4% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Loretto
| People | Loretto | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.6% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.0% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.6% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.8% | 88.2% |
Weather in Loretto
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 30.9°F. About 58.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.6 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 43 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 70 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Loretto since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 18, 1995 about 1.4 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 46 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 15, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 29, 2023.
Severe weather in Lawrence County since 1996
Lawrence County has been included in 25 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 17, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4712: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| July 9, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4550: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lawrence County
Lawrence County had 11,816 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,770 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Loretto itself the ACS puts it at 0.3%.
Public schools in Loretto
2 public schools with 1,041 students, about 14.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Lawrence Elementary | PK-8 | 555 | 13.5 |
| Loretto High School | 9-12 | 486 | 15.7 |
Towns near Loretto
- St. Joseph, TN4.8 mi · 790 people · home $171,300
- Lexington, AL9.2 mi · 727 people · home $202,400
- Lawrenceburg, TN13.1 mi · 11,633 people · home $184,600
- Minor Hill, TN15.9 mi · 504 people · home $172,900
- Killen, AL16.0 mi · 1,034 people · home $175,000
- St. Florian, AL17.7 mi · 584 people · home $314,000
- Ethridge, TN18.4 mi · 537 people · home $178,300
- Collinwood, TN18.4 mi · 898 people · home $131,000
Loretto questions
Is Loretto, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Loretto scores better for retirees than 43% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 75%. 20.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.6).
How much does a house cost in Loretto?
The median owner-occupied home in Loretto is valued at $161,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,592, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $737 a month.
What is the weather like in Loretto?
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 30.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 58.5 inches of precipitation a year and 1.6 inches of snow.
Does Loretto get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Loretto since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 18, 1995. 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)