The Town FilesMonteagle, Tennessee
Town in Grundy County · population 1,393 (2020 Census) · spans 3 counties
- Median home
- $309,500
- Household income
- $63,438
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 43.0
Monteagle is a town of 1,393 people in Grundy County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $309,500, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for a vacation home than 97% of Tennessee towns, better for cycling than 90% of Tennessee towns, better for retirees than 76% of Tennessee towns.
How Monteagle 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 Monteagle is worth $309,500, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 4.9 times the median household income of $63,438, which is more affordable than 13% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $762 a month. 71.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Monteagle | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $309,500 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $762 | $863 |
| Median household income | $63,438 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.9× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 71.1% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.9% | — |
Who lives in Monteagle
| People | Monteagle | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.3% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.2% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.0% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 9.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.5% | — |
| Work from home | 14.5% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.1% | 88.2% |
Weather in Monteagle
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 26.4°F. About 67.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.4 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 83 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Monteagle 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 8.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on April 3, 2007.
Severe weather in Grundy County since 1996
Grundy County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| 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 |
| May 17, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4712: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
Jobs and pay in Grundy County
Grundy County had 2,070 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $39,399 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Monteagle itself the ACS puts it at 10.2%.
Public schools in Monteagle
1 public school with 252 students, about 16.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monteagle Elementary | PK-8 | 252 | 16.8 |
Towns near Monteagle
- Sewanee, TN4.8 mi · 2,535 people · home $465,500
- Tracy City, TN5.7 mi · 1,406 people · home $136,300
- Cowan, TN10.5 mi · 1,759 people · home $174,500
- Coalmont, TN10.7 mi · 784 people · home $151,400
- Decherd, TN12.7 mi · 2,379 people · home $144,600
- Winchester, TN14.9 mi · 9,375 people · home $216,900
- Altamont, TN15.1 mi · 1,117 people · home $91,900
- Gruetli-Laager, TN15.3 mi · 1,742 people · home $154,700
Monteagle questions
Is Monteagle, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Monteagle scores better for retirees than 76% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 67%. 28.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.0).
How much does a house cost in Monteagle?
The median owner-occupied home in Monteagle is valued at $309,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,438, so homes cost about 4.9 times income. Median rent is $762 a month.
What is the weather like in Monteagle?
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 26.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 67.0 inches of precipitation a year and 5.4 inches of snow.
Does Monteagle get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Monteagle 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)