The Town FilesNorris, Tennessee
City in Anderson County · population 1,599 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $315,900
- Household income
- $75,515
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 58.5
Norris is a city of 1,599 people in Anderson County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $315,900, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for retirees than 93% of Tennessee towns, more of a college town than 90% of Tennessee towns, better for families than 86% of Tennessee towns.
How Norris 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 Norris is worth $315,900, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $75,515, which is more affordable than 32% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $1,053 a month. 73.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Norris | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $315,900 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $1,053 | $863 |
| Median household income | $75,515 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 73.8% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Norris
| People | Norris | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.5 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 40.1% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 8.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.7% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 10.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 17.3% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.3% | 88.2% |
Weather in Norris
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 25.2°F. About 57.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.1 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 101 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Norris since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on February 21, 1993 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 10, 2002.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 25, 1962.
Severe weather in Anderson County since 1996
Anderson County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, 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 |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3473: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Anderson County
Anderson County had 46,052 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $79,878 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Norris itself the ACS puts it at 0.2%.
Public schools in Norris
2 public schools with 739 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norris Middle School | 6-8 | 469 | 14.7 |
| Norris Elementary | PK-5 | 270 | 15.9 |
Towns near Norris
- Andersonville, TN2.0 mi · 508 people · home $340,400
- Rocky Top, TN5.2 mi · 1,628 people · home $149,100
- Clinton, TN8.8 mi · 10,056 people · home $225,000
- Caryville, TN10.2 mi · 2,212 people · home $200,500
- Jacksboro, TN11.1 mi · 2,306 people · home $236,500
- La Follette, TN11.5 mi · 7,430 people · home $138,900
- Halls, TN11.6 mi · 10,341 people · home $321,300
- Powell, TN12.4 mi · 13,802 people · home $299,400
Norris questions
Is Norris, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Norris scores better for retirees than 93% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 66%. 40.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.5).
How much does a house cost in Norris?
The median owner-occupied home in Norris is valued at $315,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,515, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,053 a month.
What is the weather like in Norris?
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 25.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.7 inches of precipitation a year and 3.1 inches of snow.
Does Norris get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Norris since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on February 21, 1993. 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)