The Town FilesObion, Tennessee
Town in Obion County · population 991 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $97,900
- Household income
- $38,167
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 38.9
Obion is a town of 991 people in Obion County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $97,900, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks hipper than 91% of Tennessee towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Tennessee towns, easier by car than 75% of Tennessee towns.
How Obion 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 Obion is worth $97,900, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $38,167, which is more affordable than 86% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $968 a month. 53.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Obion | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $97,900 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $968 | $863 |
| Median household income | $38,167 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 53.8% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Obion
| People | Obion | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.9 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.9% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 23.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.5% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 35.4% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.3% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.9% | 88.2% |
Weather in Obion
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 26.9°F. About 53.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.0 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 42 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 86 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Obion since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 1, 1997 about 9.4 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 29 deaths and 121 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 5, 2003.
Severe weather in Obion County since 1996
Obion County has been included in 22 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 |
| 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 Obion County
Obion County had 12,200 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,932 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Obion itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Towns near Obion
- Trimble, TN3.7 mi · 547 people · home $80,900
- Troy, TN6.1 mi · 1,423 people · home $114,800
- Hornbeak, TN8.5 mi · 511 people · home $94,300
- Kenton, TN9.9 mi · 1,205 people · home $111,200
- Newbern, TN10.8 mi · 3,349 people · home $99,700
- Union City, TN14.0 mi · 11,170 people · home $146,000
- Rutherford, TN14.0 mi · 1,163 people · home $93,900
- Dyer, TN16.5 mi · 2,308 people · home $113,500
Obion questions
Is Obion, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Obion scores better for retirees than 60% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 64%. 19.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.9).
How much does a house cost in Obion?
The median owner-occupied home in Obion is valued at $97,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $38,167, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $968 a month.
What is the weather like in Obion?
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 26.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.8 inches of precipitation a year and 5.0 inches of snow.
Does Obion get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Obion since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 1, 1997. 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)