The Town FilesParsons, Tennessee
City in Decatur County · population 2,100 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $118,100
- Household income
- $36,154
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 45.0
Parsons is a city of 2,100 people in Decatur County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $118,100, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650).
How Parsons 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 Parsons is worth $118,100, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $36,154, which is more affordable than 68% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $738 a month. 59.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Parsons | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $118,100 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $738 | $863 |
| Median household income | $36,154 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 59.9% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.7% | — |
Who lives in Parsons
| People | Parsons | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.0 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.8% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.4% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.3% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.6% | — |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 74.7% | 88.2% |
Weather in Parsons
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 28.4°F. About 57.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.6 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 64 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 86 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Parsons since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 22, 1952 about 8.9 miles from the town center and killed 11. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 11 deaths and 43 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 27, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 4, 2020.
Severe weather in Decatur County since 1996
Decatur County has been included in 28 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 Decatur County
Decatur County had 3,565 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,601 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Parsons itself the ACS puts it at 7.3%.
Public schools in Parsons
2 public schools with 779 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur County Middle School | 5-8 | 416 | 11.9 |
| Parsons Elementary | PK-4 | 363 | 13.0 |
Towns near Parsons
- Decaturville, TN4.8 mi · 807 people · home $135,000
- Chesterfield, TN8.1 mi · 543 people · home $187,500
- Scotts Hill, TN11.7 mi · 877 people · home $113,500
- Lexington, TN14.2 mi · 7,956 people · home $176,000
- Linden, TN16.0 mi · 997 people · home $103,300
- Lobelville, TN19.5 mi · 919 people · home $158,300
- Clifton, TN20.3 mi · 2,651 people · home $122,100
- New Johnsonville, TN26.7 mi · 1,804 people · home $158,400
Parsons questions
Is Parsons, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Parsons scores better for retirees than 62% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 60%. 23.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.0).
How much does a house cost in Parsons?
The median owner-occupied home in Parsons is valued at $118,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $36,154, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $738 a month.
What is the weather like in Parsons?
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 28.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.1 inches of precipitation a year and 1.6 inches of snow.
Does Parsons get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Parsons since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 22, 1952. 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)