The Town FilesPetersburg, Tennessee
Town in Lincoln County · population 528 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $154,900
- Household income
- $45,417
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 39.8
Petersburg is a town of 528 people in Lincoln County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $154,900, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks quieter than 97% of Tennessee towns, better for families than 86% of Tennessee towns, easier by car than 83% of Tennessee towns.
How Petersburg 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 Petersburg is worth $154,900, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $45,417, which is more affordable than 64% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $815 a month. 64.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Petersburg | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $154,900 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $815 | $863 |
| Median household income | $45,417 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 64.8% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Petersburg
| People | Petersburg | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.8 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.7% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.2% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.4% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 34.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.4% | 88.2% |
Weather in Petersburg
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 27.5°F. About 56.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.1 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 59 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 95 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Petersburg since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 5, 2003 about 4.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 170 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 16, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on March 29, 2020.
Severe weather in Lincoln County since 1996
Lincoln County has been included in 17 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 |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3473: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Lincoln County
Lincoln County had 10,289 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,594 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Petersburg itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Petersburg
1 public school with 417 students, about 15.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unity School | PK-8 | 417 | 15.4 |
Towns near Petersburg
- Fayetteville, TN12.4 mi · 7,068 people · home $230,800
- Lewisburg, TN12.6 mi · 12,288 people · home $225,700
- Cornersville, TN12.7 mi · 1,228 people · home $236,700
- Lynchburg, Moore County metropolitan government, TN16.0 mi · 6,461 people · home $285,300
- Shelbyville, TN16.5 mi · 23,557 people · home $244,000
- Park City, TN16.9 mi · 2,422 people · home $216,700
- Unionville, TN20.7 mi · 1,394 people · home $280,500
- Chapel Hill, TN21.7 mi · 1,717 people · home $311,100
Petersburg questions
Is Petersburg, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Petersburg scores better for retirees than 62% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 97%. 20.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.8).
How much does a house cost in Petersburg?
The median owner-occupied home in Petersburg is valued at $154,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,417, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $815 a month.
What is the weather like in Petersburg?
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 27.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.1 inches of precipitation a year and 1.1 inches of snow.
Does Petersburg get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Petersburg since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 5, 2003. 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)