The Town FilesRipley, Tennessee
City in Lauderdale County · population 7,800 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $154,900
- Household income
- $37,432
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 33.3
Ripley is a city of 7,800 people in Lauderdale County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $154,900, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for cycling than 92% of Tennessee towns, better transit than 88% of Tennessee towns, more walkable than 83% of Tennessee towns.
How Ripley 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 Ripley is worth $154,900, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $37,432, which is more affordable than 37% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $800 a month. 45.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ripley | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $154,900 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $800 | $863 |
| Median household income | $37,432 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 45.2% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Ripley
| People | Ripley | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.3 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.8% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 26.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.3% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 30.7% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 3.7% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.3% | 88.2% |
Weather in Ripley
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 29.4°F. About 56.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.4 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 69 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ripley since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 27, 1994 about 4.1 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 14 deaths and 36 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 5, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on March 11, 1986.
Severe weather in Lauderdale County since 1996
Lauderdale County has been included in 24 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 Lauderdale County
Lauderdale County had 6,312 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,715 a year. Unemployment was 5.1% in 2023; in Ripley itself the ACS puts it at 8.2%.
Public schools in Ripley
4 public schools with 2,231 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ripley High School | 9-12 | 638 | 14.8 |
| Ripley Primary | PK-2 | 634 | 16.3 |
| Ripley Middle School | 6-8 | 487 | 13.5 |
| Ripley Elementary | 3-5 | 472 | 12.8 |
Towns near Ripley
- Covington, TN13.9 mi · 8,663 people · home $185,900
- Brownsville, TN18.9 mi · 9,788 people · home $158,100
- Brighton, TN21.4 mi · 2,888 people · home $214,100
- Dyersburg, TN22.7 mi · 16,164 people · home $168,300
- Blytheville, AR24.5 mi · 13,406 people · home $119,000
- Osceola, AR25.7 mi · 6,976 people · home $99,900
- Atoka, TN26.1 mi · 10,008 people · home $320,700
- Munford, TN26.1 mi · 6,302 people · home $244,400
Ripley questions
Is Ripley, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ripley scores better for retirees than 6% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 24%. 13.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.3).
How much does a house cost in Ripley?
The median owner-occupied home in Ripley is valued at $154,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $37,432, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $800 a month.
What is the weather like in Ripley?
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 29.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.8 inches of precipitation a year and 2.4 inches of snow.
Does Ripley get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ripley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 27, 1994. 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)