The Town FilesRutherford, Tennessee
Town in Gibson County · population 1,163 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $93,900
- Household income
- $50,667
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 39.1
Rutherford is a town of 1,163 people in Gibson County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $93,900, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better transit than 82% of Tennessee towns, better for families than 70% of Tennessee towns.
How Rutherford 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 Rutherford is worth $93,900, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $50,667, which is more affordable than 97% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $691 a month. 75.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rutherford | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $93,900 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $691 | $863 |
| Median household income | $50,667 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 75.0% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rutherford
| People | Rutherford | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.7% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 25.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.0% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 8.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 6.4% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.5% | 88.2% |
Weather in Rutherford
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 26.5°F. About 54.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.1 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 59 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 82 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rutherford since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 1, 1997 about 0.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 8 deaths and 81 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 2, 2025.
Severe weather in Gibson County since 1996
Gibson 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 |
| December 13, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4751: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Gibson County
Gibson County had 14,908 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,973 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Rutherford itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Public schools in Rutherford
1 public school with 271 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rutherford Elementary | PK-8 | 271 | 14.3 |
Towns near Rutherford
- Dyer, TN3.5 mi · 2,308 people · home $113,500
- Kenton, TN5.7 mi · 1,205 people · home $111,200
- Bradford, TN10.4 mi · 1,001 people · home $116,000
- Trenton, TN10.6 mi · 4,240 people · home $126,000
- Greenfield, TN10.8 mi · 2,031 people · home $95,300
- Sharon, TN12.2 mi · 935 people · home $99,400
- Trimble, TN12.2 mi · 547 people · home $80,900
- Obion, TN14.0 mi · 991 people · home $97,900
Rutherford questions
Is Rutherford, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rutherford scores better for retirees than 63% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 67%. 19.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.1).
How much does a house cost in Rutherford?
The median owner-occupied home in Rutherford is valued at $93,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,667, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $691 a month.
What is the weather like in Rutherford?
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 26.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 54.7 inches of precipitation a year and 3.1 inches of snow.
Does Rutherford get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rutherford 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)