The Town FilesSt. Joseph, Tennessee
City in Lawrence County · population 790 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $171,300
- Household income
- $49,112
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 39.6
St. Joseph is a city of 790 people in Lawrence County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $171,300, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks hipper than 91% of Tennessee towns, better transit than 91% of Tennessee towns, more of a college town than 85% of Tennessee towns.
How St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph is worth $171,300, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $49,112, which is more affordable than 59% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $631 a month. 80.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. Joseph | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $171,300 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $631 | $863 |
| Median household income | $49,112 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 80.3% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in St. Joseph
| People | St. Joseph | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.8% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.4% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.8% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 3.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 29.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.7% | 88.2% |
Weather in St. Joseph
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 30.9°F. About 58.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.3 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 43 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 70 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Joseph since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 18, 1995 about 2.3 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 46 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on February 12, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 29, 2023.
Severe weather in Lawrence County since 1996
Lawrence County has been included in 25 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 |
| May 17, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4712: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| July 9, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4550: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lawrence County
Lawrence County had 11,816 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,770 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in St. Joseph itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Towns near St. Joseph
- Loretto, TN4.8 mi · 1,739 people · home $161,900
- Lexington, AL8.9 mi · 727 people · home $202,400
- Killen, AL12.0 mi · 1,034 people · home $175,000
- St. Florian, AL13.0 mi · 584 people · home $314,000
- Underwood-Petersville, AL15.6 mi · 3,051 people · home $142,900
- Florence, AL16.8 mi · 40,184 people · home $196,300
- Collinwood, TN16.9 mi · 898 people · home $131,000
- Lawrenceburg, TN17.7 mi · 11,633 people · home $184,600
St. Joseph questions
Is St. Joseph, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. Joseph scores better for retirees than 73% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 70%. 17.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.6).
How much does a house cost in St. Joseph?
The median owner-occupied home in St. Joseph is valued at $171,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,112, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $631 a month.
What is the weather like in St. Joseph?
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 30.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 58.5 inches of precipitation a year and 1.3 inches of snow.
Does St. Joseph get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Joseph since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 18, 1995. 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)