The Town FilesSummertown, Tennessee
Community in Lawrence County · population 856 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $213,500
- Household income
- $89,688
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 47.9
Summertown is a community of 856 people in Lawrence County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $213,500, close to the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for families than 95% of Tennessee towns, easier by car than 75% of Tennessee towns.
How Summertown 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 Summertown is worth $213,500, close to the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $89,688, which is more affordable than 90% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $895 a month. 73.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Summertown | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $213,500 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $895 | $863 |
| Median household income | $89,688 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 73.5% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.7% | — |
Who lives in Summertown
| People | Summertown | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.9 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.8% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 9.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.7% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.4% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.7% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.2% | 88.2% |
Weather in Summertown
July highs average 90.5°F and January lows 27.1°F. About 62.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.3 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 54 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 84 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Summertown since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 16, 1998 about 3.3 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 75 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 14, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 31, 2012.
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 Summertown itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.
Public schools in Summertown
3 public schools with 1,234 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summertown Elementary | PK-6 | 646 | 14.4 |
| Summertown High School | 9-12 | 387 | 13.8 |
| Summertown Middle | 7-8 | 201 | 20.1 |
Towns near Summertown
- Ethridge, TN7.8 mi · 537 people · home $178,300
- Mount Pleasant, TN10.4 mi · 4,784 people · home $244,400
- Lawrenceburg, TN12.8 mi · 11,633 people · home $184,600
- Hohenwald, TN16.0 mi · 3,668 people · home $125,600
- Columbia, TN19.9 mi · 41,690 people · home $308,700
- Pulaski, TN22.8 mi · 8,397 people · home $194,400
- Loretto, TN25.5 mi · 1,739 people · home $161,900
- Cornersville, TN25.8 mi · 1,228 people · home $236,700
Summertown questions
Is Summertown, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Summertown scores better for retirees than 49% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 59%. 22.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.9).
How much does a house cost in Summertown?
The median owner-occupied home in Summertown is valued at $213,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,688, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $895 a month.
What is the weather like in Summertown?
July highs average 90.5°F and January lows 27.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 62.2 inches of precipitation a year and 1.3 inches of snow.
Does Summertown get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Summertown since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on April 16, 1998. 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)