The Town FilesTownsend, Tennessee
City in Blount County · population 550 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $370,700
- Household income
- $85,921
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 38.1
Townsend is a city of 550 people in Blount County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $370,700, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for a vacation home than 100% of Tennessee towns, quieter than 99% of Tennessee towns, better for retirees than 98% of Tennessee towns.
How Townsend 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 Townsend is worth $370,700, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $85,921, which is more affordable than 27% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $1,347 a month. 86.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Townsend | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $370,700 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $1,347 | $863 |
| Median household income | $85,921 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 86.7% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 28.8% | — |
Who lives in Townsend
| People | Townsend | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.1 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.8% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.4% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.1% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 12.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 2.3% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.0% | 88.2% |
Weather in Townsend
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 25.6°F. About 60.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.4 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 101 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Townsend since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on April 27, 2011 about 5.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 27, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 14, 2012.
Severe weather in Blount County since 1996
Blount County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| 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 Blount County
Blount County had 56,991 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,177 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Townsend itself the ACS puts it at 11.3%.
Public schools in Townsend
1 public school with 101 students, about 11.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Townsend Elementary | K-5 | 101 | 11.2 |
Towns near Townsend
- Wildwood, TN10.7 mi · 1,157 people · home $212,200
- Eagleton Village, TN12.9 mi · 5,393 people · home $197,700
- Pigeon Forge, TN13.5 mi · 6,343 people · home $291,800
- Maryville, TN13.7 mi · 31,907 people · home $358,100
- Seymour, TN14.3 mi · 14,705 people · home $308,100
- Gatlinburg, TN14.9 mi · 3,577 people · home $332,000
- Rockford, TN15.0 mi · 822 people · home $283,500
- Alcoa, TN15.4 mi · 10,978 people · home $277,100
Townsend questions
Is Townsend, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Townsend scores better for retirees than 98% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 99%. 27.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.1).
How much does a house cost in Townsend?
The median owner-occupied home in Townsend is valued at $370,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,921, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,347 a month.
What is the weather like in Townsend?
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 25.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 60.3 inches of precipitation a year and 9.4 inches of snow.
Does Townsend get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Townsend since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on April 27, 2011. 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)