The Town FilesWartburg, Tennessee
City in Morgan County · population 848 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $192,000
- Household income
- $30,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 37.3
Wartburg is a city of 848 people in Morgan County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $192,000, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better transit than 96% of Tennessee towns, easier by car than 88% of Tennessee towns, better for first-time buyers than 83% of Tennessee towns.
How Wartburg 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 Wartburg is worth $192,000, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 6.3 times the median household income of $30,625, which is more affordable than 2% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $478 a month. 35.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wartburg | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $192,000 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $478 | $863 |
| Median household income | $30,625 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 35.9% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.9% | — |
Who lives in Wartburg
| People | Wartburg | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.5% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.7% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 47.6% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 12.8% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 23.3 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 74.4% | 88.2% |
Weather in Wartburg
July highs average 85.9°F and January lows 25.5°F. About 56.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.9 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 107 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wartburg since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 10, 2002 about 4.7 miles from the town center and killed 7. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 31 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on February 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 13, 2003.
Severe weather in Morgan County since 1996
Morgan County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 7, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4701: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Morgan County
Morgan County had 3,618 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,908 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Wartburg itself the ACS puts it at 10.4%.
Public schools in Wartburg
4 public schools with 1,219 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Elementary | PK-5 | 590 | 16.4 |
| Central High School | 9-12 | 350 | 17.5 |
| Central Middle School | 6-8 | 246 | 20.5 |
| Morgan County Career and Technical Center | 9-12 | 33 | 2.8 |
Towns near Wartburg
- Coalfield, TN9.8 mi · 2,361 people · home $190,200
- Sunbright, TN10.9 mi · 519 people · home $120,400
- Harriman, TN12.1 mi · 5,892 people · home $153,200
- Oliver Springs, TN15.1 mi · 3,297 people · home $180,900
- Midtown, TN15.5 mi · 1,220 people · home $218,000
- Kingston, TN16.6 mi · 5,953 people · home $220,000
- Rockwood, TN16.9 mi · 5,444 people · home $128,700
- Fairfield Glade, TN17.4 mi · 9,152 people · home $356,800
Wartburg questions
Is Wartburg, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wartburg scores better for retirees than 32% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 73%. 18.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.3).
How much does a house cost in Wartburg?
The median owner-occupied home in Wartburg is valued at $192,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $30,625, so homes cost about 6.3 times income. Median rent is $478 a month.
What is the weather like in Wartburg?
July highs average 85.9°F and January lows 25.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.4 inches of precipitation a year and 4.9 inches of snow.
Does Wartburg get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wartburg since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 10, 2002. 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)