The Town FilesWartrace, Tennessee
Town in Bedford County · population 653 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $206,800
- Household income
- $50,417
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 32.4
Wartrace is a town of 653 people in Bedford County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $206,800, close to the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks quieter than 94% of Tennessee towns, more of a college town than 94% of Tennessee towns, better for families than 91% of Tennessee towns.
How Wartrace 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 Wartrace is worth $206,800, close to the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $50,417, which is more affordable than 37% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $802 a month. 72.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wartrace | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $206,800 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $802 | $863 |
| Median household income | $50,417 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 72.6% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wartrace
| People | Wartrace | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.4 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.0% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 30.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.2% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 8.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.0% | 88.2% |
Weather in Wartrace
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 28.0°F. About 60.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.1 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 76 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wartrace since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 27, 2011 about 8.7 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 27 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 20, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 8, 2024.
Severe weather in Bedford County since 1996
Bedford County has been included in 18 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 |
| April 21, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4594: Severe Winter Storms |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Bedford County
Bedford County had 18,134 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,753 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Wartrace itself the ACS puts it at 10.4%.
Public schools in Wartrace
3 public schools with 1,596 students, about 13.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cascade Elementary | PK-5 | 663 | 15.1 |
| Cascade High School | 9-12 | 554 | 11.1 |
| Cascade Middle School | 6-8 | 379 | 13.1 |
Towns near Wartrace
- Shelbyville, TN7.1 mi · 23,557 people · home $244,000
- Tullahoma, TN12.2 mi · 20,339 people · home $251,900
- Lakewood Park, TN13.9 mi · 1,161 people · home —
- New Union, TN13.9 mi · 1,646 people · home $312,100
- Christiana, TN14.2 mi · 4,305 people · home $361,900
- Unionville, TN14.9 mi · 1,394 people · home $280,500
- Manchester, TN15.1 mi · 12,212 people · home $237,400
- Lynchburg, Moore County metropolitan government, TN16.4 mi · 6,461 people · home $285,300
Wartrace questions
Is Wartrace, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wartrace scores better for retirees than 89% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 94%. 13.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.4).
How much does a house cost in Wartrace?
The median owner-occupied home in Wartrace is valued at $206,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,417, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $802 a month.
What is the weather like in Wartrace?
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 28.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 60.3 inches of precipitation a year and 1.1 inches of snow.
Does Wartrace get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wartrace since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 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)