RANK #241 / 1001 NAT · #7 / 33 TN · POP 63,553
1YR FORECAST: -0.1%
5YR OUTLOOK: +33%
A local in Cumberland County, Tennessee, might first mention Crossville, the county seat, known as the "Golf Capital of Tennessee" due to its numerous courses. Situated on the Cumberland Plateau, the county is about 75 miles from Knoxville and 120 miles from Nashville, with Interstate 40 providing access. The community offers a rural feel with natural beauty, including Cumberland Mountain State Park, which provides opportunities for hiking, fishing, and camping. The Obed River Park also offers walking trails along the scenic Obed River. Life in Cumberland County often appeals to retirees and those seeking a quieter lifestyle, with a high homeownership rate. The Cumberland County School District serves over 7,000 students across 12 schools and is considered above average. The economy is seeing development in manufacturing and logistics, with new industrial projects and expansions occurring in areas like the Interchange Business Park in Crossville. Public transportation services, including daily intercity routes to Nashville and Murfreesboro, are available through the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency.
Cumberland County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +0.6% YoY, population +1.6%, wages +5.8%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Well below national median
Moderate climate & terrain
Prices detached from rents
Housing looks overvalued at 17.1x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
AI Data Center Campus (Middlesex Township)
Undisclosed
|
$15,000M | Proposed |
|
Cumberland Natural Gas Plant
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
|
$2,100M | Under Construction |
|
Cumberland Project Pipeline (32-mile natural gas lateral)
Kinder Morgan (Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C.)
|
$225M | Under Construction |
|
Copeland Solar Farm (110 MWAC)
Silicon Ranch / Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE)
|
$110M | Under Construction |
|
Appalachian Solar and Battery Storage Portfolio (14 solar PV plants, 3 battery storage projects)
Sun Tribe Development / ENGIE / The Nature Conservancy
|
$49M | Planned |
|
Durable Products Manufacturing Expansion
Durable Products (subsidiary of GreenLiner, LLC)
|
$27M | Under Construction |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 76/100, Cumberland County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. and median household income stands at $60,375 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in TN.
Cumberland County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $250,500 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.24 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $839/month on average.
Cumberland County's population is growing — up +1.6% YoY — while the job market is roughly flat (employment change of -0.4%). Home values shifted +0.6% over the past year. In-migration is outpacing local hiring, which often points to remote workers or retirees driving the headcount.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 2.11% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Cumberland County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.