The Town FilesSewanee, Tennessee
Community in Franklin County · population 2,535 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $465,500
- Household income
- $136,111
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 21.5
Sewanee is a community of 2,535 people in Franklin County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $465,500, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for retirees than 100% of Tennessee towns, better for young professionals than 100% of Tennessee towns, more of a college town than 100% of Tennessee towns.
How Sewanee 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 Sewanee is worth $465,500, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $136,111, which is more affordable than 64% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $1,173 a month. 81.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sewanee | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $465,500 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $1,173 | $863 |
| Median household income | $136,111 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 81.1% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sewanee
| People | Sewanee | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 21.5 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.8% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 5.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 77.5% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.0% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 2.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.3% | — |
| Work from home | 12.6% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 10.3 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.0% | 88.2% |
Weather in Sewanee
July highs average 84.1°F and January lows 29.0°F. About 64.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.4 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 68 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sewanee since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on February 13, 1952 about 9.1 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 38 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 2, 2012.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 15 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 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3473: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 11,619 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,979 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Sewanee itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Public schools in Sewanee
1 public school with 169 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sewanee Elementary | PK-5 | 169 | 12.1 |
Towns near Sewanee
- Winchester, TN10.5 mi · 9,375 people · home $216,900
- South Pittsburg, TN17.3 mi · 3,106 people · home $187,100
- Jasper, TN19.2 mi · 3,612 people · home $209,000
- Manchester, TN20.3 mi · 12,212 people · home $237,400
- Tullahoma, TN20.7 mi · 20,339 people · home $251,900
- Lynchburg, Moore County metropolitan government, TN25.5 mi · 6,461 people · home $285,300
Sewanee questions
Is Sewanee, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sewanee scores better for retirees than 100% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 29%. 12.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 21.5).
How much does a house cost in Sewanee?
The median owner-occupied home in Sewanee is valued at $465,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $136,111, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,173 a month.
What is the weather like in Sewanee?
July highs average 84.1°F and January lows 29.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 64.0 inches of precipitation a year and 5.4 inches of snow.
Does Sewanee get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sewanee since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on February 13, 1952. 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)