The Town FilesWildwood Lake, Tennessee
Community in Bradley County · population 3,286 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $231,700
- Household income
- $62,722
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 43.0
Wildwood Lake is a community of 3,286 people in Bradley County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $231,700, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks easier by car than 90% of Tennessee towns, more of a college town than 71% of Tennessee towns.
How Wildwood Lake 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 Wildwood Lake is worth $231,700, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $62,722, which is more affordable than 50% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $972 a month. 73.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wildwood Lake | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $231,700 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $972 | $863 |
| Median household income | $62,722 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 73.4% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wildwood Lake
| People | Wildwood Lake | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.9% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.0% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.0% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.6% | — |
| Work from home | 5.9% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.5% | 88.2% |
Weather in Wildwood Lake
July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 29.4°F. About 57.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.3 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 36 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 80 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wildwood Lake since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 14 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on April 27, 2011 about 2.1 miles from the town center and killed 4. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 25 deaths and 546 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 12, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 51 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 7, 1985.
Severe weather in Bradley County since 1996
Bradley 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 24, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4541: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Bradley County
Bradley County had 40,665 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,379 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Wildwood Lake itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.
Towns near Wildwood Lake
- South Cleveland, TN3.8 mi · 7,673 people · home $232,600
- Cleveland, TN6.5 mi · 47,356 people · home $272,200
- Apison, TN10.8 mi · 4,428 people · home $459,000
- Collegedale, TN11.6 mi · 11,109 people · home $365,100
- Harrison, TN17.1 mi · 7,902 people · home $307,400
- Ringgold, GA19.6 mi · 3,414 people · home $243,300
- Middle Valley, TN21.0 mi · 11,695 people · home $319,400
- Chatsworth, GA21.6 mi · 4,874 people · home $205,900
Wildwood Lake questions
Is Wildwood Lake, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wildwood Lake scores better for retirees than 21% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 61%. 14.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.0).
How much does a house cost in Wildwood Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Wildwood Lake is valued at $231,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,722, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $972 a month.
What is the weather like in Wildwood Lake?
July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 29.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.6 inches of precipitation a year and 1.3 inches of snow.
Does Wildwood Lake get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wildwood Lake 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)