Pusser-home, 2010
Adamsville’s story
193 years in pictures
Census counts: 459 in 1900, 2,265 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2010 and 4 maps from 1936 on.
- 1833Adamsville is settled
AdamsvilleTN
Photo: Americasroof · CC BY 3.0
Population
2,081
2025 Census estimate · −0.1% since 2020
Typical home
$189K
+5.4% in a year
Household income
$51K
median
Median age
37.0
years
Jobs based here
729
Balanced
Is Adamsville a good place to live?
The best of Adamsville’s subject grades is a B+ for cost of living; the weakest is a D− for incomes. 29% of residents live below the poverty line in Adamsville, against 14% in Tennessee’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. On incomes, just 22 of Tennessee’s 291 towns do worse. Residents are less healthy than 93% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Adamsville's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 84% of U.S. towns. Adamsville has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Adamsville stand out
Where Adamsville beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
How Adamsville grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Adamsville is from typical.
Jobs & income$51K median household incomeD−Open →HealthHardin Medical Center 8.7 miles awayDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.6 of 20; 5% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →Cost of livingB+Open →SafetyC+Open →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listC+Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksDOpen →History2 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life2.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Adamsville: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Adamsville, and how to reach them.
PowerPickwick Electric Coop13.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAdamsville Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Adamsville’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Tennessee you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMcNairy County Election CommissionMcNairy County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes38310, 3836138310 99% · 38361 1%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Adamsville.
HealthD
Adamsville’s grade for health is a D
18% of Adamsville adults report frequent physical distress, where Tennessee’s towns sit at 16% and U.S. towns at 14%. 21% of Adamsville adults smoke cigarettes. Adamsville beats the Tennessee average on 1 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 13.
7%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Adamsville | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 19% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 41% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 12% |
31 measures vs. Tennessee
1 better17 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Adamsville | TN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.2% | 76.2% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 28.3% | 14.6% |
Hardin Medical Center
8.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB−
On state tests, Adamsville’s schools trail 52% of Tennessee districts
Its public schools are run by the McNairy County school district. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Adamsville High School, with 460 students.
48%of TN districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adamsville ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 710 | C+ |
| Adamsville High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 460 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade B+
The typical home in Adamsville is valued at about $189K
The typical Adamsville home is worth about $189,000, up 5.4% in a year, 43% below the Tennessee typical home. Adamsville’s median rent is $740 a month.
$189KZillow home value
| Adamsville | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $740 a month | $947 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 66% | 73% |
Typical home value
Adamsville$189K
Tennessee$331K
+5.4%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In Adamsville, expect mild winters and hot summers
Adamsville has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Adamsville is 90°F.
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter32–52°
Spring48–72°
Summer67–89°
Fall48–73°
Nov 1
typical first frost
Mar 31
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
35%of U.S. towns report more crimeC+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Adamsville1
Tennessee5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Adamsville9.2
Tennessee16.6
U.S.15.5
35th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
19
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Most working residents commute out of Adamsville
Most working residents leave Adamsville for work: only 9% work in town. Jobs based in Adamsville fell to 729 in 2023, 168 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Selmer (12%), Savannah (11%) and Jackson (9%).
9%work in town
| Adamsville | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 8.7% | 12% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Adamsville9%
Selmer12%
Savannah11%
Jackson9%
Nashville5%
21 mi
median commute distance
729
jobs based in Adamsville
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 19% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Earthquakes leads a moderate hazard risk in Adamsville
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Adamsville since 2010.
53risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingCold waves
1
paid flood claims since 2010
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Adamsville
19pages on Adamsville
The big questions
SchoolsB−Behind 52% of TN districts · 2 schoolsSafetyC+1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than TN on 1 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$189K typical home · up 5.4% in a yearWork & commuteD−$51K median household income · 729 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 53% of U.S. communities · earthquakes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Adamsville; the nearest are
Freed-Hardeman UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Henderson20.2 mi$25,620 tuitionJackson State Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Jackson36.2 mi$4,740 in-state tuitionUniversity of North AlabamaUniversity or college · Public · Florence, AL49.5 mi$12,120 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Adamsville residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.
About Adamsville
City in Tennessee, United States
Adamsville is a city in Hardin and McNairy counties, Tennessee, United States. As of the 2020 census, Adamsville had a population of 2,265. Adamsville is named after George D. Adams, who operated an inn and stagecoach stop in the 1840s. Adamsville's nickname is the "Biggest Little Town in Tennessee" and was the home of Sheriff Buford Pusser.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1870
- Area
- 6.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 525 ft
- ZIP code
- 38310
- Area code
- 731
Questions about Adamsville
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Adamsville, TN expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
What is Adamsville, TN known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Buford Pusser and Ashley Durham.