Columns of Upperman High School, 2009
Baxter’s story
124 years in pictures
Census counts: 521 in 1920, 1,578 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 2009 and 2 maps from 1955 on.
- 1902Baxter is settled
BaxterTN
A town of 2,128, settled in 1902.
Buffalo Valley School · Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 3.0
Population
2,128
2025 Census estimate · +35.2% since 2020
Typical home
$297K
+1.1% in a year
Household income
$59K
median
Median age
38.1
years
Jobs based here
616
Balanced
Is Baxter a good place to live?
Baxter’s best subject grades are a B for safety and schools; its weakest is a C− for health. Only 5 of the 135 Tennessee towns we compare have a lower violent crime rate than Baxter. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 76% of U.S. towns. Baxter has 4 places on the National Register. Baxter has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
A growing town
Baxter has grown 56% since 2010
1,365 counted in 2010 and 1,578 in 2020; an estimated 2,128 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Baxter grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Baxter is from typical.
HealthCookeville Regional Medical Center 7.1 miles awayC−Open →Jobs & income$59K median household incomeC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.2 of 20; 6% of households have no car; 0.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →SafetyBOpen →SchoolsBOpen →Cost of livingB−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 44% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0% conserved landCOpen →History1 notable person born hereDOpen →Civic life3.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 38.1; 17% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Baxter: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Baxter, and how to reach them.
PowerUpper Cumberland E M C13.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBaxter Water DepartmentNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Baxter’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 herePutnam County Election CommissionPutnam County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code3854438544 100%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 Baxter.
HealthC−
Health in Baxter trails 82% of U.S. towns
Baxter beats the Tennessee average on 3 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 22% of Baxter adults report frequent mental distress, against 20% in Tennessee’s towns and 17% across U.S. towns. 21% of adults smoke cigarettes in Baxter.
18%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Baxter | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 19% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 29% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 16% | 14% |
31 measures vs. Tennessee
3 better27 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Baxter | TN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.4% | 13.3% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7.8% | 9.1% |
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 51.8% | 58.1% |
Cookeville Regional Medical Center
7.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB
Public schools in Baxter beat 63% of Tennessee districts
Its public schools are run by the Putnam County school district.
63%of TN districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upperman Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 851 | C+ |
| Upperman High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 899 | C+ |
| Cornerstone ElementaryTop results in townGrades 2–4 | Grades 2–4 | 378 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Baxter
Baxter has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 28° and about 6 inches of snow falls in a winter.
6″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter30–49°
Spring46–69°
Summer64–86°
Fall47–71°
Oct 25
typical first frost
Apr 14
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
64%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Baxter0.5
Tennessee5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Baxter9.6
Tennessee16.6
U.S.15.5
64th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
21
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
About half of Baxter’s working residents commute to Cookeville
Most working residents leave Baxter for work: only 2% work in town. 21% of Baxter residents live below the poverty line, where Tennessee’s towns sit at 14% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Jobs based in Baxter grew to 616 in 2023, 428 more than in 2013.
2%work in town
| Baxter | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 21% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.3% | 12% | 8% |
| Median household income | $59,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Baxter2%
Cookeville46%
Nashville6%
Knoxville3%
Murfreesboro2%
9 mi
median commute distance
616
jobs based in Baxter
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 24% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade B−
The typical home in Baxter is valued at about $297K
The typical Baxter home is worth about $297,000, up 1.1% in a year, 10% below the Tennessee typical home. Baxter’s median rent is $914 a month.
$297KZillow home value
| Baxter | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $914 a month | $947 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 66% | 73% |
Typical home value
Baxter$297K
Tennessee$331K
+1.1%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Baxter faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 56% of U.S. communities.
44risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0.4%conserved
0.4%
conserved · 8 of 2,003 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Baxter City Park | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Baxter
20pages on Baxter
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 63% of TN districts · 4 schoolsSafetyB0.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC−Better than TN on 3 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$297K typical home · up 1.1% in a yearWork & commuteC−$59K median household income · 616 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 44% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Baxter
About 3 of every 100 Baxter residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.
Questions about Baxter
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Baxter, TN expensive?
That is 5.4 years of the area's median household income ($55,380 across the Cookeville, TN 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−.