Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Cowan’s subject grades is an A− for cost of living; the weakest is a D for health. 31% of residents live below the poverty line in Cowan, above both Tennessee’s towns (14%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). On incomes, just 26 of Tennessee’s 291 towns do worse. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 69% of U.S. towns. Cumberland Mountain Tunnel and Cowan Depot is on the National Register of Historic Places. Cowan has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Cowan beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Where Cowan’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Cowan is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 222 in 1880, 1,759 in 2020. The archive holds 16 old photos and papers going back to 1904 and 3 maps from 1936 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cowan, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Cowan.
Cowan beats the Tennessee average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 16. 23% of Cowan adults smoke cigarettes, above both the Tennessee town median (19%) and the median of U.S. towns (14%). 18% of Cowan adults report frequent physical distress.
| Cowan | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 19% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 41% | 35% |
| What stands out | Cowan | TN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 12.3% | 8.6% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 19.9% | 14.6% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4.9% | 3.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Franklin County school district. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 361 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
The typical Cowan home is worth about $187,000, about the same as a year ago, 43% below the Tennessee typical home. The median rent in Cowan is $787 a month.
| Cowan | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 60% | 66% | 73% |
| Median rent | $787 a month | $947 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Cowan for work: only 1% work in town. Since 2013, Cowan has lost 37 jobs, to 115 in 2023. Cowan’s median household income is $46,000.
| Cowan | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 12% | 8% |
| Median household income | $46,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Cowan has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 88°, January nights drop to 29° and about 4 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 64% of U.S. communities. Since 1993, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Cowan.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Cowan's reported crime rate is well below Tennessee's. 7 violent crimes were reported in 2023.
| Cowan | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 3.9 per 1,000 residents | 3.3 | 1.8 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 8.4 per 1,000 residents | 16.3 | 13.1 |
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
0.9 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. The biggest park or preserve is Cowan Marsh Public Hunting Area, at 28 acres.
| Cowan | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.1% | 1.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cowan Marsh Public Hunting Area | — | 28 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Cowan
About 1 of every 100 Cowan residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.
City in Tennessee, United States
Cowan is a city in Franklin County, Tennessee, United States. As of the 2020 census, Cowan had a population of 1,759. It is part of the Tullahoma, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Cowan.
| Town | TN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowan | — | — | A− | — | C− | D |
| Winchester | #154 | D | B+ | C− | C− | C− |
Cowan has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Cowan reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Cowan with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
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 A−.
2 notable people were born here, including Jauan Jennings and Ray Bonner.
