GrimsleyTN
A town of 1,171, settled in 1902.
Is Grimsley a good place to live?
The best of Grimsley’s subject grades is an A− for cost of living; the weakest is a D− for walkability. On walkability, just 21 of Tennessee’s 292 towns do worse. Residents are less healthy than 93% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. No town among the 178 in Tennessee we compare has a lower July high than Grimsley. No town in Tennessee scores lower than Grimsley on the outdoors. Davidson School is on the National Register of Historic Places. Grimsley has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Grimsley stand out
Where Grimsley beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
1,171 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
How Grimsley grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Grimsley is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Moving to Grimsley: who provides what
Grimsley is unincorporated, so Fentress County and regional agencies provide most services.
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 Grimsley.
Grimsley’s grade for health is a D
22% of Grimsley adults smoke cigarettes, against 19% in Tennessee’s towns and 14% across U.S. towns. 44% of Grimsley adults have obesity. Grimsley beats the Tennessee average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 6.
| Grimsley | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 19% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 39% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 29% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 16% | 14% |
| What stands out | Grimsley | TN |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 22.1% | 14.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 11% | 8.6% |
| More smokers | 22% | 17.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
On state tests, Grimsley’s schools trail 59% of Tennessee districts
Its public schools are run by the Fentress County school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Fentress Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 561 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
Grimsley has 0.1 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Grimsley for work: only 1% work in town. 6.5% of Grimsley residents live below the poverty line, where Tennessee’s towns sit at 14% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Grimsley’s average trip to work is 22 minutes.
| Grimsley | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1% | 12% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.5% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Grimsley faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by cold waves
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 69% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
A typical Grimsley home is worth about $261K
The typical Grimsley home is worth about $261,000, up 3.3% in a year, 21% below the Tennessee typical home. 90% of households own their home in Grimsley.
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Grimsley
Grimsley has chilly winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. Among 178 Tennessee towns, just 3 have a lower January low than Grimsley.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Everything we know about Grimsley
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Grimsley; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Grimsley residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Tennessee.
99% of working residents leave Grimsley for work
Where Grimsley’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Grimsley
Census-designated place in Tennessee, United States
Grimsley is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Fentress County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was 1,167 as of the 2010 census. Its ZIP code is 38565.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 11 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,752 ft
- ZIP code
- 38565
Questions about Grimsley
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Grimsley, 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 A−.