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Downtown henderson tennesseePhoto: Ichabod · CC BY-SA 3.0
Colleges in and near Henderson

Henderson is a college town: 20 of every 100 residents are students

Freed-Hardeman University (1,789 students on campus) is inside the city. Across Tennessee, 5 of every 100 residents are enrolled in college.

College town20% of residents are studentsFreed-Hardeman University

From the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard, June 2026; IPEDS fall 2023 enrollment) and the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2020–24. Straight-line distances from the center of Henderson. Colleges are described, not graded.

Within 15 miles
1
1,789 students on campus
Nearest college
1.1 mi
Freed-Hardeman University
Residents in college
20%
Above TN (5%)
Nearest community college
15.6 mi
Jackson State · $4,740 tuition
Nearest public university
63.1 mi
The University of Tennessee-Martin · $10,560 in-state
Students on campus in Henderson
1,789
next to 6,590 residents

What stands out about college in Henderson

Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.

A college town20 of every 100 Henderson residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.A university in HendersonFreed-Hardeman University has 1,789 students on campus in Henderson, 71% of whom graduate within six years.A community college 15.6 miles awayJackson State Community College in Jackson: tuition and fees $4,740 a year for Tennessee residents.In-state price at The University of Tennessee-MartinLiving in Tennessee, The University of Tennessee-Martin charges $10,560 in tuition and fees; from out of state, $16,600. State residency rules decide which a new arrival pays.
Town & gown

What it’s like to live in Henderson

How much the colleges shape the town, from the Census Bureau’s survey of residents.

20 of every 100 Henderson residents are in college (TN: 5).

1,789students on campus at Freed-Hardeman University, next to 6,590 residents (dorm students count as residents)
209college students live in Henderson households rather than dorms
28.1median age · TN 38.9
42%of homes rented · TN 33%
$781median rent · 34% below the state
HendersonHenderson, TN
Cost of living$781/mo median rentASafetyCrime reported to the FBIB−HealthCDC estimatesCJobs & incomeIncome, jobs, getting aroundC−HandbookTrash day, parking, who to call

How students change Henderson’s other numbers

Read the town’s other grades with this in mind. How TownRatings handles college towns →

Jobs & income C−

Students who live off campus count in the Census poverty figures: 23.8% of Henderson residents are below the poverty line, 24.1% when college students are left out (that estimate could be off by 6 points either way). 17% of the students themselves are below the line. In college towns, the Jobs & income grade uses the rate without students and leaves unemployment out.

Cost of living A

The Cost grade counts the share of renters paying 30% or more of income on rent, leaving it out only where students are a quarter of residents or more. Here they are 20%, so student incomes still weigh on that figure.

Health C

CDC’s estimates follow each place’s age mix, and Henderson’s median age is 28.1 (Tennessee 38.9), so the adult figures describe a young population.

Safety B−

Crime is counted per resident, and students who live here count as residents. A college with its own police department reports its incidents under that department, not the city.

Every college

Colleges within 15 miles of Henderson

One private college within 1.1 miles. The nearest public four-year college, The University of Tennessee-Martin, is 63.1 miles away.

5 mi10 mi15 miFreed-Hardeman UniversityHenderson
University or collegeCommunity college
Freed-Hardeman UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 1,789 on campus · In Henderson60%admitted$22knet price71%graduate$47kearnings

Degree-granting colleges with 100 or more students on campus (fall 2023 enrollment, minus students who study only online). Admitted: share of applicants offered a place. Net price: the average a year after grants, for students on federal aid. Graduate: within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting.

What it costs

What would your family pay?

The average a year after grants, for families on federal aid, at the colleges within 15 miles and the nearest public four-year college. Pick your family’s income.

Family income

Starts at $30–48k, where Henderson’s median household income ($45,938) falls.

The University of Tennessee-Martin63.1 mi · Martin · sticker $23,079$8,961a year
Freed-Hardeman UniversityIn Henderson · sticker $38,315$21,788a year

The average a year after grants and scholarships, for first-time, full-time students on federal aid, from the College Scorecard. Your own price depends on your aid package; every college has a net price calculator. For community colleges the net price counts housing and food at full cost, so tuition is shown beside it. “—”: not reported for that income.

Outcomes

Do students finish, and does it pay?

Each dot is a college: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.

$0$20k$40k$60k$80k0%25%50%75%100%Graduate →Freed-Hardeman UniversityThe University of Tennessee-Martin
The University of Tennessee-Martin53% graduate$44k earnings$21k typical debt
Freed-Hardeman University71% graduate$47k earnings$22k typical debt

Graduation: first-time, full-time students within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 years (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting, for students who got federal aid.

Majors

What students study in Henderson

Share of bachelor’s and associate degrees by field at Freed-Hardeman University, weighted by undergraduates; then the biggest programs.

Business 20%Visual & performing arts 14%Health professions 10%Parks & recreation 8%Education 7%Theology 6%Everything else 35%

Biggest programs

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods38 graduates a year
$43k4 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing37 graduates a year
$68k4 yrs out
Bible/Biblical Studies22 graduates a year
$50k4 yrs out
Social Work14 graduates a year
$41k4 yrs out

College Scorecard: degree shares (PCIP; each college’s six largest fields are kept, the rest count as everything else) and the field-of-study file, median earnings 4 years after graduating.

Questions about college in Henderson

Is Henderson a college town?

Yes. 20 of every 100 Henderson residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), against 5 across Tennessee. Freed-Hardeman University has 1,789 students on campus, next to 6,590 residents.

What colleges are in Henderson?

Freed-Hardeman University is inside the city. Jackson State Community College is 15.6 miles away in Jackson.

What is the closest community college to Henderson, and what does it cost?

Jackson State Community College in Jackson, 15.6 miles away. Tuition and fees are $4,740 a year for Tennessee residents; the federal net price, $6,236, counts housing and food at full cost.

How hard is it to get into Freed-Hardeman University?

Freed-Hardeman University admitted 60% of applicants in the Scorecard’s latest year; the middle half of admitted students scored 952–1,087 on the SAT.

Neighbors talk college

Students, parents, alumni and the neighbors next door.

Town Square →
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Colleges: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023 enrollment). “On campus” is fall enrollment minus students who study only online. Distances are straight-line from the center of Henderson. Residents in college, age, rent and poverty (including poverty without college students, table B14006): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–24. Colleges are described, not graded; the College town label marks towns where 15% or more of residents are enrolled. How TownRatings describes colleges →