Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Loretto’s best subject grade is an A− for cost of living; its weakest is a D for health. Only 4 of the 132 Tennessee towns we compare have a lower violent crime rate than Loretto. Loretto has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Sacred Heart of Jesus Church and St. Mary's Cemetery. Loretto's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 81% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Burke Park, at 23 acres. Loretto has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Loretto beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Sacred Heart of Jesus ChurchEach subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Loretto is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1911.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Loretto, 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 Loretto.
That puts Loretto where Tennessee’s towns sit at 29% and U.S. towns at 23%. Loretto beats the Tennessee average on 4 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 18% of Loretto adults report frequent physical distress.
| Loretto | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 29% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 41% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 19% | 14% |
| What stands out | Loretto | TN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.7% | 13.3% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7.4% | 9.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.6% | 8.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Lawrence County school district. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Loretto High School, with 452 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Lawrence ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 624 | B+ |
| Loretto High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 452 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
The typical Loretto home is worth about $236,000, up 4.8% in a year, 29% below the Tennessee typical home. 85% of households own their home in Loretto, above both Tennessee’s towns (66%) and U.S. towns (73%). The median rent in Loretto is $737 a month.
| Loretto | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 85% | 66% | 73% |
| Median rent | $737 a month | $947 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Loretto has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Loretto’s July high is 89°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Loretto for work: only 10% work in town. Jobs based in Loretto grew to 596 in 2023, 120 more than in 2013. 8.6% of residents live below the poverty line in Loretto.
| Loretto | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 9.5% | 11% |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.6% | 14% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Loretto's reported crime rate is well below Tennessee's. Only 8 of the 132 Tennessee towns we compare have a lower property crime rate than Loretto. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 55% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Burke Park | — | 23 |
| 2. Weathers Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Loretto; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Loretto residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.
City in Tennessee, United States
Loretto is a city in Lawrence County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,714 at the 2010 census, and 1,739 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
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−.