Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Mason’s best subject grades are a B+ for cost of living and schools; its weakest is a D− for walkability. 31% of residents live below the poverty line in Mason, above both the Tennessee town median (14%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 6 of Tennessee’s 292 towns score lower on walkability. Residents are less healthy than 90% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Only 25 of Tennessee’s 292 towns score lower on the outdoors. Mason has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Trinity Church and Charleston United Methodist Church and Cemetery. Mason's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 80% of U.S. towns. Mason has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Mason beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Bozo's Hot Pit Bar-B-Q| Widest gap | Mason | TN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 20.2% | 9.1% |
1,609 counted in 2010 and 1,337 in 2020; an estimated 1,342 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Mason is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 252 in 1890, 1,337 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 3 maps from 1954 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Mason, 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 Mason.
52% of Mason adults have obesity, above both Tennessee’s towns (39%) and U.S. towns (35%). 43% of adults have high blood pressure in Mason. Only 6 of the 177 Tennessee towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Mason.
| Mason | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 52% | 39% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 51% | 38% | 36% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 16% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 19% | 14% |
| What stands out | Mason | TN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 3.7% | 8.2% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 4.8% | 7% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 20.2% | 9.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical Mason home is worth about $187,000, up 6.2% in a year, 43% below the Tennessee typical home. 53% of Mason households own their home.
| Mason | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 53% | 66% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,316 a month | $947 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Mason for work: only 2% work in town. Since 2013, Mason has lost 135 jobs, to 47 in 2023. The average trip to work in Mason is 29 minutes.
| Mason | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.5% | 12% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $48,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Mason has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Mason’s July high is 91°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 56% of U.S. communities. Since 2010, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Mason.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
None within 15 miles of Mason; the nearest are
About 7 of every 100 Mason residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
3 notable people were born in Mason.
Town in Tennessee, United States
Mason is a town in Tipton County, Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, Mason had a population of 1,337. Mason is located along U.S. Route 70, and is home to a federal detention facility.
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 B+.
3 notable people were born here, including John Shelton Wilder and Harvey Hendrick.
