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Tullahoma-downtown-tn1Tullahoma, #1 on this list · Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 3.0
Tennessee rankings · Civic life

Towns with the most civic life in Tennessee

Tullahoma ranks first on civic life among Tennessee’s 150 towns of 2,500+; 14 of the 150 grade A− or better on civic life nationally.

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. How grades work

#1

Tullahoma

Coffee County · 21,279 people
A

Civic life grade, better than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #142 of 175 in TN

#2

Dresden

Weakley County · 2,911 people
A

Civic life grade, better than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #60 of 175 in TN

#3

Hohenwald

Lewis County · 4,151 people
A

Civic life grade, better than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #132 of 175 in TN

All 150 towns

Civic life grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

150 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1TullahomaCoffee County · 21,279 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #142 of 175
2DresdenWeakley County · 2,911 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #60 of 175
3HohenwaldLewis County · 4,151 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #132 of 175
4CentervilleHickman County · 3,589 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #56 of 175
5MartinWeakley County · 11,060 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #107 of 175
6Pleasant ViewCheatham County · 5,797 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #17 of 175
7McMinnvilleWarren County · 13,943 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #163 of 175
8GermantownShelby County · 40,001 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #20 of 175
9Mount JulietWilson County · 45,172 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #9 of 175
10WinchesterFranklin County · 10,438 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #154 of 175
11DyersburgDyer County · 15,906 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #166 of 175
12BrentwoodWilliamson County · 45,313 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #4 of 175
13Oak HillDavidson County · 4,581 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #74 of 175
14GreenevilleGreene County · 16,141 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #102 of 175
15KnoxvilleKnox County · 202,021 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #108 of 175
16FranklinWilliamson County · 90,226 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #5 of 175
17Forest HillsDavidson County · 4,473 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #95 of 175
18Belle MeadeDavidson County · 2,621 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #39 of 175
19GatlinburgSevier County · 3,715 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #135 of 175
20LewisburgMarshall County · 13,517 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #145 of 175
21Oak RidgeAnderson County · 35,395 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #69 of 175
22ErwinUnicoi County · 6,019 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #41 of 175
23FairviewWilliamson County · 10,877 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #10 of 175
24CookevillePutnam County · 38,212 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #114 of 175
25LexingtonHenderson County · 8,130 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #127 of 175
26SpringfieldRobertson County · 20,090 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #136 of 175
27ParisHenry County · 10,468 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #94 of 175
28RogersvilleHawkins County · 4,690 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #129 of 175
29OneidaScott County · 3,899 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #165 of 175
30Church HillHawkins County · 7,297 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #51 of 175
31CrossvilleCumberland County · 13,113 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #147 of 175
32GreenbrierRobertson County · 7,170 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #54 of 175
33DicksonDickson County · 17,051 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #71 of 175
34FarragutKnox County · 25,121 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #12 of 175
35LynchburgMoore County · 6,920 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #131 of 175
36Mount PleasantMaury County · 5,103 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #148 of 175
37NolensvilleWilliamson County · 15,789 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 175
38ManchesterCoffee County · 13,776 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #123 of 175
39Spring HillWilliamson County · 61,336 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #6 of 175
40ColliervilleShelby County · 51,909 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #22 of 175
41CollegedaleHamilton County · 11,499 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #31 of 175
42Kingston SpringsCheatham County · 2,758 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #58 of 175
43Estill SpringsFranklin County · 2,692 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #113 of 175
44UnicoiUnicoi County · 3,861 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #118 of 175
45White HouseSumner County · 17,872 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #26 of 175
46Signal MountainHamilton County · 8,824 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #2 of 175
47SavannahHardin County · 7,689 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #169 of 175
48BolivarHardeman County · 5,043 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #174 of 175
49Nashville745,904 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·No overall grade
50BristolSullivan County · 28,107 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #112 of 175
51SmithvilleDeKalb County · 5,620 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #157 of 175
52NewbernDyer County · 3,222 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #59 of 175
53LafayetteMacon County · 6,020 peopleC+better than 43% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #91 of 175
54New TazewellClaiborne County · 2,846 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #119 of 175
55AthensMcMinn County · 15,263 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #109 of 175
56WestmorelandSumner County · 2,879 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #23 of 175
57LebanonWilson County · 53,412 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #75 of 175
58AlcoaBlount County · 13,689 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #98 of 175
59MillingtonShelby County · 12,953 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #168 of 175
60ColumbiaMaury County · 50,072 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #144 of 175
61LakelandShelby County · 14,422 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #11 of 175
62ElizabethtonCarter County · 14,350 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #55 of 175
63Thompson's StationWilliamson County · 9,469 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #13 of 175
64KingsportSullivan County · 57,530 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #130 of 175
65Ashland CityCheatham County · 5,650 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #93 of 175
66MunfordTipton County · 6,996 peopleCbetter than 35% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #84 of 175
67Johnson CityWashington County · 74,943 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #104 of 175
68BrownsvilleHaywood County · 9,301 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #173 of 175
69SomervilleFayette County · 3,622 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #164 of 175
70CovingtonTipton County · 8,585 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #155 of 175
71MurfreesboroRutherford County · 171,178 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #67 of 175
72ChattanoogaHamilton County · 194,144 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #137 of 175
73CoopertownRobertson County · 4,843 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #68 of 175
74LawrenceburgLawrence County · 12,236 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #156 of 175
75OaklandFayette County · 10,835 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #87 of 175
76TusculumGreene County · 3,421 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #7 of 175
77MaryvilleBlount County · 32,442 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #16 of 175
78HendersonvilleSumner County · 64,266 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #27 of 175
79White BluffDickson County · 4,516 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #45 of 175
80WoodburyCannon County · 2,828 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #97 of 175
81JacksonMadison County · 69,339 peopleCbetter than 29% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #172 of 175
82ClarksvilleMontgomery County · 188,829 peopleCbetter than 29% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #126 of 175
83RipleyLauderdale County · 7,499 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #175 of 175
84CamdenBenton County · 3,690 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #96 of 175
85AtokaTipton County · 10,645 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #48 of 175
86Pigeon ForgeSevier County · 6,598 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #159 of 175
87GallatinSumner County · 54,590 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #47 of 175
88SeviervilleSevier County · 19,010 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #162 of 175
89LouisvilleBlount County · 4,562 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #43 of 175
90LivingstonOverton County · 4,147 peopleCbetter than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #92 of 175
91MillersvilleSumner County · 6,438 peopleCbetter than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #70 of 175
92MemphisShelby County · 609,647 peopleCbetter than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #170 of 175
93ClevelandBradley County · 51,172 peopleCbetter than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #150 of 175
94SpartaWhite County · 5,038 peopleCbetter than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #134 of 175
95ArlingtonShelby County · 15,703 peopleC−better than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #18 of 175
96PipertonFayette County · 2,889 peopleC−better than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #111 of 175
97GoodlettsvilleDavidson County · 17,506 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #124 of 175
98EtowahMcMinn County · 3,786 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #90 of 175
99ShelbyvilleBedford County · 26,146 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #167 of 175
100WaverlyHumphreys County · 4,430 peopleC−better than 23% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #139 of 175
101BartlettShelby County · 56,416 peopleC−better than 23% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #40 of 175
102JonesboroughWashington County · 6,990 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #33 of 175
103MorristownHamblen County · 33,517 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #149 of 175
104Jefferson CityJefferson County · 9,103 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #80 of 175
105AlgoodPutnam County · 4,165 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #105 of 175
106KingstonRoane County · 6,299 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #34 of 175
107HuntingdonCarroll County · 4,462 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #61 of 175
108SelmerMcNairy County · 4,575 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #133 of 175
109NewportCocke County · 7,049 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #122 of 175
110Red BankHamilton County · 12,405 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #76 of 175
111DunlapSequatchie County · 6,089 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #128 of 175
112JasperMarion County · 3,636 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #73 of 175
113MilanGibson County · 8,367 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #141 of 175
114PulaskiGiles County · 8,394 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #143 of 175
115PortlandSumner County · 13,658 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #46 of 175
116MontereyPutnam County · 2,827 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #117 of 175
117MosheimGreene County · 2,547 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #115 of 175
118Hartsville/Trousdale CountyTrousdale County · 12,623 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #52 of 175
119LoudonLoudon County · 6,963 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #35 of 175
120FayettevilleLincoln County · 7,068 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #146 of 175
121Soddy-DaisyHamilton County · 13,474 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #66 of 175
122BrightonTipton County · 2,892 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #100 of 175
123HarrogateClaiborne County · 4,454 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #138 of 175
124HumboldtGibson County · 7,841 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #160 of 175
125ClintonAnderson County · 10,466 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #65 of 175
126TrentonGibson County · 4,137 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #116 of 175
127South PittsburgMarion County · 2,927 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #81 of 175
128MaynardvilleUnion County · 2,723 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #153 of 175
129HendersonChester County · 6,590 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #29 of 175
130East RidgeHamilton County · 21,921 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #99 of 175
131Lenoir CityLoudon County · 12,530 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #101 of 175
132DandridgeJefferson County · 3,947 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #83 of 175
133MedinaGibson County · 5,813 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #14 of 175
134Union CityObion County · 10,814 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #158 of 175
135SmyrnaRutherford County · 63,321 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #86 of 175
136SweetwaterMonroe County · 6,706 peopleDbetter than 6% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #140 of 175
137TiptonvilleLake County · 3,333 peopleDbetter than 6% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #171 of 175
138La FolletteCampbell County · 7,176 peopleDbetter than 6% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #152 of 175
139HarrimanRoane County · 6,192 peopleDbetter than 6% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #120 of 175
140DaytonRhea County · 7,819 peopleDbetter than 5% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #106 of 175
141White PineJefferson County · 2,619 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #63 of 175
142RockwoodRoane County · 5,607 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #121 of 175
143MadisonvilleMonroe County · 5,428 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #161 of 175
144WhitevilleHardeman County · 4,482 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #151 of 175
145Oliver SpringsAnderson County · 3,433 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #103 of 175
146Mount CarmelHawkins County · 5,540 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #64 of 175
147La VergneRutherford County · 42,146 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #82 of 175
148McKenzieCarroll County · 5,632 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #72 of 175
149Coalfieldunincorporated, Morgan County · 2,754 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #77 of 175
150Bean StationGrainger County · 3,190 peopleD−among the lowest in the U.S.·Overall C · #85 of 175
Not ranked

27 towns without a civic life grade

Towns of 2,500+ that don’t have the figures this grade needs. Each town’s page says which ones are missing.

Quick answers

Questions people ask

Which Tennessee town has the most civic life?

Tullahoma (Coffee County) ranks first on civic life among 150 towns, with an A; Dresden and Hohenwald follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a civic life grade (150 in Tennessee). 27 towns of 2,500+ lack the figures and are listed above. Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Tennessee page.

Go deeper

More Tennessee lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Tennessee rankings →
Best places to live175 towns · #1 NolensvilleBest small towns107 towns · #1 Signal MountainMost affordable towns177 towns · #1 Strawberry PlainsSafest towns129 towns · #1 NolensvilleTowns with the best schools176 towns · #1 LakelandHealthiest towns176 towns · #1 Oak HillBest towns for jobs & income177 towns · #1 Belle MeadeMost walkable towns177 towns · #1 KnoxvilleTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk177 towns · #1 TusculumBest towns for the outdoors177 towns · #1 Oak RidgeMost historic towns177 towns · #1 FayettevilleTowns with the least snow170 towns · #1 HendersonDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns170 towns · #1 MontereyDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters184 towns · #1 MemphisDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers184 towns · #1 Bartlett and 3 moreDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers184 towns · #1 Mountain CityDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes177 towns · #1 Belle Meade and Forest HillsDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes176 towns · #1 MosheimDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns146 towns · #1 LebanonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries19 towns · #1 GatlinburgDescribed, no letters
Other states

Towns with the most civic life in other states

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