Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,147, settled in 1880.
Rutherford’s best subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A for schools; its weakest is a D for hazard risk. On cost of living, just 1 of Tennessee’s 292 towns do better. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 90% of the country. Only 8 of Tennessee’s 292 towns score lower on hazard risk. Rutherford's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 92% of U.S. towns. Rutherford has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Rutherford beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Rutherford Elementary | PK–8 | 282 |
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Rutherford is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 323 in 1880, 1,163 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2011 and a map from 1981 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Rutherford, 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 Rutherford.
The typical Rutherford home is worth about $147,000, about the same as a year ago, 56% below the Tennessee typical home. Rutherford’s median rent is $691 a month, below both the Tennessee town median ($947 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month).
| Rutherford | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $691 a month | $947 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 75% | 66% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Gibson Co Sp District. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rutherford ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 282 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
44% of Rutherford adults have high blood pressure, against 41% in Tennessee’s towns and 35% across U.S. towns. 13% of adults binge drink in Rutherford. Rutherford beats the Tennessee average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 11.
| Rutherford | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 41% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 16% | 14% |
| What stands out | Rutherford | TN |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21.5% | 14.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.2% | 8.6% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4.8% | 3.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The FEMA risk score in Rutherford is 86 of 100. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Rutherford since 2001.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Rutherford for work: only 3% work in town. Rutherford’s average trip to work is 29 minutes. The top destinations are Trenton (10%), Jackson (9%) and Union City (9%).
| Rutherford | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.5% | 12% | 8% |
| Median household income | $51,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 14% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Rutherford has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 89°, January nights drop to 29° and about 3 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
None within 15 miles of Rutherford; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Rutherford residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.
Where Rutherford’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in Tennessee, United States
Rutherford is a town in Gibson County, Tennessee, United States. As of the 2020 census, Rutherford had a population of 1,163.
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+.