Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Today 1,576 people live in this town, first settled in 1970.
South Carthage’s best subject grade is an A for cost of living; its weakest is a D for health. South Carthage’s average commute is 40 minutes, above both the Tennessee town median (25 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 5 of the 178 Tennessee towns we compare have a lower median age than South Carthage. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 70% of U.S. towns. South Carthage has 1 place on the National Register. South Carthage has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where South Carthage beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| Widest gap | South Carthage | TN |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 24.9% | 14.6% |
1,322 counted in 2010 and 1,490 in 2020; an estimated 1,576 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 South Carthage is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 859 in 1970, 1,490 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2017 and 2 maps from 1962 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in South Carthage, 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 South Carthage.
South Carthage: 14% of adults binge drink. Among adults here, 22% report frequent mental distress and 22% smoke cigarettes.
| South Carthage | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 29% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 19% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| What stands out | South Carthage | TN |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 24.9% | 14.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.6% | 8.6% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 21.7% | 16.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its one school is below. The public schools here belong to the Smith County school district. 289 students attend South Carthage’s public school.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith County Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 289 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
FEMA puts just over half of South Carthage’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 18% to tornadoes. The town’s risk rating from FEMA stands at 73 of 100. One claim on flood insurance has been paid out in the town since 2010.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The typical July afternoon high for South Carthage comes to 90°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Among households in South Carthage, 59% live in a home they own. The town’s median rent is $939 a month.
| South Carthage | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 59% | 66% | 73% |
| Median rent | $939 a month | $947 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The top destinations are Nashville (25%), Lebanon (17%) and Carthage (7%). For most workers, South Carthage is a place to come home to: only 4% work in town. Jobs in South Carthage grew by 86 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 729. The middle household income in the town is $56,000.
| South Carthage | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.6% | 12% | 8% |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
For South Carthage, the violent offense rate is 0.6 per 1,000 residents. South Carthage's reported crime rate is well below Tennessee's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 1 reported in 2025.
| South Carthage | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.6 per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 6.2 per 1,000 residents | 11.5 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
None within 15 miles of South Carthage; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 South Carthage residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Tennessee.
Town in Tennessee, United States
South Carthage is a town in Smith County, Tennessee, United States. As of the 2020 census, South Carthage had a population of 1,490. The town is located along the Cumberland River opposite Carthage .
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.