Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Tazewell’s weakest subject grade is a D− for incomes. 33% of residents live below the poverty line in Tazewell, above both Tennessee’s towns (14%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 19 of Tennessee’s 291 towns score lower on incomes. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 95% of the country. Tazewell's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 89% of U.S. towns. Tazewell has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Big Spring Union Church (Additional Documentation) and Graham-Kivette House. Tazewell has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Tazewell beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Where Tazewell’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Tazewell is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1800.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Tazewell, 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 Tazewell.
31% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Tazewell, above both the Tennessee town median (29%) and the median of U.S. towns (23%). 18% of adults report frequent physical distress in Tazewell. Tazewell beats the Tennessee average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 13.
| Tazewell | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 29% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 19% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 17% |
| What stands out | Tazewell | TN |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21.8% | 14.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.9% | 8.6% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9% | 7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Claiborne County school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soldiers Memorial Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 360 | C |
| Claiborne Adult High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | – | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
Most working residents leave Tazewell for work: only 17% work in town. The median household income in Tazewell is $42,000. Since 2013, Tazewell has added 985 jobs, to 2,939 in 2023.
| Tazewell | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $42,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 12% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Tazewell home is worth about $217,000, up 5.3% in a year, 34% below the Tennessee typical home. Tazewell’s median rent is $803 a month.
| Tazewell | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 59% | 66% | 73% |
| Median rent | $803 a month | $947 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Tazewell has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Among 178 Tennessee towns, just 8 have a lower July high than Tazewell.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 53% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Tazewell Municipal Park | — | 18 |
| 2. Claiborne County Fairgrounds | — | 17 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Tazewell
About 3 of every 100 Tazewell residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.
3 places in Tazewell on the National Register of Historic Places.
Town in Tennessee, United States
Tazewell is a town in and the county seat of Claiborne County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,165 at the 2000 census, 2,218 at the 2010 census, and 2,348 at the 2020 census. The town is named for Tazewell, Virginia, which itself was named for Henry Tazewell (1753–1799), a U.S. senator from Virginia.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Tazewell.
| Town | TN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tazewell | — | — | B− | C | C− | D |
| New Tazewell | #119 | C− | A− | B− | C− | D− |
Tazewell has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Compare Tazewell with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
That is 4.4 years of the area's median household income ($49,379 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
2 notable people were born here, including Lucy Bramlette Patterson and Tony Mayes.
