1st Advantage MortgageIn Lauderdale County, Tennessee, the typical household earns $49,879 a year and the typical rent is $774. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Tennessee license first.
On this page
- Lauderdale County by the numbers
- Paychecks and income spread in Lauderdale County
- How Lauderdale County residents earn a living
- Lauderdale County housing compared with Tennessee
- Regional comparison for Lauderdale County
- Towns and communities in Lauderdale County
- A Lauderdale County household budget, worked through
- What the numbers mean for Lauderdale County borrowers
- People and households in Lauderdale County
- Before you sign
- Licensing and complaints for Lauderdale County
- More guides for Lauderdale County
- Frequently asked questions
Lauderdale County by the numbers
With an estimated 24,784 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Lauderdale County ranks 60th of 95 in Tennessee for population. Packed into 472 square miles, that is close to 53 residents for every square mile of land. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Ripley is the biggest of its 4 Census places, at roughly 7,658 people (31% of the county total).
Paychecks and income spread in Lauderdale County
Half of Lauderdale County households take in less than $49,879 a year and half take in more, 28% below the Tennessee median of $69,595. That places it 83rd among Tennessee's 95 county-level areas.
| Income band | Share in Lauderdale County | Difference from Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 38.5% | +14.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.0% | -1.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 17.4% | -7.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.1% | -5.8 pts |
Some 38% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 20% have six-figure incomes. 21.0% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.8%). None of these numbers decides a Lauderdale County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
How Lauderdale County residents earn a living
By the Census industry count, 26% of employed Lauderdale County residents work in manufacturing and 18% in education and health care. Compared with Tennessee, the county leans toward manufacturing (26% against 13%). Averaged over the five survey years, 5.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are common here: 18% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. 9.1% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Lauderdale County | Gap to Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 25.7% | +13.2 pts |
| Education and health care | 18.4% | -4.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.5% | -0.1 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 8.2% | +1.0 pts |
| Public administration | 6.9% | +2.7 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.4% | -2.5 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Lauderdale County housing compared with Tennessee
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $774 in Lauderdale County versus $1,189 statewide. 50% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 26% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $143,200, about 2.9 times the median household income. Owners occupy 64% of homes. The median year built is 1981.
| Lauderdale County | Tennessee | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $774/mo | $1,189/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $143,200 | $286,700 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 64% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 50% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 31% | 25% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 13% | 10% | n/a |
Regional comparison for Lauderdale County
Distances run center to center, from Tipton County at 19 miles out to Pemiscot County at 32. Income ranges from $40,089 in Pemiscot County to $74,127 in Tipton County; 5 of these neighbors top Lauderdale County's median. The list crosses into Arkansas, Missouri, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauderdale County | - | $49,879 | $774/mo | 64% |
| Tipton County, TN | 19 mi | $74,127 | $1,013/mo | 76% |
| Haywood County, TN | 23 mi | $50,472 | $762/mo | 61% |
| Mississippi County, AR | 24 mi | $52,548 | $830/mo | 60% |
| Dyer County, TN | 24 mi | $58,154 | $782/mo | 62% |
| Crockett County, TN | 28 mi | $62,165 | $857/mo | 72% |
| Pemiscot County, MO | 32 mi | $40,089 | $695/mo | 56% |
Towns and communities in Lauderdale County
Here are the 4 most populous of the county's 4 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 46% of Lauderdale County residents live in one of the 4. Gates has the highest median household income on the list ($51,146) and Ripley the lowest ($37,432), counting places with at least 500 residents. None of the 4 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ripley | city | 7,658 | $37,432 | $800 | 5 mi |
| Halls | town | 2,034 | $43,750 | $844 | 15 mi |
| Henning | town | 977 | $40,781 | $668 | 6 mi |
| Gates | town | 619 | $51,146 | $629 | 13 mi |
A Lauderdale County household budget, worked through
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Lauderdale County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Start: $4,157 gross per month ($49,879 / 12)
- Median rent: $774, or 19 cents of every gross dollar
- Under a 35% cap, $1,455 total minus rent leaves $681
- Under a 45% cap, $1,870 total minus rent leaves $1,096
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
What the numbers mean for Lauderdale County borrowers
A few patterns in the Lauderdale County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Health costs. With 10% of the county uninsured, an interest-free hospital payment plan usually beats a loan (medical bills).
- 21% below poverty. Emergency aid, payment plans and counseling (list) come first.
- Tight rental budgets. With 50% of Lauderdale County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
People and households in Lauderdale County
12% of Lauderdale County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 10.2%, against 10.0% for Tennessee.
| Residents | Lauderdale County | Tennessee | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2 | 38.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 12.0% | 31.1% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 16.4% | 10.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 10.2% | 10.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 9.1% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 3.1% | 12.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 21.0% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.6% | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 30.9% |
| 15 to 29 min | 36.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 14.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.8% |
| 60+ min | 11.0% |
Before you sign
Quick steps for Lauderdale County:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Licensing and complaints for Lauderdale County
Consumer lenders serving Lauderdale County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Tennessee that is the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. More on Tennessee: Tennessee personal loans.
More guides for Lauderdale County
The Tennessee guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Lauderdale County earn?
The median is $49,879; 20% earn $100,000 or more and 38% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How much is rent in Lauderdale County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $774 a month; 50% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
What are the biggest places in Lauderdale County?
By population: Ripley, Halls, Henning, Gates. The county has 4 Census places in all.
Will a Lauderdale County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Tennessee as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who regulates personal lenders for Lauderdale County residents?
The Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in Tennessee; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.