Camden | |
|---|---|
 Downtown Camden | |
 Location of Camden in Benton County, Tennessee. | |
| Coordinates:36°2′47″N88°5′9″W / 36.04639°N 88.08583°W /36.04639; -88.08583 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Benton |
| Founded | 1836[1] |
| Incorporated | 1838[2] |
| Named after | Camden, South Carolina[1] |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Roger Pafford |
| Area | |
• Total | 5.68 sq mi (14.70 km2) |
| • Land | 5.68 sq mi (14.70 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 449 ft (137 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 3,674 |
| • Density | 647.2/sq mi (249.88/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 38320 |
| Area code | 731 |
| FIPS code | 47-10560[5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1305616[6] |
| Website | www |
Camden is a city in and thecounty seat[7] ofBenton County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 3,674 at the 2020 census.[8]
Native Americans were living in the Camden area as early as theArchaic period (8000-1000 BC). A significantarchaeological site has been excavated at nearbyEva (the actual site is now submerged underKentucky Lake), uncovering evidence of semi-permanent habitation dating back 7000 years.[9]
The first European settlers arrived in the Benton County area around 1818, shortly after (and probably before) the county was purchased from theChickasaw. Camden has its roots as a stopover along the stage coach route betweenNashville andMemphis. Initially known as "Tranquility", the community had attained the name "Camden" by the 1830s, a name influenced by theRevolutionary War-eraBattle of Camden.[10] When Benton County was created in 1835, Camden was chosen as the county seat. The City of Camden was officially incorporated in 1838.[11]
On October 20, 1922,George and Ed Hartley were lynched by a large mob outside Camden County Jail after being convicted of manslaughter.[12]
Camden is situated along Cypress Creek, near the creek's modern confluence with theKentucky Lake impoundment of theTennessee River (the original lower 10 miles (16 km) of the creek were entirely engulfed by the lake with the completion ofKentucky Dam in 1944). The area is characterized by low hills to the north and west and wetlands to the east, the latter of which are largely protected by the Camden Wildlife Management Area.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.7 square miles (14.7 km2), all land.[13]
| Climate data for Camden, Tennessee, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1997–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 79 (26) | 80 (27) | 87 (31) | 90 (32) | 94 (34) | 104 (40) | 104 (40) | 107 (42) | 102 (39) | 98 (37) | 87 (31) | 78 (26) | 107 (42) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 68.7 (20.4) | 72.3 (22.4) | 80.6 (27.0) | 85.9 (29.9) | 89.0 (31.7) | 94.4 (34.7) | 96.3 (35.7) | 97.5 (36.4) | 93.3 (34.1) | 87.5 (30.8) | 77.5 (25.3) | 70.7 (21.5) | 98.9 (37.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 48.6 (9.2) | 53.5 (11.9) | 62.5 (16.9) | 72.1 (22.3) | 79.2 (26.2) | 86.2 (30.1) | 89.5 (31.9) | 89.5 (31.9) | 83.6 (28.7) | 73.3 (22.9) | 61.3 (16.3) | 51.6 (10.9) | 70.9 (21.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 38.5 (3.6) | 42.8 (6.0) | 50.8 (10.4) | 60.1 (15.6) | 68.5 (20.3) | 76.2 (24.6) | 79.8 (26.6) | 78.8 (26.0) | 72.0 (22.2) | 60.7 (15.9) | 49.7 (9.8) | 42.1 (5.6) | 60.0 (15.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 28.3 (−2.1) | 32.1 (0.1) | 39.2 (4.0) | 48.0 (8.9) | 57.7 (14.3) | 66.3 (19.1) | 70.1 (21.2) | 68.1 (20.1) | 60.4 (15.8) | 48.1 (8.9) | 38.1 (3.4) | 32.5 (0.3) | 49.1 (9.5) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 11.2 (−11.6) | 14.6 (−9.7) | 22.6 (−5.2) | 31.7 (−0.2) | 40.9 (4.9) | 54.5 (12.5) | 60.3 (15.7) | 57.9 (14.4) | 47.5 (8.6) | 32.7 (0.4) | 22.7 (−5.2) | 17.1 (−8.3) | 9.3 (−12.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −1 (−18) | 4 (−16) | 4 (−16) | 22 (−6) | 35 (2) | 45 (7) | 55 (13) | 49 (9) | 35 (2) | 27 (−3) | 15 (−9) | 7 (−14) | −1 (−18) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 4.10 (104) | 4.41 (112) | 4.50 (114) | 4.39 (112) | 5.40 (137) | 4.57 (116) | 4.05 (103) | 3.82 (97) | 3.43 (87) | 4.13 (105) | 4.02 (102) | 4.82 (122) | 51.64 (1,311) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.0 (2.5) | 0.7 (1.8) | 0.6 (1.5) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.3 (0.76) | 2.7 (6.81) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 9.3 | 9.4 | 10.5 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 7.7 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 8.6 | 9.7 | 106.5 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.6 |
| Source 1: NOAA[14] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service (mean maxima/minima 2006–2020)[15] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 176 | — | |
| 1860 | 159 | −9.7% | |
| 1870 | 148 | −6.9% | |
| 1880 | 200 | 35.1% | |
| 1890 | 330 | 65.0% | |
| 1900 | 399 | 20.9% | |
| 1910 | 692 | 73.4% | |
| 1920 | 800 | 15.6% | |
| 1930 | 955 | 19.4% | |
| 1940 | 992 | 3.9% | |
| 1950 | 2,029 | 104.5% | |
| 1960 | 2,774 | 36.7% | |
| 1970 | 3,052 | 10.0% | |
| 1980 | 3,279 | 7.4% | |
| 1990 | 3,643 | 11.1% | |
| 2000 | 3,828 | 5.1% | |
| 2010 | 3,582 | −6.4% | |
| 2020 | 3,674 | 2.6% | |
| Sources:[16][17][4] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 3,168 | 86.23% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 158 | 4.3% |
| Native American | 10 | 0.27% |
| Asian | 49 | 1.33% |
| Other/Mixed | 149 | 4.06% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 140 | 3.81% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 3,674 people, 1,516 households, and 759 families residing in the city.
As of thecensus[5] of 2000, there were 3,828 people, 1,631 households, and 1,014 families residing in the city. The population density was 344.9 inhabitants per square mile (133.2/km2). There were 1,840 housing units at an average density of 165.8 per square mile (64.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.08%White, 5.33%African American, 0.26%Native American, 0.24%Asian, 0.31% fromother races, and 0.78% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.33% of the population.
There were 1,631 households, out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% weremarried couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.1% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 26.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,348, and the median income for a family was $31,667. Males had a median income of $27,413 versus $20,142 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $15,271. About 11.6% of families and 16.6% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 26.1% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
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Agriculture is important to the economy of Camden and Benton County.Sorghum was once a key crop; the last sorghum processing facility closed in 2001.
Jones Plastic and Engineering operates a 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m2) facility in Camden.
Camden is abedroom community for employees of theTennessee Valley Authority, and theDuPont titanium dioxide production plant in nearbyNew Johnsonville.
Camden is served by the Benton County School System. Schools include:
Municipalities and communities ofBenton County, Tennessee,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties. | |
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