Wayne County, Tennessee | |
|---|---|
 Wayne County Courthouse inWaynesboro | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofTennessee | |
 Tennessee's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:35°14′N87°47′W / 35.24°N 87.79°W /35.24; -87.79 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Tennessee |
| Founded | 1817 |
| Named after | GeneralAnthony Wayne[1] |
| Seat | Waynesboro |
| Largest city | Clifton |
| Area | |
• Total | 736 sq mi (1,910 km2) |
| • Land | 734 sq mi (1,900 km2) |
| • Water | 1.6 sq mi (4.1 km2) 0.2% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 16,232 |
| • Density | 22/sq mi (8.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 7th |
| Website | www |
Wayne County is acounty located in south centralTennessee, along the Alabama border. As of the2020 census, the population was 16,232.[2] Itscounty seat isWaynesboro.[3] The county is named after General"Mad Anthony" Wayne, a prominent military leader in theAmerican Revolutionary War.
Wayne County was created in 1817 from parts ofHickman andHumphreys counties. Waynesboro, its county seat, was established in 1821.[1] Located along theTennessee River, the city ofClifton emerged as a key river port in the mid-19th century.[1]
Like several other counties on theWestern Highland Rim near the Tennessee River, Wayne County was largely pro-Union duringthe Civil War, contrary to the generally pro-Confederate sympathies ofWest andMiddle Tennessee. In Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession referendum on June 8, 1861, Wayne County voted to remain in the Union by a margin of 905 to 409.[4] Wayne was one of only eight counties in West or Middle Tennessee to support the Union, and had the second highest vote against secession of these eight, behind onlyFentress County. Earlier on February 9, 1861, Wayne County voters had voted against holding a secession convention by a margin of 737 to 255.[5]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 736 square miles (1,910 km2), of which 734 square miles (1,900 km2) is land and 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) (0.2%) is water.[6] It is the second-largest county in Tennessee by area. The county lies primarily along the southwesternHighland Rim.[1] TheTennessee River flows along Wayne County's northwestern border withDecatur County. TheBuffalo River, a tributary of theDuck River, flows through the northern part of Wayne County. TheGreen River, a tributary of the Buffalo, flows through Waynesboro.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 2,459 | — | |
| 1830 | 6,013 | 144.5% | |
| 1840 | 7,705 | 28.1% | |
| 1850 | 8,170 | 6.0% | |
| 1860 | 9,115 | 11.6% | |
| 1870 | 10,209 | 12.0% | |
| 1880 | 11,301 | 10.7% | |
| 1890 | 11,471 | 1.5% | |
| 1900 | 12,936 | 12.8% | |
| 1910 | 12,062 | −6.8% | |
| 1920 | 12,877 | 6.8% | |
| 1930 | 12,134 | −5.8% | |
| 1940 | 13,638 | 12.4% | |
| 1950 | 13,864 | 1.7% | |
| 1960 | 11,908 | −14.1% | |
| 1970 | 12,365 | 3.8% | |
| 1980 | 13,946 | 12.8% | |
| 1990 | 12,935 | −7.2% | |
| 2000 | 16,842 | 30.2% | |
| 2010 | 17,021 | 1.1% | |
| 2020 | 16,232 | −4.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010–2014[11] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 14,503 | 89.35% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 878 | 5.41% |
| Native American | 18 | 0.11% |
| Asian | 27 | 0.17% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 426 | 2.62% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 379 | 2.33% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 16,232 people, 5,764 households, and 4,016 families residing in the county.
As of the census[14] of 2010, there were 17,021 people, 5,822 households, and 4,321 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile (8.9 people/km2). There were 6,701 housing units at an average density of 9 units per square mile (3.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.3%White, 5.7%Black orAfrican American, 0.3%Native American, 0.2%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.19% fromother races, and 1.0% from two or more races. 1.6% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 5,936 households, out of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.10% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.20% were non-families. 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.40% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 31.70% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 121.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 125.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $26,576, and the median income for a family was $30,973. Males had a median income of $27,879 versus $19,034 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,472. About 12.90% of families and 16.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.60% of those under age 18 and 19.60% of those age 65 or over.
The religious affiliations of the people of Wayne County, Tennessee are:[15]
Wayne County is one of the most staunchlyRepublican leaning counties in Tennessee as well as the country when it comes to presidential elections. In the 20th century, the county was an enclave of the Republican Party inMiddle Tennessee, one of few outsideEastern Tennessee in a state that was up until recentlyDemocratic. No Democratic presidential candidate has carried the county sinceSamuel J. Tilden in the controversial1876 election.[16]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 971 | 53.80% | 435 | 24.10% | 399 | 22.11% |
| 1916 | 1,626 | 75.28% | 517 | 23.94% | 17 | 0.79% |
| 1920 | 2,617 | 79.69% | 654 | 19.91% | 13 | 0.40% |
| 1924 | 1,398 | 75.24% | 448 | 24.11% | 12 | 0.65% |
| 1928 | 1,756 | 81.64% | 382 | 17.76% | 13 | 0.60% |
| 1932 | 1,082 | 66.02% | 543 | 33.13% | 14 | 0.85% |
| 1936 | 1,304 | 63.89% | 733 | 35.91% | 4 | 0.20% |
| 1940 | 2,486 | 69.21% | 1,100 | 30.62% | 6 | 0.17% |
| 1944 | 2,185 | 77.48% | 630 | 22.34% | 5 | 0.18% |
| 1948 | 1,957 | 68.38% | 820 | 28.65% | 85 | 2.97% |
| 1952 | 2,439 | 70.63% | 1,008 | 29.19% | 6 | 0.17% |
| 1956 | 2,557 | 70.67% | 1,045 | 28.88% | 16 | 0.44% |
| 1960 | 2,912 | 75.21% | 931 | 24.04% | 29 | 0.75% |
| 1964 | 2,510 | 68.06% | 1,178 | 31.94% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 2,417 | 58.51% | 506 | 12.25% | 1,208 | 29.24% |
| 1972 | 2,898 | 79.79% | 673 | 18.53% | 61 | 1.68% |
| 1976 | 2,597 | 57.57% | 1,891 | 41.92% | 23 | 0.51% |
| 1980 | 3,418 | 64.53% | 1,633 | 30.83% | 246 | 4.64% |
| 1984 | 3,332 | 68.29% | 1,534 | 31.44% | 13 | 0.27% |
| 1988 | 3,405 | 68.77% | 1,516 | 30.62% | 30 | 0.61% |
| 1992 | 2,955 | 56.11% | 1,868 | 35.47% | 443 | 8.41% |
| 1996 | 2,715 | 58.39% | 1,574 | 33.85% | 361 | 7.76% |
| 2000 | 3,370 | 63.51% | 1,859 | 35.04% | 77 | 1.45% |
| 2004 | 3,999 | 66.83% | 1,951 | 32.60% | 34 | 0.57% |
| 2008 | 4,076 | 73.75% | 1,355 | 24.52% | 96 | 1.74% |
| 2012 | 4,253 | 77.52% | 1,163 | 21.20% | 70 | 1.28% |
| 2016 | 5,036 | 85.98% | 717 | 12.24% | 104 | 1.78% |
| 2020 | 5,795 | 86.89% | 820 | 12.30% | 54 | 0.81% |
| 2024 | 6,016 | 88.07% | 762 | 11.16% | 53 | 0.78% |
On rare occasions, the county has voted for Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate andstate governor.Al Gore carried Wayne County in his1990 reelection bid, though he never carried in either1992 or1996 asBill Clinton's vice presidential running mate or his campaign for the presidency in 2000, in which he alsolost his home state. Aside from Gore,Jim Sasser carried the county in his last successful reelection bid for the Senatein 1988,Ned McWherter carried it in his 1990 reelection bid for governor, andPhil Bredesen carried it in his2006 gubernatorial reelection bid.[17]
Places adjacent to Wayne County, Tennessee | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofWayne County, Tennessee,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| CDP | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
