Is South Pittsburg, TN a Good Place to Live?
South Pittsburg is a small town of 3,068 in Tennessee, with a median household income of $45,250 and a 5.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.
Strengths: South Pittsburg stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether South Pittsburg is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All South Pittsburg city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 92.8South Pittsburg's overall cost of living index is 92.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in South Pittsburg costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
| Metric | South Pittsburg, TN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $137,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $598 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $45,250 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeSouth Pittsburg's violent crime rate is 136.2 per 100,000 residents — 64% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
South Pittsburg is served primarily by Marion County.
| Metric | South Pittsburg, TN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Marion County | — |
| Elementary Schools | 5 | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | 5 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | N/A | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 7.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 77.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
South Pittsburg sees average highs of 48.4°F in January and 87.7°F in July, with 60.2 inches of annual precipitation and 5.4 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | South Pittsburg, TN |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 48.4°F |
| Average High — July | 87.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | South Pittsburg, TN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,068 | — |
| Median Age | 49.7 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 22.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 83.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 12.8% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.8% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.7% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 22.0% | 16.8% |