Coffee County, Tennessee

Coffee County is a county located in the central part of the state of Tennessee, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 57,889.^[1] Its county seat is Manchester.^[2] Coffee County is part of the Tullahoma-Manchester, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is also part of Middle Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of the state.

Coffee County
County
Coffee County Courthouse in Manchester
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
Tennessee's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°29′N 86°04′W
Country	United States
State	Tennessee
Founded	January 8, 1836
Named after	John Coffee
Seat	Manchester
Largest city	Tullahoma
Area
• Total	435 sq mi (1,130 km2)
• Land	429 sq mi (1,110 km2)
• Water	5.6 sq mi (15 km2)  1.3%
Population  (2020)
• Total	57,889
• Density	123/sq mi (47/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	4th
Website	www.coffeecountytn.gov

History

Coffee County was formed in 1836 from parts of Bedford, Warren, and Franklin counties.^[3] It was named for John Coffee, a prominent planter, land speculator, and militia officer.^[4][5]

In the period after the Reconstruction era ended (1877) and into the early 20th century, whites in Coffee County committed eight lynchings of blacks. This was the fifth-highest total of any county in the state, but three other counties also had eight lynchings each.^[6]

Century Farms

Coffee County has twelve Century Farms, the classification for farms that have been operating for more than 100 years. The oldest Century Farm is Shamrock Acres, founded in 1818. Other Century Farms include:^[3]

• Beckman Farm
• Brown Dairy Farm
• Carden Farm
• Crouch-Ramsey Farm
• Freeze Farm
• The Homestead Farm
• Jacobs Farm
• Long Farm
• Shamrock Acres
• Sunrise View Farm
• Thomas Farm, site of the Farrar Distillery

Geography

State Route 127 near Hillsboro

Machine Falls at Short Springs State Natural Area

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 435 square miles (1,130 km²), of which 429 square miles (1,110 km²) is land and 5.6 square miles (15 km²) (1.3%) is water.^[7]

Adjacent counties

• Cannon County (north)
• Warren County (northeast)
• Grundy County (east)
• Franklin County (south)
• Moore County (southwest)
• Bedford County (west)
• Rutherford County (northwest)

Major highways

• Interstate 24
• U.S. Route 41
• U.S. Route 41A

State protected areas

• Arnold Engineering Development Complex Wildlife Management Area (jointly managed by TWRA and USAF)
• Bark Camp Barrens Wildlife Management Area
• Hickory Flats Wildlife Management Area
• Maple Hill Wildlife Management Area
• May Prairie State Natural Area
• Normandy Wildlife Management Area (part)
• Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park
• Short Springs State Natural Area

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1840	8,184		—
1850	8,351		2.0%
1860	9,689		16.0%
1870	10,237		5.7%
1880	12,894		26.0%
1890	13,827		7.2%
1900	15,574		12.6%
1910	15,625		0.3%
1920	17,344		11.0%
1930	16,801		−3.1%
1940	18,959		12.8%
1950	23,049		21.6%
1960	28,603		24.1%
1970	32,572		13.9%
1980	38,311		17.6%
1990	40,339		5.3%
2000	48,014		19.0%
2010	52,796		10.0%
2020	57,889		9.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010-2014[12]

Age pyramid Coffee County^[13]

2020 census

Coffee County racial composition^[14]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	48,983	84.62%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	2,097	3.62%
Native American	145	0.25%
Asian	611	1.06%
Pacific Islander	37	0.06%
Other/Mixed	2,757	4.76%
Hispanic or Latino	3,259	5.63%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 57,889 people, 21,646 households, and 14,777 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the census^[15] of 2000, there were 48,014 people, 18,885 households, and 13,597 families residing in the county. The population density was 112 people per square mile (43 people/km²). There were 20,746 housing units at an average density of 48 units per square mile (19/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.43% White, 3.59% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.91% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. 2.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 18,885 households, out of which 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.90% were married couples living together, 11.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.10% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,898, and the median income for a family was $40,228. Males had a median income of $32,732 versus $21,014 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,137. About 10.90% of families and 14.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.80% of those under age 18 and 15.20% of those age 65 or over.

Events

The Bonnaroo Music Festival has been held annually in the county since 2002.^[16]

Notable people

• Dustin Lynch, country singer.
• DJ Qualls, film actor.
• Betty Sain, horse trainer and breeder.
• J. Stanley Rogers, Tennessee House of Representatives majority leader.
• Ally Walker, actress.

Points of interest

George Dickel Distillery

• Arnold Engineering Development Complex
• George Dickel Tennessee whiskey distillery
• Old Stone Fort — part of Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park, just west of Manchester
• Short Springs State Natural Area^[17]
• Farrar Distillery – on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Communities

Cities

Manchester

• Manchester (county seat)
• Tullahoma

Census-designated places

• Hillsboro
• Lakewood Park
• New Union

Unincorporated communities

• Beech Grove
• Belmont
• Blanton's Chapel
• Farrar Hill
• Fredonia
• Fudgearound
• Noah
• Pocahontas
• Shady Grove
• Summitville

Politics

Coffee County is a Republican stronghold. The last Democrat to carry this county was Bill Clinton in 1996.

United States presidential election results for Coffee County, Tennessee^[18]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	19,174	76.91%	5,440	21.82%	318	1.28%
2020	17,883	73.65%	5,705	23.49%	694	2.86%
2016	14,417	72.19%	4,743	23.75%	811	4.06%
2012	13,023	67.62%	5,870	30.48%	366	1.90%
2008	13,250	63.73%	7,132	34.30%	408	1.96%
2004	11,793	58.48%	8,243	40.87%	131	0.65%
2000	8,788	49.40%	8,741	49.14%	259	1.46%
1996	7,038	43.18%	7,951	48.78%	1,312	8.05%
1992	6,047	35.48%	8,534	50.07%	2,463	14.45%
1988	7,837	57.56%	5,686	41.76%	92	0.68%
1984	7,695	57.14%	5,691	42.26%	82	0.61%
1980	5,454	40.72%	7,612	56.84%	327	2.44%
1976	3,848	32.05%	8,017	66.78%	140	1.17%
1972	6,416	66.18%	2,973	30.67%	306	3.16%
1968	3,337	29.87%	3,040	27.21%	4,794	42.91%
1964	3,012	30.58%	6,837	69.42%	0	0.00%
1960	3,058	39.79%	4,555	59.26%	73	0.95%
1956	2,389	32.42%	4,930	66.90%	50	0.68%
1952	2,110	37.25%	3,537	62.44%	18	0.32%
1948	599	16.63%	2,041	56.68%	961	26.69%
1944	568	17.35%	2,703	82.56%	3	0.09%
1940	424	15.63%	2,277	83.96%	11	0.41%
1936	408	15.88%	2,148	83.58%	14	0.54%
1932	430	17.92%	1,950	81.25%	20	0.83%
1928	1,126	48.72%	1,175	50.84%	10	0.43%
1924	488	21.80%	1,691	75.52%	60	2.68%
1920	822	28.69%	2,043	71.31%	0	0.00%
1916	489	20.84%	1,837	78.30%	20	0.85%
1912	521	22.49%	1,705	73.59%	91	3.93%

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Coffee County, Tennessee
• The Saturday Independent