Cookeville is a rapidly growing city of about 35,000 between Knoxville and Nashville, known primarily for Tennessee Tech University. With a growing job market, support for small businesses and a housing market on the rise, Cookeville offers a blend of small-town charm and big-city amenities. “We really have the best of both worlds,” says Laurin Wheaton, mayor since 2022. “We’re a community that really supports one another.''
The city of Cookeville was founded in 1845.
Downtown Cookeville is very walkable with many shops and restaurants locals love to enjoy.
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Midcentury homes at an accessible price point
Nearly 1,400 homes sold in and around Cookeville between December 2023 and December 2024. Housing inventory is low, but Cookeville’s residential spaces are growing. “We know there is a need for housing. We’re still behind, but we’re working on it,” says Wheaton. “We had a record-breaking number of residential building permits allocated, so we’re seeing a ton of new developments. There are a lot of single-family houses and townhomes going up, but we’re not really big on apartments.” Cookeville’s midcentury homes and residential lots are both affordable for and appealing to first-time buyers. The most common architecture is the classic ranch-style home, but buyers will also find more traditional homes. Typically, lots sell for between $15,000 and $60,000. Most of the city’s homes average a sale price between $250,000 and $400,000, with a median of $354,000.
Homeowners in Cookeville keep their front yards clean and manicured.
Cape Cod style of homes with dormer windows can be viewed in Cookeville's Four area.
Newly built modern farmhouses are popping up in the area of Eight in Cookeville.
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Ample parks and recreation areas
Six state parks surround Cookeville, including Cummins Falls State Park and Burgess Falls State Park. While nearly all the landscape immediately outside the city is rural, the green spaces in town are focused on specific uses. “We have multiple parks, but Cane Creek Park is probably the most popular,” says Wheaton. “It has a mountain bike trail, disc golf and a dog park, and there is just plenty to do for the whole family.” Along with ample outdoor activities, the park features a recreation center with basketball, yoga and more. Dogwood Park sits behind the city library with a large playground, picnic tables and an amphitheater. “It’s at the heart of the city,” says Wheaton. “It’s where we have Symphony in the Park, Shakespeare in the Park, the tree lighting and things like that. It’s also next to the Performing Arts Center where dance recitals are held.”
Take in the beautiful lake views at Cane Creek Park in Cookeville's Five.
The sound of the waterfall at City Lake Natural Area in Cookeville are soothing to the mind.
Parkview Park's skate park has multiple ramps and rails for skaters to have fun on in Five.
City Lake Natural Area boats a 35-acre lake in near Eight.
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A growing job market
Cookeville’s job market is rising. “We really want to make sure college students have opportunities after they graduate,” says Wheaton. “We want them to stay here and start a career, buy a home, and set roots.” Top employers include Cookeville Regional Medical Center, Putnam County School District and Tennessee Tech itself. Career opportunities align with Tennessee Tech’s top majors such as engineering and medicine. Cookeville is also a town that supports the endeavors of entrepreneurs. “Small businesses are the pulse of our community,” says Wheaton. Along with the support of the local government, mom-and-pop shops get plenty of love from the community. In fact, residents created Shop Local Cookeville, a free marketplace to promote and discuss local businesses.
Tennessee Tech is a public 4 year school with over 10,000 enrolled students in Cookeville.
Tennessee Tech University and Cookeville's Four have multiple transit stops for commuting.
Students attending Tennessee Tech University can walk to campus from their dorms in Cookeville.
Cookeville Regional Medical Center is a large employer in the town of Cookeville
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Dining out in Cookeville
Cookeville has its share of eclectic, locally owned restaurants. Most of these are in the center of town, where residents can drop into places such as Mauricio’s Italian Kitchen and Cinco Amigos. For drinks, there’s Hooligans Half Irish Pub, a sports bar. Spankies is a bar closer to the north end of the city, where folks go for burgers, beer, steaks and prime rib.
Midtown Social has a large dining room and serves food and cocktails in Five.
Hooligans Half Irish Pub offers traditional pub grub to it's visitors.
Mauricio's Italian Restaurant offers upscale Italian fare to the locals of Cookeville.
Cinco Amigos offers traditional Mexican cuisine to the residents of Cookeville.
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Highway 111 and Interstate 40 make for easy trips
Highway 111 and Interstate 40 cross through the area and provide easy access to Nashville, which is 80 miles west, and Knoxville, which is 100 miles east. Even with heavy traffic, a commute from the south end of the city to its center takes 18 minutes by car. The UCHRA’s bus service, the Go Route, services Cookeville and the Tennessee Tech campus. It's been free to ride since mid-2024 for residents. For flights, residents head about 72 miles east to the Nashville International Airport.
Cookeville has some form of public transportation to get around town.
Residents of Five can catch a bus into Downtown Cookeville during certain hours.
I-40 is a major interstate that runs East/West across the entire state of Tennessee.
Highway 111 is a major North/South interstate that runs through the heart of Cookeville.
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Putnam County Schools
Putnam County Schools has a B-plus rating on Niche and rates higher for college preparation. Of the district’s 22 schools, 11 are in Cookeville. The town has six elementary schools, three middle and one high school. Across these schools, the average student-to-teacher ratio is 17-to-1, which is on par with the national average. Tennessee Tech, with about 10,000 students, has a B-plus rating on Niche and is ranked the second-best public university in Tennessee.
Cookeville High School offers a variety of clubs and activities for student to partake in.
As of 2024, Capshaw Elementary had a student to teacher ratio of 18:1.
Cane Creek Elementary as of 2024 has a student to teacher ratio of 13:1.
Cookeville is home to the Cavaliers at Cookeville High School.
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Crime and tornadoes in Cookeville
According to the FBI statistics, Cookeville’s rate of reported violent crime was 3.5 times lower than that of the state and about half the national average. The city's rate of reported property crime is about 4% higher than the state norm.
Tennessee experiences its fair share of tornadoes, and of its towns and cities, Cookeville ranks approximately in the middle of them for overall risk. In 2020, a storm struck, killing 19. “When that deadly tornado swept through here in 2020…I’ve never seen a community come together and support each other the way we did then. There is only one Cookeville.”
Written By
Malcolm Longerbeam
Photography Contributed By
Chase Brock
Video By
Brandon Flash Craigie
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
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On average, homes in Cookeville, TN sell after 52 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Cookeville, TN over the last 12 months is $345,000, down 1% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Remarkable Remodeled Brick home in Algood. Check out the new flooring, fixtures, fresh paint, and many more updates. Make this 3-bedroom, 2 full bath home yours today. New windows in the sunroom, all new stainless-steel appliances included. Large lot with mature trees with plenty of room to park your RV or boat on this unrestricted 1/2 acre. Convenient location near Hwy 111 and all that
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Coming Soon - Brand new spacious 2 and 3 bedroom townhomes with attached garage. Beautiful indoor swimming pool, updated fitness center, pet play and wash station and much m ore. Saxony Apartment Homes is a centrally-located and welcoming apartment home community in Cookeville, TN. Saxony is located a half-mile from Capshaw Elementary School, less than a quarter-mile from Avery Trace Middle
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The Gables at Veterans is located less than a half mile from I-40, in the heart of Cookeville’s retail, restaurant, and residential district. Our upscale apartment community is walking distance to parks, schools, churches, gyms, shops and any eatery imaginable. Tennessee Tech, the hospital, and historic downtown are a short drive from our location. Our buildings are constructed with a traditional
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