A rural northwest Tennessee city home to University of Tennessee at Martin
Among the soybean fields in northwest Tennessee, about 10 miles from the Kentucky border, is the small college town of Martin, Tennessee, with the 2020 census indicating a population of 10,825. “We’re Smalltown USA and a quiet community where everybody knows everybody else,” says Sam Freeman, a real estate agent with Wendell Alexander Realty and a native of Martin. During the school year, the population increases by about 7,000 with the addition of students who attend the University of Tennessee at Martin. “The school does a lot for the community, and the population blends well with the city,” he adds. Students have used the MLK holiday as a day of service and have handed out meals to address food insecurity issues in the region. The school is one of the city's largest employers along with tool manufacturer, Stanley Black & Decker, with a plant on the city’s east side.
Martin offers residents affordable homes, shaded streets, and a slower pace of life.
Martin is home to UT-Martin, a small college with over 150 programs of study.
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Martin has late 20th-century homes, condos and multifamily units
Martin's median single-family house price is $261,000, more expensive than Union City, about 16 miles away, but well below the national average. “There’s very little new construction in Martin and very little land to build,” Freeman says. Ranch-style homes from the 1970s and ‘80s are the most prominent. A condo development in the Mount Pelia subdivision has homes priced between $165,000 and $190,000. Multifamily units are priced from $90,000 to $550,000.
The median price of a single family home in Martin is $261,000.
Martin's outlying areas feature spacious lots in a semi-rural environment.
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Weakley County School District ranks in the top third of the state
The Weakley County School District serves Martin. Niche gives the district an overall B-plus and ranks it the 27th best of Tennessee’s 122. District leadership prides itself on student performance in the face of economic challenges experienced by some of its community. At the elementary level, students attend Matin Primary School through second grade and Martin Elementary for third through fifth grade.
UT-Martin’s small campus is west of downtown, with many academic buildings within walking distance of the dorms. The college offers over 150 programs of study. Basketball games are played at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center on campus, with more athletic facilities behind it.
Martin is served by the Weakley County School District.
Martin students attend Martin Elementary School for third through fifth grade.
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Martin Recreation Complex is a hub for youth sports
The Martin, Tennessee Parks and Recreation Department operates several facilities around the city. The largest is the Martin Recreation Complex on Highway 45 on the city’s south side next to Westview High School. There are five baseball fields, four softball fields and multiple soccer facilities. There’s also a lake and a walking and biking path. The Brian Brown Memorial Greenway is a nearly two-mile trail close to the UT-Martin campus and passes through farmland owned by the school. Parking is available at the north and south trailhead.
The Brian Brown Memorial Greenway offers a place for Martin's students and residents to stretch their legs.
Martin Recreation Complex features several ball fields, a playgound, fishing pond, and more.
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Local businesses line Lindell Street
Businesses line Lindell Street, downtown’s main thoroughfare. Martin’s Coffee & Bakery serves coffee in a serene environment with comfy chairs, plants and books. The building housing Blake’s at Southern Milling dates back to 1918 and now serves Texas-style barbecue. More restaurants and retail are available farther north of downtown on Lindell Street. Another restaurant and retail corridor is on Lindell Street, north of downtown, and a couple of grocery stores are located on University Street on the city’s northwest side.
Martin offers a cute downtown with shops and restaurants in historic buildings.
Martin's Coffee and Bakery is one of several locally owned businesses to take up residence along South Lindell Street in recent years.
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The Soybean Festival celebrates the state crop
For five days in early September, the city and surrounding area get together to celebrate its agricultural heritage. The Soybean Festival is a weeklong party downtown with carnival rides, food and live music. There’s a parade to kick off the events, and the home opener for the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks football team at Hardy M. Graham Stadium on campus is on the last day of the festivities. The first festival was held in 1994. “It used to be a nine-day event that started one weekend and went to the entirety of the next week,” Freeman says. “Soybeans are the state’s number one cash crop, a big part of the farming infrastructure.”
Martin's Soybean Festival culminates in the kickoff of Skyhawks football.
Martin pays homage to the lush farmland that supports the town with its annual Soybean Festival.
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Transportation
U.S. Route 45 is a four-lane highway that leads south to Jackson, about 50 miles away or north toward Fulton, Kentucky. West Tennessee Healthcare Hospital and Emergency Room is the city’s medical center on the southwest side.
Important to know
The latest data available is for 2023. The FBI says some violent crimes were above the state and national averages, while property crimes like theft were around or surpassing both averages in portions of 2023.
Written By
Jeff Stapleton
Photography Contributed By
Aaron Bloodworth
Video By
Charlie Lingner
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Koltin Winstead,
an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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