Brentwood receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Dickson
Brentwood
Opportunity
71 · Top 21%
vs86 · Top 3%
Growth
68 · Top 20%
vs54 · Top 43%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs71 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 46%
vs71 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 41%
vs72 · Bottom 37%
Schools
68 · Top 30%
vs100 · Top 1%
Access
76 · Bottom 18%
vs97 · Top 30%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 45%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Dickson | Brentwood | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,424 | 45,556 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,678 | $182,088 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,285 | $85,356 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 800/sq mi | 1,080/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $292,600 | $1,031,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,063 | $2,825 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.7% | 90.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 73.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 3.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 136 | 129 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.3 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -52.8% | -14.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.1" | 50.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 39 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.1 min | 26.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.8 | 44.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 40.6% | 68.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.4% | 63.4% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Dickson
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, strong wind.
Brentwood
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Dickson, TN · Brentwood, TN · How this is calculated: methodology