Census Data for Cookeville
Population ...
The most recent Census Estimate<1> was for 2019 and it gave Cookeville a population of 34,575 people.
The last Decennial Census<2> was in 2010, which gave Cookeville a population of 30,435 people.
The city of Cookeville is located in Putnam County. The 2010 Census gave Putnam County; a population of 72,321 people. This means that Cookeville had 42.08% of the county's total population, making it Putnam's most populous community.
At the same time, Tennessee had a population of 6,346,105 people, meaning that Cookeville had 0.48% of the total population of Tennessee - making it the state's 20th most populous community.
Area ...
The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for Cookeville has a total area of 32.85 square miles [85.1 km²]. Of this total, a small amount of the area is covered by water (0.18 square miles [0.5 km²]).
Putnam County has a land area of 401.1 square miles [1,038.9 km²]. At 32.68 square miles [84.6 km²], Cookeville has 8.15% of the county's total land area.
- Continue Reading ...
- When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a city like Cookeville, they draw a boundary around the area in which they are going to conduct their count - this defines the sampling area (usually a polygon). The shape of the sampling area can be quite complex and it's important to keep in mind that the boundaries of the sampling area may or may not match the recognized boundaries of the city.
- Things like population, area and housing for Cookeville reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of Cookeville might be different, it's best to check with the U.S. Census Bureau to resolve any difference between the two.
- Not only does the sampling area define boundaries, it also has a GPS location (latitude & longitude) that indicates a point within the sampling area (usually the center of the polygon, known as the centroid). At the time of the 2010 Census, the sampling area was located at:
- Lat: 36° 8' 51" (or 36.15°)
- Lon: -85° 30' 18" (or -85.51°)
- More information on this topic and the changes between the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census can be found in the section for our Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Housing Units ...
At the time of the 2010 Census, Cookeville had 13,706 Housing Units<3> and with its population of 30,435 people, this averages 2.22 people per Housing Unit.
- Continue Reading ...
- The 2010 Census shows Cookeville had a land area of 32.68 square miles [84.6 km²]. This translates to 417.2 Housing Units per square mile [161.1 housing units/km²].
- From the Census of 2000: Cookeville had 10,746 Housing Units, a population of 23,923 people and a land area of 21.86 square miles [56.6 km²]. This gives a density of 2.23 people per Housing Unit and 487.9 Housing Units per square mile [188.4 housing units/km²].
- Note: Repeating the caution above (under Population Density), be aware that when comparing Housing Units between the 2010 Census and the 2000 Census, there were changes in the sampling area for Cookeville and you need to be careful when comparing values between the censuses. More information about the changes can be found in the section called Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Putnam County ...
The community of Cookeville is located in Putnam County<4> and is the County Seat for Putnam County.
The county had a population of 72,321 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 30,435 people, Cookeville represented 42.08% of the county's total.
In addition, where the city of Cookeville has a population density of 926 people per square mile [357.7 people/km²], Putnam County averages 180.3 people per square mile [69.6 people/km²].
For more information, please visit our Census Page for Putnam County.
Census-to-Census Observations ...
Introduction ...
When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for Cookeville, they start by specifying the boundaries of the area to be counted. This area (or sampling area) is a polygon and its shape can be quite complex - it may or may not match the geographical boundaries of Cookeville. It's important to note that from one Census to the next, the shape and location of the polygon can change.
- Continue Reading ...
- Although we don't have specific information about the shape of the polygon for Cookeville or how it changed has over time, there is some information that can give us some hints. For example, since the shape of the sampling area is directly related to the shape of the polygon, any change to area probably indicates a new shape for the polygon.
- If you need precision or details about the methodology of the Census, you should visit the U.S. Census Bureau for a definitive answer.
Location ...
While generally coinciding with the GPS location (latitude/longitude) of Cookeville, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for Cookeville.
- Continue Reading ...
- For the 2010 Census, the location was given as:
- Lat: 36.147686° (or 36°8'51" N)
- Lon: -85.505233° (or -85°30'18" W)
- For the 2000 Census, the location given was:
- Lat: 36.164202° (or 36°9'51" N)
- Lon: -85.504295° (or -85°30'15" W)
- The difference indicates that the U.S. Census Bureau moved the location of the polygon for the 2010 Census 6,027 feet to the south<5> of the location that was used in the 2000 Census.
- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) have assigned a unique GNIS identifier (#2404122) to Cookeville. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of Cookeville. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
- Lat: 36.149886° (or 36°8'59" N)
- Lon: -85.506500° (or -85°30'23" W)
- The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 884 feet to the southeast<6> of the point given by the GNIS for Cookeville. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for Cookeville.
Miscellaneous Information for Cookeville ...
The Federal government has assigned various identifying codes to each community, county and state. At one time or another, the US Census Bureau has used one (or more) of the following identifiers when referring to either Putnam County or the city of Cookeville:
- The GNIS Codes ...
- The FIPS Codes ...
- An earlier (and largely obsolete) identification method was called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS):
- State Code: 47 (Tennessee)
- County Code: 141 (Putnam County)
- Place Code: 16920 (Cookeville)
- State & County Code: 47/141 (Tennessee / Putnam County)
- State & Place Code: 47/16920 (Tennessee / Cookeville)
- Misc. Census Codes ...
- Cookeville is located in Census Region #3 (the South Region) and Division #6 (the East South-Central Division).
- The US Postal Service ZIP Code ...
- While some people have used a ZIP code to identify a community, the purpose of the ZIP code was to make mail delivery more efficient by grouping addresses together. Although the ZIP Code doesn't specifically identify a city like Cookeville, it does identify addresses that are in (or near) Cookeville. It's important to remember that the boundaries of a ZIP Code can be changed, re-assigned or overlapped with other ZIP Codes.
- The ZIP code for Cookeville:38501<7>
- Census ZCTA Codes ...
- The US Census Bureau created statistical entities that they call ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) and these ZCTAs are frequently confused with the ZIP codes that come from the US Postal Service (USPS).
- ZCTAs were first created for the 2000 Census and at that time, they were based upon the USPS ZIP codes. While largely covering the same areas, the boundaries of a ZCTA do not necessarily match the boundaries of a postal ZIP code with the same number. For example, while a postal ZIP code can cross a county or state line, a Census ZCTA can not. They should be treated as separate entities with no correlation between them.
For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for Cookeville.
Off-the-Road Links ...
The official website for Cookeville: www.ci.cookeville.tn.us/
The official website for Putnam County: www.putnamcountytn.gov/
The official website for State of Tennessee: https://www.tn.gov/
The official website of the U.S. Census Bureau
The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)
The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Every year, the US Census Bureau creates a population estimate for the preceeding year. Keep in mind that this value is an estimate and not an actual count. The most recent Census estimate is for the year 2019. |
| <2> | Every 10 years (eg- 1990, 2000, 2010), the US Census Bureau conducts a Constitutionally-mandated count (or enumeration) of people living within the United States. This count is called a Decennial Census. The last Decennial Census was the 2010 Census, with the next one planned for 2020. |
| <3> | A Housing Unit is a broad term for those places where people live (whether occupied or temporarily vacant), such as a house, an apartment, a mobile home, or an area that is considered as a separate living quarter. Separate living quarters (consisting of one or more rooms) are considered to be those places where people live, sleep and eat separately from others and that have access to the outside (either directly or by a shared hallway). |
| <4> | If you're interested in how the shape of Tennessee's counties, including Putnam, have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. |
| <5> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the 2010 Census location is 177 degrees and a distance of 6,027 feet. |
| <6> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the GNIS point is 204 degrees and a distance of 884 feet. |
| <7> | When looking for a ZIP Code, whether Cookeville or elsewhere, it's always best to check the website of the United States Postal Service (USPS). |