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Counties where children have the best opportunity for economic mobility in Tennessee

Written by:
January 23, 2024
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This story originally appeared on Wealth Enhancement Group and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.

Counties where children have the best opportunity for economic mobility in Tennessee

Americans have long understood that their birthplace can significantly affect their futures, and academics have increasingly been able to connect tangible early life factors like where they live and the friendships they've cultivated with potential future income.

Among the most recent studies shedding light on what's known as economic mobility—a person's ability to move themselves and their families up the socioeconomic ladder over their lifetime—are a series of papers authored by Harvard University researchers leveraging vast troves of social networking data.

As part of a national analysis, Wealth Enhancement Group used data from Harvard University's Social Capital Atlas project to identify where in Tennessee children have the best (and worst) chances at upward economic mobility.

The research draws on a privacy-protected dataset representing 21 billion friendships from Facebook made public through its parent company Meta's Data for Good project. It also uses anonymous tax records, according to the authors. The scholars assigned a score to locales according to how economically connected low- and high-income people living in the area have historically been over at least a decade, per that data. The dataset does not include scores for about 180 of the 3,000 or so counties in the U.S.

The research attempts to fill in the gaps of previous efforts to study American economic mobility that did not consider a person's vast social networks nor their importance in creating better lives for themselves and their children.

It turns out the ability to cultivate friendships linking people of different socioeconomic backgrounds with one another is the strongest factor in determining whether a child can surpass the earning potential of their parents, Harvard researchers found. They call this economic connectedness.

Read on to find out where economic connectedness is strongest in your state.

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#50. Lawrence County

- Economic connectedness: 0.67
- Median Income: $45,721
- Population: 43,967
--- 94.1% white
--- 1.6% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
2 / 50
Ida Jones // Shutterstock

#49. Trousdale County

- Economic connectedness: 0.67
- Median Income: $58,274
- Population: 11,463
--- 82.6% white
--- 10.7% Black
--- 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
3 / 50
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#48. Sevier County

- Economic connectedness: 0.68
- Median Income: $54,363
- Population: 98,088
--- 92.5% white
--- 1.1% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.1% Asian
4 / 50
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#47. Roane County

- Economic connectedness: 0.68
- Median Income: $60,044
- Population: 53,313
--- 93% white
--- 3% Black
--- 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
5 / 50
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#46. Sullivan County

- Economic connectedness: 0.68
- Median Income: $49,661
- Population: 157,843
--- 93.8% white
--- 1.9% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
6 / 50
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#45. Crockett County

- Economic connectedness: 0.68
- Median Income: $52,136
- Population: 14,012
--- 75.9% white
--- 13.2% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
7 / 50
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#44. Humphreys County

- Economic connectedness: 0.68
- Median Income: $49,745
- Population: 18,956
--- 92.5% white
--- 1.1% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
8 / 50
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#43. Wayne County

- Economic connectedness: 0.68
- Median Income: $45,402
- Population: 16,350
--- 90.5% white
--- 5.8% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
9 / 50
Tracy Burroughs Brown // Shutterstock

#42. Bradley County

- Economic connectedness: 0.68
- Median Income: $55,426
- Population: 107,845
--- 87.6% white
--- 5% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.2% Asian
10 / 50
2Kahns Photo Arts // Shutterstock

#41. Lewis County

- Economic connectedness: 0.68
- Median Income: $38,664
- Population: 12,485
--- 93.5% white
--- 1.2% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1% Asian
11 / 50
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#40. Perry County

- Economic connectedness: 0.68
- Median Income: $51,786
- Population: 8,313
--- 91.4% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 1.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.3% Asian
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#39. Hickman County

- Economic connectedness: 0.69
- Median Income: $48,527
- Population: 24,848
--- 91.6% white
--- 4.3% Black
--- 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
13 / 50
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#38. Henry County

- Economic connectedness: 0.69
- Median Income: $43,444
- Population: 32,298
--- 87.7% white
--- 7.4% Black
--- 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
14 / 50
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#37. Franklin County

- Economic connectedness: 0.69
- Median Income: $52,189
- Population: 42,528
--- 89.7% white
--- 4.9% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
15 / 50
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#36. Carroll County

- Economic connectedness: 0.69
- Median Income: $44,794
- Population: 28,370
--- 86.1% white
--- 8.6% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
16 / 50
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#35. Jefferson County

- Economic connectedness: 0.69
- Median Income: $54,371
- Population: 54,358
--- 93.7% white
--- 1.8% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
17 / 50
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#34. Coffee County

- Economic connectedness: 0.69
- Median Income: $52,626
- Population: 57,227
--- 89.7% white
--- 3.8% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.2% Asian
18 / 50
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#33. Henderson County

- Economic connectedness: 0.69
- Median Income: $47,885
- Population: 27,800
--- 88% white
--- 8.1% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
19 / 50
Sabrina Janelle Gordon // Shutterstock

#32. Hardin County

- Economic connectedness: 0.7
- Median Income: $45,092
- Population: 26,722
--- 93.7% white
--- 3.8% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
20 / 50
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#31. Overton County

- Economic connectedness: 0.7
- Median Income: $39,737
- Population: 22,364
--- 96.6% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
21 / 50
ultramansk // Shutterstock

#30. Gibson County

- Economic connectedness: 0.71
- Median Income: $49,615
- Population: 50,278
--- 77.5% white
--- 16.3% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
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#29. Smith County

- Economic connectedness: 0.71
- Median Income: $52,018
- Population: 19,820
--- 91.4% white
--- 2.3% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
23 / 50
Sabrina Janelle Gordon // Shutterstock

#28. Houston County

- Economic connectedness: 0.71
- Median Income: $46,535
- Population: 8,238
--- 93.1% white
--- 3.8% Black
--- 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
24 / 50
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#27. Loudon County

- Economic connectedness: 0.72
- Median Income: $66,151
- Population: 54,349
--- 91.6% white
--- 1.4% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.9% Asian
25 / 50
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#26. Davidson County

- Economic connectedness: 0.72
- Median Income: $66,047
- Population: 708,490
--- 61.1% white
--- 26.7% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 3.5% Asian
26 / 50
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#25. Marshall County

- Economic connectedness: 0.72
- Median Income: $60,036
- Population: 33,909
--- 89.6% white
--- 5.2% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
27 / 50
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#24. Dickson County

- Economic connectedness: 0.74
- Median Income: $61,388
- Population: 54,000
--- 91.2% white
--- 3.6% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
28 / 50
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#23. Putnam County

- Economic connectedness: 0.75
- Median Income: $49,228
- Population: 78,955
--- 91.1% white
--- 2.4% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.1% Asian
29 / 50
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#22. Washington County

- Economic connectedness: 0.75
- Median Income: $52,503
- Population: 132,067
--- 89.5% white
--- 4.1% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.7% Asian
30 / 50
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#21. McNairy County

- Economic connectedness: 0.75
- Median Income: $42,691
- Population: 25,916
--- 91% white
--- 5.8% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
31 / 50
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#20. Anderson County

- Economic connectedness: 0.75
- Median Income: $55,414
- Population: 76,683
--- 89.1% white
--- 3.1% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.4% Asian
32 / 50
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#19. Hamilton County

- Economic connectedness: 0.75
- Median Income: $61,050
- Population: 363,790
--- 73.1% white
--- 18.5% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2% Asian
33 / 50
SevenMaps // Shutterstock

#18. Chester County

- Economic connectedness: 0.75
- Median Income: $52,692
- Population: 17,278
--- 86.1% white
--- 10.3% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
34 / 50
SevenMaps // Shutterstock

#17. Decatur County

- Economic connectedness: 0.76
- Median Income: $43,817
- Population: 11,460
--- 92.3% white
--- 2.5% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
35 / 50
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#16. Robertson County

- Economic connectedness: 0.76
- Median Income: $67,597
- Population: 72,309
--- 84.5% white
--- 7.2% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
36 / 50
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#15. Cannon County

- Economic connectedness: 0.76
- Median Income: $54,223
- Population: 14,309
--- 95.2% white
--- 2.4% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
37 / 50
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#14. Weakley County

- Economic connectedness: 0.76
- Median Income: $43,773
- Population: 32,948
--- 87.8% white
--- 7.9% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.1% Asian
38 / 50
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#13. Blount County

- Economic connectedness: 0.77
- Median Income: $64,593
- Population: 134,042
--- 92.3% white
--- 2.4% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
39 / 50
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#12. Knox County

- Economic connectedness: 0.78
- Median Income: $62,911
- Population: 475,286
--- 83.9% white
--- 8.5% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.3% Asian
40 / 50
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#11. Maury County

- Economic connectedness: 0.8
- Median Income: $66,353
- Population: 99,011
--- 82.4% white
--- 11.3% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1% Asian
41 / 50
SevenMaps // Shutterstock

#10. Tipton County

- Economic connectedness: 0.81
- Median Income: $63,783
- Population: 60,868
--- 76.2% white
--- 18.4% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
42 / 50
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#9. Stewart County

- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $51,460
- Population: 13,569
--- 92.7% white
--- 0.3% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
43 / 50
Tracy Burroughs Brown // Shutterstock

#8. Sumner County

- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $73,517
- Population: 193,036
--- 84% white
--- 8% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.5% Asian
44 / 50
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#7. Rutherford County

- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $72,985
- Population: 335,595
--- 73.3% white
--- 15.2% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 3.6% Asian
45 / 50
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#6. Fayette County

- Economic connectedness: 0.83
- Median Income: $69,729
- Population: 41,584
--- 67.9% white
--- 27.2% Black
--- 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
46 / 50
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#5. Montgomery County

- Economic connectedness: 0.84
- Median Income: $63,768
- Population: 216,172
--- 67.1% white
--- 19.8% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.2% Asian
47 / 50
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#4. Moore County

- Economic connectedness: 0.84
- Median Income: $64,926
- Population: 6,481
--- 92.6% white
--- 1.7% Black
--- 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 3.2% Asian
48 / 50
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#3. Cheatham County

- Economic connectedness: 0.84
- Median Income: $69,132
- Population: 40,878
--- 92.8% white
--- 1.5% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
49 / 50
Tracy Burroughs Brown // Shutterstock

#2. Wilson County

- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $82,224
- Population: 144,748
--- 85.1% white
--- 6.8% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.8% Asian
50 / 50
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#1. Williamson County

- Economic connectedness: 1.13
- Median Income: $116,492
- Population: 242,386
--- 85.8% white
--- 4% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 4.9% Asian

This story features data reporting and writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

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