Overton County, TN - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Overton County

Overton County Schools serve the entire county with a single district, covering a rural area in the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee. The district operates eight schools: five elementary schools, one middle school, one combined high school called Livingston Academy, and a virtual school. The enrollment is distributed fairly evenly across grades PK through 12, which tells a parent that class sizes and school transitions follow a conventional pattern. The student body is overwhelmingly white, with very small shares of Hispanic, Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Because the grade band runs from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, a family can expect to stay within one district for a child’s entire K-12 career unless they choose the virtual option.

On state assessments for grades 3 through 8, the district’s results show an academic profile that a parent will want to examine closely. In math, about two out of five students scored at the proficient or above level. In English language arts, the rate was modestly lower, with roughly a third of students reaching that benchmark. Science and social studies both posted higher proficiency rates, approaching half of students. These scores are based on Tennessee’s TNReady assessments, which use a four-level scale where Levels 3 and 4 count as proficient. Participation rates were very high across all subjects, so the data reflects nearly the entire tested population. A parent considering this district should look into how the elementary and middle school programs address math and reading, because those are the areas where the district’s results are softest. The fact that science and social studies proficiency is stronger suggests uneven performance across subjects rather than a systemic issue, but a conversation with the schools about instructional strategies in literacy and math would be a reasonable step.

The district’s graduation rate was not available in the data provided. Since Livingston Academy serves high school grades, a parent would want to ask the district directly about its four-year graduation rate, as that is a standard indicator of how well the high school supports students to completion. The district’s website and administrative office are the best source for this information.

Housing in Overton County is relatively affordable compared to national benchmarks. Home values vary across the county’s ZIP codes, with the more expensive areas near Cookeville and Rickman and lower-priced homes in Crawford and Livingston. Rents are available only for a couple of Cookeville-area ZIP codes, which limits the picture for rental options. The typical home in the district is priced well below the national median, and monthly housing costs, whether mortgage or rent, are lower than what many families face in larger metro areas. This affordability is a practical consideration for a family moving into the area. The district’s county unemployment rate sits near the national average, and real median household income has been gradually rising over the past decade.

The district search for recent changes or strategic priorities turned up little of lasting impact, so a parent should rely on direct inquiry with the district office for information about upcoming bond measures, facility plans, curriculum updates, or administrative turnover. The absence of public reporting on such items does not mean nothing is happening, but it does mean a prospective resident cannot easily find that context online.

The comparison tool that would place Overton County among its neighboring districts within Overton County could not produce results because the county has a single district, so there are no peers to compare against. A parent who wants to benchmark this district against others in the Upper Cumberland region would need to look at districts in adjacent counties, such as Putnam County or Jackson County, on their own.

In sum, Overton County Schools offer a traditional, rural district structure with a homogeneous student body, affordable housing, and state assessment results that show a clear gap between math and English performance on one side and science and social studies on the other. A family moving here should plan to engage with the schools early on literacy and math support, and should seek out the district’s graduation data directly. The district’s size—spread across multiple elementary schools feeding into one middle school and one high school—means each school may have a distinct character, and the choice of elementary attendance zone is the first important decision a parent will make.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

2,969

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 2%

Black 1%

White 95%

Asian 0%

Two+ 1%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

21%

37%

Gr 4

42%

49%

Gr 5

22%

43%

Gr 6

21%

36%

Gr 7

22%

37%

Gr 8

17%

35%

Gr 38

23%

39%

Math

Gr 3

24%

43%

Gr 4

26%

45%

Gr 5

26%

45%

Gr 6

23%

40%

Gr 7

28%

47%

Gr 8

33%

50%

Gr 38

26%

45%

Science

Gr 3

32%

46%

Gr 4

45%

60%

Gr 5

44%

49%

Gr 6

23%

45%

Gr 7

40%

57%

Gr 8

33%

47%

Gr 38

36%

51%

Social studies

Gr 6

28%

46%

Gr 7

40%

60%

Gr 8

17%

49%

Gr 38

30%

51%

Schools in this District

8 schools are officially reported under this district.

Allons Elementary

Hilham Elementary

Livingston Academy

Livingston Middle School

Rickman Elementary

Wilson Elementary

A H Roberts Elementary

Overton County Virtual School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

41%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

36%

Grades 3-8

Science

1 grade reported

48%

Grades 3-8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

47%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$258,904

Year-over-year change+5.8%

Range across 11 ZIP codes$208K to $339K

vs. state typical0.77x

vs. national typical0.70x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (11 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
38570	Livingston	$237K	+5.8%	27.4%
38574	Monterey	$288K	+5.8%	12.8%
38573	Monroe	$263K	+7.1%	10.1%
38506	Cookeville	$339K	+1.8%	9.6%
38568	Hilham	$243K	+9.1%	8.7%
38543	Livingston	$220K	+8.0%	8.5%
38580	Rickman	$302K	+3.3%	8.0%
38554	Crawford	$208K	+7.9%	7.4%
38541	Allons	$245K	+4.5%	5.8%
38589	Wilder	$228K	-3.4%	0.6%
38501	Cookeville	$300K	+2.4%	0.3%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,778/mo

Year-over-year change-2.5%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$1,450 to $1,787/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
38506	Cookeville	$1,787	—	9.6%
38501	Cookeville	$1,450	-2.5%	0.3%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,306/mo

Home price / national median income3.1x

Annual rent / national median income25.5%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$471/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$334,075 (+0.3% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.