Camden is a city in and the county seat of Benton County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 3,674 at the 2020 census.
History
Native Americans were living in the Camden area as early as the Archaic period (8000-1000 BC). A significant archaeological site has been excavated at nearby Eva (the actual site is now submerged under Kentucky Lake), uncovering evidence of semi-permanent habitation dating back 7000 years.
The first European settlers arrived in the Benton County area around 1818, shortly after (and probably before) the county was purchased from the Chickasaw. Camden has its roots as a stopover along the stage coach route between Nashville and Memphis. Initially known as "Tranquility", the community had attained the name "Camden" by the 1830s, a name influenced by the Revolutionary War-era Battle of Camden. When Benton County was created in 1835, Camden was chosen as the county seat. The City of Camden was officially incorporated in 1838.
On October 20, 1922, George and Ed Hartley were lynched by a large mob outside Camden County Jail after being convicted of manslaughter.
Geography
Camden is situated along Cypress Creek, near the creek's modern confluence with the Kentucky Lake impoundment of the Tennessee River (the original lower of the creek were entirely engulfed by the lake with the completion of Kentucky Dam in 1944). The area is characterized by low hills to the north and west and wetlands to the east, the latter of which are largely protected by the Camden Wildlife Management Area.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.
Climate
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Camden had a population of 3,674, 1,574 households, and 759 families residing in the city. The median age was 40.2 years, with 22.8% of residents under the age of 18 and 21.3% 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 85.2 males age 18 and over.
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 3,204 || 87.2%
|-
| Black or African American || 158 || 4.3%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 14 || 0.4%
|-
| Asian || 49 || 1.3%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0.0%
|-
| Some other race || 60 || 1.6%
|-
| Two or more races || 189 || 5.1%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 140 || 3.8%
|}
There were 1,574 households in Camden, of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 33.6% were married-couple households, 18.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 40.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 37.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
2000 census
As of the census