La Vergne ( ) is a city in Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 38,719 at the 2020 census, and was estimated at 41,430 in 2024 by the United States Census Bureau. Early maps show the Nickajack Trail and Creek War Trace converging near present-day Murfreesboro, southeast of La Vergne. Early settlement names included Buchanan land and Buchananville; James B. Buchanan was named postmaster at Buchananville in 1837. During the American Civil War, the city was the site of several battles or skirmishes in 1862, and much of the community was burned that year. The Percy Priest Reservoir on the Stones River lies to the north of the community.
La Vergne's location near Percy Priest Lake gives the city access to boating, fishing, camping, and other outdoor recreation. City visitor information lists boat launches at Hurricane Creek and Poole Knobs Recreation Area, as well as camping at Poole Knobs.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (1.20%) is water.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, La Vergne had a population of 38,719, 12,472 households, and 8,673 families residing in the city.
The median age was 32.7 years, with 29.5% of residents under the age of 18 and 7.6% aged 65 years or older; for every 100 females there were 95.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.0 males.
There were 12,890 housing units, of which 3.2% were vacant; the homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.6%.
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 17,766 || 45.9%
|-
| Black or African American || 9,816 || 25.4%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 335 || 0.9%
|-
| Asian || 1,440 || 3.7%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 40 || 0.1%
|-
| Some other race || 5,374 || 13.9%
|-
| Two or more races || 3,948 || 10.2%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 9,427 || 24.3%
|}
The Census Bureau estimated La Vergne's population at 41,430 in 2024, a 7.0% increase from its 2020 population estimate base.
2018
As of the special census of 2018, there were 34,423 people (from 18,687 in 2000 census), 11,204 households (from 6,536 households in 2000), and 8,901 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 6,994 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 84.50% White, 11.02% African American, 0.43% Native American, 1.32% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.28% from other races, and 1.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.54% of the population.
There were 6,536 households, out of which 46.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.9% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.6% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.4% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 38.9% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 4.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $51,478, and the median income for a family was $55,226. Males had a median income of $35,743 versus $26,323 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,580. About 4.1% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
The largest subdivision of homes in the state of Tennessee, Lake Forest Estates, is located in La Vergne, encompassing more than 3,100 homes.
Economy
Manufacturing, publishing, distribution, retail, and warehousing have played major roles in La Vergne's modern economy. Firestone, later Bridgestone, opened in La Vergne in 1971, and several distribution and corporate facilities were added in the 21st century, including a Feed the Children distribution center in 2013, the ICEE Corporation headquarters in 2020, an Amazon distribution center in 2020, and a BJ's Wholesale Club location in 2023. In 2015, Hong Kong-based Sinomax announced a $28 million investment to convert a former Whirlpool plant into its North American manufacturing headquarters, with plans to create 350 jobs.
According to Census Bureau business data, La Vergne recorded $271.3 million in transportation and warehousing receipts/revenue and $823.8 million in retail sales in 2022.
Outdoor recreation in and near the city is also connected to Percy Priest Lake, Hurricane Creek, and Poole Knobs Recreation Area, where the city lists boating, fishing, hiking, and camping opportunities.
The La Vergne Public Library is described by the city as one of the community's cultural centers. The library offers programs and services for all ages and maintains a collection of more than 60,000 items, including books, audiobooks, DVDs, and music CDs.
Schools
La Vergne is served by Rutherford County Schools. Public schools located in La Vergne include LaVergne High School, LaVergne Middle School, LaVergne Lake Elementary School, Rock Springs Elementary School, Roy Waldron School, and Simon Springs Community School. American Classical Academy Rutherford, a public charter school, is also listed by Rutherford County Schools at a La Vergne address. (1982)