Livingston is a town in Overton County, Tennessee, United States, and serves as the county seat. The population was 3,905 at the 2020 census and 4,058 at the 2010 census. The current mayor, Lori Elder Burnette, Livingston's first female mayor, began serving her mayoral position on August 29, 2024.
Livingston is part of the Cookeville, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area with a 2023 population of 148,226.
History
The town of Livingston, Tennessee was purchased on August 10, 1833. Forty acres of land was bought for two hundred dollars. Livingston was named after Edward Livingston (1764–1836), who served as Secretary of State under President Andrew Jackson. In 1833, in a close and controversial election, the residents of Overton County voted to move the county seat from the town of Monroe to Livingston.
While Livingston has been home to many people it was home to Governor Albert H. Roberts. Along with working in Livingston Albert H. Roberts also worked at the Alpine Institute. The Alpine Institution was a private Presbyterian mission school located in Overton County, Tennessee. Along with Livingston being home to A.H. Roberts, it's also home to one of only 35 Iron Lungs in the country.
The National Register of Historic Places includes three buildings in Livingston: the Overton County Courthouse, the American Legion Hut, and Gov. Albert H. Roberts Law Office.
Geography
Livingston is located at (36.386942, -85.325568), approximately 15 miles north by northeast of Cookeville.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (0.77%) is water. Elevation in the town ranges from 1,027 ft (313 m) to 1700 ft (518.16 m)
Climate
Livingston's climate is humid subtropical (Cfa) under the Köppen system, with mild winters and hot, humid summers. Under the Trewartha system, it is a borderline humid subtropical (Cf) and oceanic (Do) climate, supported by the fact that subtropical plants like Southern Magnolia and the occasional Needle Palm can reach their full potential here but struggle much further north. Camellia and Bananas are often seen growing in the town.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Livingston had a population of 3,905. The median age was 44.1 years. 19.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 85.4 males age 18 and over.
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 1,665 households and 963 families in Livingston, of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 37.4% were married-couple households, 18.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 37.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| White (non-Hispanic)
| 3,645
| 93.34%
|-
!scope="row"| Black or African American (non-Hispanic)
| 30
| 0.77%
|-
!scope="row"| Native American
| 13
| 0.33%
|-
!scope="row"| Asian
| 25
| 0.64%
|-
!scope="row"| Other/Mixed
| 129
| 3.3%
|-
!scope="row"| Hispanic or Latino
| 63
| 1.61%
|}
2000 census
As of the census