Lincoln County is a county in Tennessee, United States, on the state line with Alabama in the south central part of the state. It had a population of 35,319 at the 2020 census and covers 571 square miles (1,480 km2) centred near 35°08′N 86°35′W.
Fayetteville is the county seat and largest city, and its postal code is 37334. The county holds one city, one town, and dozens of unincorporated communities and rural crossroads. Lincoln County sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Lincoln County
Lincoln County has one incorporated city (Fayetteville), one incorporated town shared with Marshall County (Petersburg), and a large number of unincorporated communities, crossroads, and rural subdivisions. Ardmore, in the county’s southwest corner, is incorporated but split across the Tennessee–Alabama line and Lincoln–Giles county line. Population and ZIP figures below are shown only where independently verified; unmarked cells mean the figure could not be confirmed for this page.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville | City · seat | — | 37334 |
| Ardmore | City | — | — |
| Petersburg | Town | — | 37144 |
| Elora | Unincorp. | — | 37328 |
| Flintville | Unincorp. | — | 37335 |
| Kelso | Unincorp. | — | 37348 |
| Mulberry | Unincorp. | — | 37359 |
| Taft | Unincorp. | — | 38488 |
| Dellrose | Unincorp. | — | 38453 |
| New Dellrose | Unincorp. | — | 38453 |
| Belleville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Booneville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kirkland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mimosa | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shady Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Belleview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bidwell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blakeville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blanche | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bledsoe | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Boonshill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brighton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bucks Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Camargo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cash Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Champ | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chestnut Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coldwater | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Corder Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Creson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Crystal Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Douglas | Unincorp. | — | — |
| East Cyruston | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eastwood Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Egam | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elk Mill Village | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elmwood Terrace | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gattistown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Greenwood Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gum Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hamilton Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Harms | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Highland Rim | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hilldale Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Howell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Howell Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hughey | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jerusalem | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Liberty | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lincoln | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lockes Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Madden Homes | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marys Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mayberry Courts | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McBurg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Millville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Molino | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Hope | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Park City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Park City Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pearl City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Plada Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pleasant Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Prospect | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Red Oak | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rolling Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rozells Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Skinem | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Smithland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sulphur Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sycamore Swamp | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Taylortown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Three Oaks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vanntown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| West Cyruston | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Westbrook | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Yukon | Unincorp. | — | — |
Ardmore straddles two states and two counties: its Tennessee side sits partly in Lincoln County and partly in Giles County, with the rest of the built-up area across the state line in Limestone County, Alabama. Petersburg’s town limits likewise cross into neighboring Marshall County. Both are counted here for their Lincoln County share only.
ZIP Codes
- 37334 — Fayetteville
- 37144 — Petersburg
- 37335 — Flintville
- 38488 — Taft
- 37328 — Elora
- 37359 — Mulberry
- 37348 — Kelso
- 38453 — Dellrose (also serves New Dellrose)
Most of the county’s small rural communities and subdivisions share a ZIP code with the nearest post-office town above rather than carrying their own.
Geography
Lincoln County lies on the Highland Rim of Middle Tennessee, a rolling plateau of pasture and cropland cut by Elk River and its tributaries, which flow west across the county toward the Tennessee River. The land is mostly farmland and woodland, with the county’s own figures putting it at 570 square miles of land and 0.4 square miles of water. Fayetteville sits near the center of the county on the Elk River.
Lincoln County borders Bedford County to the north, Moore County to the northeast, Franklin County to the east, Madison County, Alabama and Limestone County, Alabama to the south, Giles County to the west, and Marshall County to the northwest.
Demographics
Lincoln County had 35,319 residents at the 2020 census, spread across roughly 63 people per square mile. Fayetteville is by far the largest community; Ardmore and Petersburg are the county’s other incorporated places. Tennessee’s 2023 median household income was $67,631; county-level income for Lincoln County was not independently verified for this page and is omitted rather than estimated.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture remains central to Lincoln County’s economy, with cattle, hay, corn, and soybeans grown across the Highland Rim’s pasture and cropland. Fayetteville serves as the county’s retail, government, and healthcare hub. The county is also known regionally for the “Lincoln County Process,” the charcoal-mellowing step used in Tennessee whiskey production; the process is named for this county even though the Jack Daniel Distillery itself later ended up across the line in Moore County after an 1871 boundary change.
History
Lincoln County was organized in 1809 from part of Bedford County and named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln, a Revolutionary War officer. Fayetteville was laid out soon after as the county seat. Moore County was carved out of Lincoln’s northeastern corner in 1871, taking with it the site that later became the Jack Daniel Distillery.
Getting There
U.S. Route 64 and State Route 50 cross Fayetteville, connecting the county east–west, while State Route 129 and State Route 122 run north–south through the county.
- Tullahoma — 30 miles northeast
- Huntsville, Alabama — 40 miles south
- Shelbyville — 25 miles north
- Winchester — 25 miles east
The nearest commercial airport is Huntsville International Airport in Alabama.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Lincoln County, Tennessee?
It is in south central Tennessee on the Alabama state line, centred near 35°08′N 86°35′W.
What is the population of Lincoln County?
35,319 at the 2020 census.
How big is Lincoln County?
571 square miles (1,480 km2), of which 570 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Lincoln County?
Fayetteville is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns are in Lincoln County?
One city (Fayetteville), one town (Petersburg, shared with Marshall County), one additional incorporated city (Ardmore, shared with Giles County and Alabama), and dozens of unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Lincoln County?
Fayetteville’s postal code is 37334; other ZIPs in the county include 37144, 37335, 38488, 37328, 37359, 37348, and 38453.
Why is the “Lincoln County Process” named for a county the Jack Daniel Distillery isn’t in?
The distillery site was inside Lincoln County when the charcoal-mellowing process was developed; Moore County was created from Lincoln County’s northeastern corner in 1871, after the process already carried the Lincoln County name.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Tennessee.