Overton County is a county in Tennessee, United States, on the Cumberland Plateau’s western edge in the Upper Cumberland region. It had a population of 22,511 at the 2020 census and covers 433 square miles (1,120 km2) of land, centred near 36°22′N 85°21′W.
Livingston is the county seat, and its postal code is 38570. The county has one incorporated town (Livingston), one census-designated place (Hilham), and dozens of unincorporated communities scattered across its rural interior. Overton County sits in the Central time zone and carries FIPS code 47141.
Towns & Villages in Overton County
Overton County has a single incorporated town, one CDP, and a long list of unincorporated crossroads communities — a pattern typical of rural Upper Cumberland counties, where most residents live outside any municipal boundary. The table below carries over every community named in the county’s historical settlement list, with type and, where known, 2020 population.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Livingston | Town · seat | 4,246 | 38570 |
| Hilham | CDP | — | 38568 |
| Allons | Unincorp. | — | 38541 |
| Allred | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Alpine | Unincorp. | — | 38543 |
| Anderson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beaver Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Big Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bonsack | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cliff Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Columbia Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cravenstown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Crawford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Flat Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Free Communion | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Garretts Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Green Pond | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hanging Limb | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hardy’s Chapel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hargiss | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Highland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Holly Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Howard Chapel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Independence | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ivyton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lovejoy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mineral Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Monroe | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Muddy Pond | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oak Dale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oak Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oak Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oakley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Obey City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Okalona | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ozone | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Poplar Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rays | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rhyan Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rickman | Unincorp. | — | 38580 |
| Rocky Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shiloh | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sulphur | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Taylors Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Timothy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Twinton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Union Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Unity | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vine Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Waterloo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Windle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Windletown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wirmingham | Unincorp. | — | — |
Livingston is the only incorporated town and the only place with its own municipal government; every other name on the list is a rural crossroads, church community, or old milling settlement without formal boundaries. Hilham, west of Livingston near the Obey River, is the county’s sole census-designated place.
ZIP Codes
- 38570 — Livingston (also serves most of the county’s interior)
- 38541 — Allons
- 38543 — Alpine
- 38568 — Hilham
- 38580 — Rickman
Most of the smaller unincorporated communities have no post office of their own and are served by mail routes out of Livingston or one of the five ZIPs above.
Geography
Overton County sits on the Highland Rim at the western foot of the Cumberland Plateau, a landscape of rolling ridges, sinkholes, and karst caves cut by the East Fork Obey River and its tributaries. The terrain rises toward the plateau escarpment along the county’s eastern edge. Overton County borders Pickett County to the northeast, Fentress County to the east, Putnam County to the south, Jackson County to the west, and Clay County to the northwest.
Live neighbor pages: Pickett County (northeast), Fentress County (east), Putnam County (south), and Jackson County (west). Clay County, to the northwest, has no verified live page under this name.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 22,511 residents, giving Overton County a density of about 52 people per square mile. Livingston, the county seat, is by far the largest community; Hilham is the only other place tracked separately by the Census Bureau. Median household income in Overton County runs below the Tennessee median of $67,631, consistent with other rural Upper Cumberland counties.
Economy & Local Life
Overton County’s economy mixes small manufacturing, agriculture, and services tied to Livingston as the county seat and retail hub. Cattle farming and hay production are common on the county’s rolling upland pasture, while timber and small sawmills draw on the plateau-edge forests to the east. Livingston Regional Hospital and the Overton County school system are among the county’s larger employers.
History
Overton County was organized in September 1806 from parts of Jackson County and named for Judge John Overton, a Tennessee jurist and business partner of Andrew Jackson. On May 10, 1933, an F4 tornado struck the Beatty Swamps community in the county, killing dozens of residents in one of the deadliest tornado events in Tennessee history. The county is the birthplace of Cordell Hull, U.S. Secretary of State under Franklin D. Roosevelt and 1945 Nobel Peace Prize winner, and of bluegrass musician Lester Flatt.
Getting There
State Routes 111 and 52 are the main highways through Overton County, meeting at Livingston.
- Cookeville, Tennessee — about 20 miles south
- Nashville, Tennessee — about 90 miles west
- Knoxville, Tennessee — about 100 miles east
The nearest commercial airport is Nashville International Airport (BNA); Upper Cumberland Regional Airport near Sparta and Cookeville handles general aviation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Overton County?
It is in the Upper Cumberland region of north-central Tennessee, on the western edge of the Cumberland Plateau, bordering Kentucky’s Clinton and Cumberland counties to the north.
What is the population of Overton County?
22,511 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Overton County?
433 square miles (1,120 km2) of land area.
What is the county seat of Overton County?
Livingston is the county seat.
How many towns are in Overton County?
One incorporated town, Livingston; one census-designated place, Hilham; and dozens of unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Overton County?
Livingston is 38570, with Allons, Alpine, Hilham, and Rickman carrying their own ZIP codes as well.
Who was Overton County named after?
Judge John Overton, a Tennessee jurist and business partner of Andrew Jackson, at the county’s founding in September 1806.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Tennessee.