Moore County is a county in Tennessee, United States, on the Highland Rim in the south central part of the state. It had a population of 6,461 at the 2020 census and covers 130 square miles (337 km2) centred near 35°17′N 86°21′W.
Lynchburg is the county seat, and its postal code is 37352. The county has one incorporated city and about a dozen unincorporated communities. Since 1988, Lynchburg and Moore County have shared a consolidated city-county government, one of only a handful in Tennessee. The county sits in the Central time zone; its FIPS code is 47127.
Towns & Villages in Moore County
Moore County has one incorporated city — Lynchburg, the seat — and a scatter of small unincorporated communities and crossroads, most without their own population count or ZIP code. The table below carries over every place traceable to a real location in the county.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lynchburg | City · seat | 6,461 | 37352 |
| Bakertown | Unincorp. | — | 37352 |
| Countyline | Unincorp. | — | 37352 |
| Cumberland Springs | Unincorp. | — | 37352 |
| Hickory Hill | Unincorp. | — | 37352 |
| Hurdlow | Unincorp. | — | 37352 |
| Ledfords Mill | Unincorp. | — | 37352 |
| Liberty Hill | Unincorp. | — | 37352 |
| Lois | Unincorp. | — | 37352 |
| Marble Hill | Unincorp. | — | 37352 |
| Mount Herman | Unincorp. | — | 37352 |
| Pleasant Hill | Unincorp. | — | 37352 |
| Raysville | Unincorp. | — | 37352 |
| Ridgeville | Unincorp. | — | 37352 |
| Turkey Creek | Unincorp. | — | 37352 |
Because the county is small and Lynchburg’s post office covers most of it, none of the unincorporated communities has ever been assigned its own ZIP code separately from the county seat.
ZIP Codes
- 37352 — Lynchburg (also serves the whole of Moore County, including Bakertown, Cumberland Springs, Hurdlow, Liberty Hill and every other listed community)
Moore County is compact enough that a single post office, in Lynchburg, has historically served the entire county.
Geography
Moore County straddles the boundary between the rugged Highland Rim and the flatter Nashville Basin, giving it a mix of wooded ridges and open farmland. At 130 square miles it is Tennessee’s second-smallest county by land area, behind only neighboring Trousdale County. Mulberry Creek and several of its tributaries, fed by limestone springs, drain the county and supply the water used in Lynchburg’s whiskey production.
Moore County borders four counties: Coffee County to the northeast, Franklin County to the southeast, Lincoln County to the southwest, and Bedford County to the northwest.
Demographics
Moore County’s population was 6,461 at the 2020 census. Lynchburg is by far the largest community; the rest of the county’s residents live across small unincorporated places such as Mulberry, Hurdlow and Cumberland Springs. Median household income runs below the Tennessee median of $67,631, reflecting the county’s small, largely rural tax base. Population density is roughly 50 people per square mile, well under the state average.
Economy & Local Life
The Jack Daniel Distillery, founded in Lynchburg in the 1860s and registered as the oldest in the United States, is the county’s dominant employer and its best-known landmark, drawing visitors from across the country even though Moore County itself has remained legally dry for most of its history. Beyond the distillery, agriculture — cattle, hay and row crops on the Highland Rim’s thinner soils — and small local businesses tied to tourism round out the local economy.
History
Moore County was organized in 1871, during Reconstruction, and named for General William Moore, an early settler and longtime member of the Tennessee legislature. It was originally carved out at roughly 300 square miles but was reduced after neighboring Lincoln County successfully reclaimed part of the territory, leaving it the small county it is today. Whiskey distilling took root in the area in the 1820s, and by 1875 about fifteen distilleries were operating in the county; the Jack Daniel Distillery, established in the 1860s, is the sole survivor of that era and still operates from its original site. In 1988, Lynchburg and Moore County consolidated into a single metropolitan government, merging city and county administration.
Getting There
U.S. Route 64 crosses the county and links Lynchburg to Tullahoma to the east and Fayetteville to the west; state routes 55 and 130 provide the other main links to neighboring towns.
- Tullahoma — 12 miles northeast
- Fayetteville — 20 miles southwest
- Shelbyville — 20 miles north
- Winchester — 18 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Nashville International Airport, about 75 miles to the northwest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Moore County, Tennessee?
It sits in the south central part of the state, on the Highland Rim between Nashville and the Alabama state line.
What is the population of Moore County?
6,461 people, according to the 2020 census, making it one of Tennessee’s least populous counties.
How big is Moore County?
130 square miles (337 km2), making it Tennessee’s second-smallest county by area.
What is the county seat of Moore County?
Lynchburg is the county seat, and the two governments have operated as a single consolidated city-county government since 1988.
How many towns are in Moore County?
Lynchburg is the only incorporated city; the rest of the county is made up of small unincorporated communities such as Mulberry Creek, Hurdlow and Cumberland Springs.
What ZIP codes are in Moore County?
The entire county is served by 37352, the Lynchburg ZIP code.
Why is Moore County known for whiskey despite being a dry county?
The Jack Daniel Distillery, founded in Lynchburg in the 1860s, predates the county’s dry laws and operates under a legal exemption that lets it produce whiskey for sale outside the county.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Tennessee.