How deep are wells in Tennessee? Depth by county from 219,129 state well logs
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation keeps the logs drillers file for new residential water wells. Across the 217,432 that give a depth, the median Tennessee well is 163 feet deep, and the middle 80% run from 75 to 405 feet. 95 of 95 counties have 30 or more logs and appear in the table.
163 ft median depth, statewide
75 to 405 ft 10th to 90th percentile
60 ft median static water level
219,129 logs in 95 counties
Deepest and shallowest counties by median depth
Among the 95 counties with 30 or more logs that give a depth. The logs column is the count behind each median.
| Deepest | Median depth | Logs | Shallowest | Median depth | Logs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 294 ft | 2,374 | Lake | 60 ft | 74 |
| Sevier | 290 ft | 15,147 | Benton | 70 ft | 2,989 |
| Jefferson | 285 ft | 3,993 | Coffee | 78 ft | 3,645 |
| Claiborne | 275 ft | 3,476 | Lincoln | 82 ft | 2,052 |
| Grainger | 275 ft | 4,024 | Scott | 83 ft | 687 |
Every Tennessee county with 30 or more logs
Depth is the total depth the driller reported. "Middle 80%" is the 10th to 90th percentile: one log in ten is shallower than the first number and one in ten deeper than the second. Water level is the median static water level (how far below the ground the water stood when the well was finished), from the logs that record one. Years: the span of the middle 90% of dated logs. Download the table (CSV).
| County | Logs | Median depth | Middle 80% | Water level | Years | Our town pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson | 1,457 | 205 ft | 83 to 484 ft | 50 ft | 1964 to 2009 | |
| Bedford | 1,476 | 148 ft | 70 to 300 ft | 45 ft | 1964 to 2021 | |
| Benton | 3,006 | 70 ft | 40 to 160 ft | 38 ft | 1965 to 2023 | |
| Bledsoe | 2,507 | 200 ft | 93 to 400 ft | 60 ft | 1970 to 2024 | |
| Blount | 3,862 | 240 ft | 105 to 560 ft | 60 ft | 1967 to 2022 | Louisville |
| Bradley | 3,911 | 203 ft | 100 to 400 ft | 30 ft | 1966 to 2017 | |
| Campbell | 1,784 | 225 ft | 100 to 445 ft | 80 ft | 1967 to 2015 | |
| Cannon | 1,797 | 92 ft | 45 to 260 ft | 39 ft | 1965 to 2023 | |
| Carroll | 4,546 | 120 ft | 70 to 170 ft | 75 ft | 1965 to 2021 | Huntingdon |
| Carter | 1,833 | 230 ft | 105 to 505 ft | 40 ft | 1971 to 2022 | |
| Cheatham | 2,343 | 160 ft | 75 to 250 ft | 70 ft | 1965 to 2019 | |
| Chester | 2,617 | 120 ft | 75 to 175 ft | 63 ft | 1966 to 2022 | |
| Claiborne | 3,495 | 275 ft | 115 to 505 ft | 100 ft | 1968 to 2021 | |
| Clay | 529 | 92 ft | 39 to 187 ft | 58 ft | 1964 to 2007 | |
| Cocke | 4,376 | 245 ft | 105 to 525 ft | 60 ft | 1967 to 2023 | |
| Coffee | 3,674 | 78 ft | 53 to 150 ft | 38 ft | 1965 to 2008 | |
| Crockett | 927 | 120 ft | 62 to 200 ft | 50 ft | 1964 to 2021 | |
| Cumberland | 2,582 | 150 ft | 80 to 300 ft | 40 ft | 1965 to 2022 | |
| Davidson | 1,443 | 170 ft | 70 to 310 ft | 50 ft | 1964 to 2019 | Nashville |
| Decatur | 731 | 87 ft | 38 to 271 ft | 40 ft | 1965 to 2023 | |
| DeKalb | 1,040 | 105 ft | 59 to 225 ft | 50 ft | 1964 to 2021 | |
| Dickson | 2,901 | 170 ft | 85 to 300 ft | 60 ft | 1966 to 2017 | |
| Dyer | 1,435 | 90 ft | 50 to 160 ft | 40 ft | 1964 to 2009 | |
| Fayette | 8,136 | 154 ft | 107 to 200 ft | 80 ft | 1966 to 2022 | Somerville |
| Fentress | 908 | 125 ft | 75 to 300 ft | 40 ft | 1965 to 2024 | |
| Franklin | 1,668 | 96 ft | 61 to 200 ft | 50 ft | 1964 to 2020 | |
| Gibson | 3,317 | 135 ft | 73 to 217 ft | 70 ft | 1964 to 2019 | |
| Giles | 2,409 | 150 ft | 69 to 350 ft | 40 ft | 1964 to 2018 | |
| Grainger | 4,048 | 275 ft | 127 to 520 ft | 80 ft | 1969 to 2022 | |
| Greene | 2,155 | 205 ft | 100 to 465 ft | 45 ft | 1964 to 2021 | |
| Grundy | 916 | 112 ft | 74 to 220 ft | 40 ft | 1969 to 2024 | |
| Hamblen | 840 | 270 ft | 115 to 527 ft | 60 ft | 1964 to 2018 | |
| Hamilton | 2,213 | 222 ft | 103 to 430 ft | 60 ft | 1968 to 2019 | |
| Hancock | 1,604 | 233 ft | 105 to 505 ft | 60 ft | 1971 to 2022 | |
| Hardeman | 3,584 | 140 ft | 74 to 300 ft | 80 ft | 1965 to 2021 | |
| Hardin | 1,006 | 140 ft | 63 to 300 ft | 50 ft | 1964 to 2023 | |
| Hawkins | 4,049 | 210 ft | 105 to 465 ft | 45 ft | 1966 to 2022 | |
| Haywood | 1,953 | 130 ft | 75 to 200 ft | 65 ft | 1964 to 2017 | |
| Henderson | 1,558 | 130 ft | 78 to 220 ft | 80 ft | 1964 to 2022 | |
| Henry | 4,479 | 105 ft | 56 to 160 ft | 60 ft | 1965 to 2018 | |
| Hickman | 2,088 | 175 ft | 80 to 307 ft | 64 ft | 1966 to 2024 | |
| Houston | 649 | 160 ft | 75 to 343 ft | 50 ft | 1966 to 2024 | |
| Humphreys | 3,453 | 150 ft | 61 to 305 ft | 40 ft | 1968 to 2024 | |
| Jackson | 495 | 120 ft | 60 to 250 ft | 57 ft | 1964 to 2024 | |
| Jefferson | 4,016 | 285 ft | 125 to 565 ft | 60 ft | 1967 to 2022 | |
| Johnson | 2,024 | 270 ft | 124 to 505 ft | 50 ft | 1976 to 2022 | |
| Knox | 3,252 | 240 ft | 112 to 510 ft | 60 ft | 1965 to 2021 | Knoxville |
| Lake | 74 | 60 ft | 40 to 96 ft | 20 ft | 1964 to 2013 | |
| Lauderdale | 593 | 103 ft | 60 to 185 ft | 54 ft | 1964 to 2013 | |
| Lawrence | 4,268 | 115 ft | 65 to 210 ft | 47 ft | 1965 to 2023 | |
| Lewis | 1,807 | 150 ft | 84 to 250 ft | 70 ft | 1969 to 2024 | |
| Lincoln | 2,058 | 82 ft | 49 to 250 ft | 25 ft | 1964 to 2014 | |
| Loudon | 1,984 | 260 ft | 120 to 548 ft | 68 ft | 1967 to 2022 | |
| Macon | 1,011 | 100 ft | 55 to 175 ft | 40 ft | 1967 to 2021 | |
| Madison | 4,719 | 135 ft | 80 to 200 ft | 75 ft | 1965 to 2019 | |
| Marion | 1,818 | 175 ft | 86 to 390 ft | 52 ft | 1971 to 2023 | |
| Marshall | 2,666 | 200 ft | 85 to 447 ft | 35 ft | 1968 to 2022 | |
| Maury | 1,915 | 220 ft | 100 to 826 ft | 57 ft | 1964 to 2024 | |
| McMinn | 4,376 | 225 ft | 110 to 465 ft | 50 ft | 1968 to 2022 | |
| McNairy | 1,394 | 126 ft | 75 to 360 ft | 70 ft | 1966 to 2023 | |
| Meigs | 1,270 | 208 ft | 100 to 464 ft | 40 ft | 1966 to 2023 | |
| Monroe | 4,740 | 220 ft | 105 to 475 ft | 60 ft | 1968 to 2022 | |
| Montgomery | 736 | 175 ft | 80 to 321 ft | 60 ft | 1964 to 2018 | |
| Moore | 500 | 106 ft | 70 to 219 ft | 52 ft | 1965 to 2008 | |
| Morgan | 1,528 | 130 ft | 70 to 310 ft | 48 ft | 1966 to 2021 | |
| Obion | 1,105 | 104 ft | 65 to 200 ft | 52 ft | 1964 to 2012 | |
| Overton | 951 | 110 ft | 60 to 325 ft | 55 ft | 1964 to 2023 | |
| Perry | 1,125 | 127 ft | 55 to 286 ft | 35 ft | 1964 to 2024 | |
| Pickett | 154 | 90 ft | 55 to 159 ft | 58 ft | 1964 to 1993 | |
| Polk | 2,139 | 208 ft | 105 to 410 ft | 40 ft | 1968 to 2023 | |
| Putnam | 1,147 | 125 ft | 54 to 290 ft | 50 ft | 1964 to 2019 | |
| Rhea | 1,963 | 190 ft | 90 to 400 ft | 50 ft | 1968 to 2017 | |
| Roane | 3,259 | 225 ft | 100 to 500 ft | 50 ft | 1966 to 2011 | |
| Robertson | 1,006 | 108 ft | 60 to 202 ft | 45 ft | 1964 to 2021 | |
| Rutherford | 3,810 | 165 ft | 80 to 350 ft | 35 ft | 1965 to 2017 | |
| Scott | 696 | 83 ft | 46 to 200 ft | 33 ft | 1964 to 2010 | |
| Sequatchie | 1,551 | 209 ft | 100 to 415 ft | 60 ft | 1971 to 2024 | |
| Sevier | 15,186 | 290 ft | 108 to 665 ft | 80 ft | 1969 to 2023 | Sevierville |
| Shelby | 1,472 | 140 ft | 67 to 262 ft | 70 ft | 1963 to 2014 | |
| Smith | 771 | 125 ft | 55 to 250 ft | 45 ft | 1964 to 2014 | |
| Stewart | 2,581 | 186 ft | 70 to 385 ft | 60 ft | 1965 to 2024 | |
| Sullivan | 1,630 | 248 ft | 100 to 516 ft | 50 ft | 1965 to 2016 | Blountville |
| Sumner | 2,232 | 95 ft | 50 to 200 ft | 35 ft | 1964 to 2021 | |
| Tipton | 1,858 | 100 ft | 63 to 180 ft | 50 ft | 1964 to 2019 | |
| Trousdale | 338 | 115 ft | 46 to 250 ft | 40 ft | 1964 to 2012 | |
| Unicoi | 672 | 205 ft | 105 to 480 ft | 40 ft | 1966 to 2021 | |
| Union | 3,160 | 245 ft | 110 to 500 ft | 80 ft | 1968 to 2021 | |
| Van Buren | 677 | 202 ft | 101 to 322 ft | 54 ft | 1971 to 2025 | |
| Warren | 783 | 100 ft | 57 to 179 ft | 51 ft | 1964 to 2022 | |
| Washington | 2,377 | 294 ft | 130 to 594 ft | 55 ft | 1966 to 2022 | |
| Wayne | 2,485 | 150 ft | 68 to 255 ft | 65 ft | 1965 to 2023 | |
| Weakley | 3,537 | 125 ft | 70 to 207 ft | 60 ft | 1964 to 2019 | |
| White | 593 | 110 ft | 60 to 241 ft | 56 ft | 1964 to 2021 | |
| Williamson | 4,379 | 185 ft | 100 to 400 ft | 60 ft | 1965 to 2023 | |
| Wilson | 2,943 | 148 ft | 75 to 275 ft | 45 ft | 1964 to 2014 | Lebanon |
Method
- Source: the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Water Well Locations (public), water well database. We downloaded it on October 10, 2026 from the state's own server.
- Rows counted: new residential water wells. Field filter as run: WELL_USE = Residential and WORK_TYPE = New Well; depth = CMPLTN_TOTAL_DEPTH; level = CMPLTN_STATIC_LEVEL.
- Each log is placed in the county the state file gives, matched to Census county names. 219,129 logs matched a Tennessee county.
- A depth outside 1 to 5,000 feet is treated as a typing error and left out. A water level counts only when it is above zero and shallower than the well's depth. Medians and percentiles use the standard linear method.
- A county shows figures only with 30 or more logs that give a depth (water level: 30 or more levels). Nothing is estimated or filled in.
Limits
- Well logs cover drilled wells that a driller reported to the state. They are not a count of every well: older wells, hand-dug wells and wells from before reporting began are often missing.
- Depths and water levels are as each driller wrote them on the day the well was finished. Water levels move with season, drought and nearby pumping, so an old reading is not today's level.
- Dates vary by county. The years column shows when most of the logs were drilled; a county with mostly older logs describes older wells.
- A county figure says nothing certain about one lot. Depth can change a lot across a county, from hilltop to valley. A local driller's logs for nearby wells are the better guide for a single property.
Data: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Water Well Locations (public), water well database, read October 10, 2026. CSV of this table. Built by WellsNear from the state file; the code is the same for every state.
How to cite this: WellsNear, "How deep are wells in Tennessee? Depth by county from state well logs," updated October 10, 2026, https://wellsnear.com/research/well-depth-by-county-tennessee/