| Camden | |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Mapsize: | 250x200px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Tennessee |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Benton |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Roger Pafford |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 1836[1] |
| Established Title2: | Incorporated |
| Established Date2: | 1838[2] |
| Named For: | Camden, South Carolina |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [3] |
| Area Total Km2: | 14.70 |
| Area Land Km2: | 14.70 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 5.68 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 5.68 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 3674 |
| Population Density Km2: | 249.88 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 647.17 |
| Timezone: | Central (CST) |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Elevation M: | 137 |
| Elevation Ft: | 449 |
| Coordinates: | 36.0464°N -88.0858°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 38320 |
| Area Code: | 731 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 47-10560[4] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1305616[5] |
Camden is a city in Benton County, Tennessee. The population was 3,674 at the 2020 census.[6] It is the county seat of Benton County.[7]
Native Americans were living in the Camden area as early as the Archaic period (8000-1000 BC). A significant archaeological site has been excavated at nearby Eva (the actual site is now submerged under Kentucky Lake), uncovering evidence of semi-permanent habitation dating back 7000 years.[8]
The first European settlers arrived in the Benton County area around 1818, shortly after (and probably before) the county was purchased from the Chickasaw. Camden has its roots as a stopover along the stage coach route between Nashville and Memphis. Initially known as "Tranquility", the community had attained the name "Camden" by the 1830s, a name influenced by the Revolutionary War-era Battle of Camden.[9] When Benton County was created in 1835, Camden was chosen as the county seat. The City of Camden was officially incorporated in 1838.[10]
On October 20, 1922, George and Ed Hartley were lynched by a large mob outside Camden County Jail after being convicted of manslaughter.
Camden is situated along Cypress Creek, near the creek's modern confluence with the Kentucky Lake impoundment of the Tennessee River (the original lower 10miles of the creek were entirely engulfed by the lake with the completion of Kentucky Dam in 1944). The area is characterized by low hills to the north and west and wetlands to the east, the latter of which are largely protected by the Camden Wildlife Management Area.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.7km2, all of it land.[11]
| White (non-Hispanic) | 3,168 | 86.23% | |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 158 | 4.3% | |
| Native American | 10 | 0.27% | |
| Asian | 49 | 1.33% | |
| Other/Mixed | 149 | 4.06% | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 140 | 3.81% |
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,828 people, 1,631 households, and 1,014 families residing in the city. The population density was 344.9sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 1,840 housing units at an average density of 165.8sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the city was 93.08% White, 5.33% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.31% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population.
There were 1,631 households, out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.1% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 26.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,348, and the median income for a family was $31,667. Males had a median income of $27,413 versus $20,142 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,271. About 11.6% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.1% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
Agriculture is important to the economy of Camden and Benton County. Sorghum was once a key crop; the last sorghum processing facility closed in 2001.
Jones Plastic and Engineering operates a 60000square feet facility in Camden.
Camden is a bedroom community for employees of the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the DuPont titanium dioxide production plant in nearby New Johnsonville.
Camden is served by the Benton County School System. Schools include: