Cheatham County (/ˈtʃiːtəm/ CHEE-təm) is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 41,072. Its county seat is Ashland City. Cheatham County is located in Middle Tennessee, and is part of the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Cheatham County was created by the Tennessee General Assembly act in 1856, from lands formerly of Davidson, Dickson, Montgomery, and Robertson counties. Cheatham County was named for Edward Saunders Cheatham, a state legislator. It is also possible that Cheatham County was also named for native middle Tennessean and Confederate general Benjamin F. Cheatham, a relative of Edward Saunders Cheatham.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 307 square miles (800 km), of which 302 square miles (780 km) is land and 4.6 square miles (12 km) (1.5%) is water.

The county is bisected from northwest to southeast by the Cumberland River, with Ashland City on its northern bank. The southern portion of the county is bisected from southeast to northwest by the Harpeth River, which meanders through generally hilly country, and along whose course are located the communities of Kingston Springs, largely to the north of Interstate 40 (I-40), and Pegram, along U.S. Route 70 (US 70). The western border of the central portion of the county is defined by the course of the Harpeth. The hills east of the Harpeth and south of the Cumberland are partly set aside by the state as the Cheatham State Wildlife Management Area. North of Ashland City the hills subside into more level highlands, where the community of Pleasant View is located just south of I-24, which generally delineates the county's northern border.

• Robertson County (northeast)
• Davidson County (east)
• Williamson County (south)
• Dickson County (west)
• Montgomery County (northwest)

• Cheatham Wildlife Management Area
• Cheatham Lake Wildlife Management Area (part)
• Harpeth River State Park

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	7,258		—
1870	6,678		−8.0%
1880	7,956		19.1%
1890	8,845		11.2%
1900	10,112		14.3%
1910	10,540		4.2%
1920	10,039		−4.8%
1930	9,025		−10.1%
1940	9,928		10.0%
1950	9,167		−7.7%
1960	9,428		2.8%
1970	13,199		40.0%
1980	21,616		63.8%
1990	27,140		25.6%
2000	35,912		32.3%
2010	39,105		8.9%
2020	41,072		5.0%
2023 (est.)	42,254		2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2014

Cheatham County racial composition

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	36,299	88.38%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	815	1.98%
Native American	92	0.22%
Asian	184	0.45%
Pacific Islander	25	0.06%
Other/Mixed	1,818	4.43%
Hispanic or Latino	1,839	4.48%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 41,072 people, 15,089 households, and 11,022 families residing in the county.

At the 2000 census there were 35,912 people, 12,878 households, and 10,160 families in the county. The population density was 119 people per square mile (46 people/km). There were 13,508 housing units at an average density of 45 units per square mile (17/km). The racial makeup of the county was 96.86% White, 1.48% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. 1.22%. were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2005 The racial makeup of the county was 94.8% non-Hispanic whites, 2.1% African-Americans and 1.7% Latinos. In 2000 Of the 12,878 households 39.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.90% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.10% were non-families. 16.90% of households were one person and 5.30% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.08.

The age distribution was 27.70% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 33.50% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 8.60% 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.40 males.

The median household income was $45,836 and the median family income was $49,143. Males had a median income of $34,476 versus $25,191 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,882. About 5.30% of families and 7.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.60% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.

• Pleasant View

• Ashland City (county seat)
• Kingston Springs
• Pegram

• Bell Town
• Chapmansboro
• Cheap Hill
• Craggie Hope
• Shacklett

Cheatham County is currently recognized as a Republican stronghold. The last Democrat to carry this county on a presidential level was Bill Clinton in 1996. Cheatham was a typical "Solid South" county until the mid 1960s, until it eventually solidified as a Republican county in the 21st century.

United States presidential election results for Cheatham County, Tennessee

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	14,987	72.26%	5,464	26.34%	290	1.40%
2020	14,438	71.26%	5,514	27.22%	308	1.52%
2016	11,297	70.94%	3,878	24.35%	749	4.70%
2012	10,268	67.63%	4,659	30.69%	255	1.68%
2008	10,702	65.14%	5,498	33.47%	228	1.39%
2004	9,676	61.64%	5,918	37.70%	103	0.66%
2000	6,356	50.38%	6,062	48.05%	198	1.57%
1996	4,283	42.98%	4,883	49.01%	798	8.01%
1992	3,496	35.72%	4,817	49.21%	1,475	15.07%
1988	4,132	56.99%	3,067	42.30%	51	0.70%
1984	4,109	57.32%	3,007	41.94%	53	0.74%
1980	2,296	37.03%	3,771	60.81%	134	2.16%
1976	1,376	24.29%	4,225	74.59%	63	1.11%
1972	2,235	60.10%	1,321	35.52%	163	4.38%
1968	669	16.96%	778	19.73%	2,497	63.31%
1964	803	22.60%	2,750	77.40%	0	0.00%
1960	683	26.20%	1,883	72.23%	41	1.57%
1956	498	17.72%	2,297	81.71%	16	0.57%
1952	536	19.31%	2,222	80.04%	18	0.65%
1948	193	6.26%	2,731	88.58%	159	5.16%
1944	216	13.37%	1,398	86.51%	2	0.12%
1940	331	14.61%	1,932	85.26%	3	0.13%
1936	183	11.86%	1,352	87.62%	8	0.52%
1932	180	11.52%	1,370	87.71%	12	0.77%
1928	488	34.78%	913	65.07%	2	0.14%
1924	181	16.98%	868	81.43%	17	1.59%
1920	569	31.77%	1,219	68.06%	3	0.17%
1916	439	28.10%	1,117	71.51%	6	0.38%
1912	317	20.33%	1,096	70.30%	146	9.36%
1908	526	30.33%	1,206	69.55%	2	0.12%
1904	420	28.99%	1,015	70.05%	14	0.97%
1900	440	26.55%	1,190	71.82%	27	1.63%
1896	496	27.99%	1,237	69.81%	39	2.20%
1892	242	15.64%	732	47.32%	573	37.04%
1888	305	21.66%	1,063	75.50%	40	2.84%
1884	335	25.89%	959	74.11%	0	0.00%
1880	291	24.85%	794	67.81%	86	7.34%
1876	267	22.90%	899	77.10%	0	0.00%
1872	284	28.80%	702	71.20%	0	0.00%

• Caleb Plant, professional boxer
• Clive Westlake, British songwriter
• Gene Allison, R&B singer
• Hickok45, firearm content YouTuber
• Horace McCoy, writer
• Mark Green, politician, physician, and retired U.S. Army major, current Republican U.S. representative for Tennessee's 7th congressional district
• Pat Summitt, women's college basketball head coach
• Ryan Stack, former professional basketball player
• Upchurch, rapper, singer-songwriter, and comedian

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Cheatham County, Tennessee
• List of counties in Tennessee

• Official site
• Cheatham County Chamber of Commerce
• Cheatham County, TNGenWeb – free genealogy resources for the county

36°16′N 87°05′W / 36.27°N 87.08°W / 36.27; -87.08