Frost Line Depth in Tipton County, Tennessee

  • 3 verified codes nearby
  • Checked Oct 2026

No official local value

No official frost line depth is published for Tipton County.

Nearby official codes require 5–13 in (3 verified codes).

Source and how we checked

We searched this place’s own code and website and found no published frost line depth.

Climate: 70 nights a year at or below 32 °F (NOAA 1991–2020, Covington 3 Sw, 4.4 mi).

Checked Oct 2026. Report a correction

Does Tipton County have an official frost line depth?

No adopted frost line depth found for Tipton County in its official documents (checked Oct 2026). The nearest official values, from codes we verified, are 5 to 13 in. Use the deepest of them until the building department confirms Tipton County’s own number.

What frost line depth does Tipton County use for footings under Table R301.2(1)? Is it 5 in, like Shelby County?

How deep do footings, decks and water lines need to be in Tipton County?

Drawn with the deepest nearby official value (13 in). Confirm Tipton County’s own depth before you dig.

Project
House or garage footing in Tipton County: dig at least 13 in. grade 0 in 122436486072 12 in code minimum nearby codes 13 in, confirm locally dig 13 in

House or garage footing in Tipton County: dig at least 13 in (33 cm). Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4).

Using the nearby official value of 13 in until Tipton County confirms its own
ProjectDepthRule
House or garage footing13 inBelow the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4)
Deck footing (attached)13 inBelow the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R507.3)
Water service line19 in6 in below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC P2603.5)
Fence post bottom13 inNo code rule; common practice is below the frost line

Work out posts, concrete and footing sizes with the fence post depth calculator or the deck footing calculator.

How cold does it get in Tipton County?

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  3. M
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0°32°100° J F M A M J J A S O N D 32 °F

Average lows are at or below freezing from Dec to Feb. 70 nights a year reach 32 °F or colder; Jan is coldest, with an average low of 28.5 °F.

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Covington 3 Sw station, 4.4 mi away, elevation 385 ft.

Monthly temperatures as a table
°FJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Low28.531.539.548.257.96669.167.260.148.638.631.6
High46.350.860.170.278.786.28988.282.772.359.549.6
44113 nightsTipton County 70

Tipton County has fewer freezing nights than 49 of the 59 other Tennessee places we track. The Tennessee median is 84. Coldest: Greene County; mildest: Memphis.

What frost line depth do towns near Tipton County use?

3 official codes near Tipton County are verified; each links to its document.

0″12″24″36″48″52 mi0 miShelby County: 5 in, 23 miMemphis: 5 in, 30 miMadison County: 13 in, 52 mi
Official frost line depths near Tipton County
PlaceVerified frost lineDistance
Shelby County 5 in 23 mi away
Memphis 5 in 30 mi away
Madison County 13 in 52 mi away

How likely is the soil in Tipton County to heave?

USDA rates the sampled soil around Tipton County as 100% none for frost action (main soils: Memphis, Loring, Adler).

USDA NRCS soil survey, 9 sample points within 2 mi. Higher frost action means more risk of heave; see frost heave.

Tipton County at a glance

Frost line depth
No official local value
Population (2023 est.)
62,015
Mean annual temperature
59.2 °F
ZIP codes (10)
38004 · 38011 · 38015 · 38019 · 38023 · 38049 · 38053 · 38058 · 38069 · 72338

Sources

  • Climate: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00402108.
  • Soil: USDA NRCS Soil Survey (SSURGO) frost action ratings.
  • Code rules: International Residential Code R403.1.4, R507.3, P2603.5.

Checked Oct 2026. How we verify · Report a correction