Tom’s fate in Interstellar is not shown directly, but the movie strongly implies he stayed on Earth and likely died there sometime before Cooper returned. By the end, he seems to have kept farming as the “caretaker” generation while the planet became less and less livable.

What the movie suggests

  • Tom grows up to be a stubborn farmer, committed to staying on Earth.
  • He rejects leaving with Cooper and remains tied to the farm.
  • Since Cooper returns decades later and Tom is never seen again, the clearest reading is that Tom had already passed away by then.

Why people think that

The film shows the Earth becoming increasingly harsh, with dust, blight, and respiratory illness affecting families that stay behind. That makes it very likely Tom did not survive until Cooper’s return, even though the movie never gives a specific death scene.

Quick take

So the short answer is: Tom probably stayed on Earth and died off-screen sometime before Cooper came back.