Cocke County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Cocke County, Tennessee has a population of 36,813, the 41st most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $48,016 and the median home value is $158,100. The poverty rate is 21.9%.

Cocke County Quick Facts

Population 36,813

Median Household Income $48,01690% MOE ±$3,856

Median Home Value $158,10090% MOE ±$11,364

Poverty Rate 21.9%90% MOE ±3.0 pts

Unemployment Rate 4.2%90% MOE ±1.5 pts

Median Age 45.3 years90% MOE ±0.2 years

Homeownership Rate 74.5%90% MOE ±3.2 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 11.0%90% MOE ±1.8 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 84.9%

Cities/Places 3

Population 36,813 41st of 95

Median Income $48,016 31% lower than state

Poverty Rate 21.9%

Unemployment 4.2%

How Cocke County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	35,552	36,813	+3.5%
Median household income	$45,187	$48,016	No clear change (+6.3%)
Median home value¹	$138,947	$158,100	+13.8%
Median gross rent	$795	$798	No clear change (+0.4%)

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Cocke

$48,016

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Cocke

$158,100

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 25.9%

$25K-$50K 25.7%

$50K-$100K 29.9%

$100K+ 18.4%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.2%

$10K-$15K

5.5%

$15K-$20K

6.1%

$20K-$25K

9.1%

$25K-$30K

8.6%

$30K-$35K

3.6%

$35K-$40K

4.8%

$40K-$45K

5.1%

$45K-$50K

3.7%

$50K-$60K

8.5%

$60K-$75K

9.3%

$75K-$100K

12.2%

$100K-$125K

9.1%

$125K-$150K

2.8%

$150K-$200K

3.6%

$200K+

2.8%

Employment

4.2% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

53.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 74.5%

Renter 25.5%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $798/mo 19.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.4%

18-34

18.1%

35-54

24.1%

55-74

28.8%

75+

8.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 46 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Cocke County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Newport	6,881	$31,250	27.2%	$133,500
Cosby	779	$91,563	12.3%	N/A
Parrottsville	374	$48,452	28.2%	$134,400

Explore Tennessee Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Cocke County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 36,813. It is the 41st most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cocke County is 45.3 years. This is 16% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cocke County is $48,016. This is 31% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 41% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.9%. This is 59% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 4.2%. This is 10% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $158,100. Housing costs are 45% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 74.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Cocke County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.1%. The Black or African American population (2.2%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.1%) is well below the state average of 7.4%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 1.9%.

Education

11.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 65% lower than the state rate of 31.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 84.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Cocke County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Tennessee and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Cocke County, Tennessee?

Cocke County has a population of 36,813, making it the 41st most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Cocke County?

The median household income in Cocke County is $48,016 with a poverty rate of 21.9%.

How many cities are in Cocke County, Tennessee?

Cocke County contains 3 Census-designated places.