Jefferson County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

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

Jefferson County, Tennessee has a population of 56,864, the 27th most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $66,114 and the median home value is $229,300. The poverty rate is 11.4%.

Jefferson County Quick Facts

Population 56,864

Median Household Income $66,11490% MOE ±$2,864

Median Home Value $229,30090% MOE ±$12,829

Poverty Rate 11.4%90% MOE ±2.0 pts

Unemployment Rate 4.6%90% MOE ±1.3 pts

Median Age 44.3 years90% MOE ±0.5 years

Homeownership Rate 75.8%90% MOE ±2.4 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.5x

Bachelor's Degree+ 20.8%90% MOE ±1.9 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 89.0%

Cities/Places 5

Population 56,864 27th of 95

Median Income $66,114 5% lower than state

Poverty Rate 11.4%

Unemployment 4.6%

How Jefferson 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	53,679	56,864	+5.9%
Median household income	$60,476	$66,114	+9.3%
Median home value¹	$180,053	$229,300	+27.4%
Median gross rent	$838	$904	+7.9%

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

Median Household Income

Jefferson

$66,114

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Jefferson

$229,300

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 13.5%

$25K-$50K 23.8%

$50K-$100K 32.6%

$100K+ 30.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

2.5%

$10K-$15K

3.4%

$15K-$20K

4.1%

$20K-$25K

3.5%

$25K-$30K

5.6%

$30K-$35K

4.1%

$35K-$40K

6.1%

$40K-$45K

3.5%

$45K-$50K

4.5%

$50K-$60K

7.7%

$60K-$75K

10.8%

$75K-$100K

14.1%

$100K-$125K

11.8%

$125K-$150K

7.3%

$150K-$200K

5.1%

$200K+

6.0%

Employment

4.6% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

60.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 75.8%

Renter 24.2%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.5x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $904/mo 16.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.2%

18-34

20.2%

35-54

24.1%

55-74

28.2%

75+

8.3%

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 Jefferson County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Jefferson City	8,579	$60,638	19.0%	$213,200
Dandridge	3,538	$53,507	15.1%	$259,100
Strawberry Plains	2,669	$75,027	3.0%	$168,400
New Market	1,619	$72,321	7.5%	$180,400
Baneberry	700	$82,344	3.6%	$395,200

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

Jefferson County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 56,864. It is the 27th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Jefferson County is 44.3 years. This is 14% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Jefferson County is $66,114. This is 5% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.4%. This is 17% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 4.6%. This is 2% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $229,300. Housing costs are 20% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.5x. 75.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Jefferson County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.6% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.7%. The Black or African American population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 1.9%.

Education

20.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 33% 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 89.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Jefferson 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 Jefferson County, Tennessee?

Jefferson County has a population of 56,864, making it the 27th most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Jefferson County?

The median household income in Jefferson County is $66,114 with a poverty rate of 11.4%.

How many cities are in Jefferson County, Tennessee?

Jefferson County contains 5 Census-designated places.