Monroe County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

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

Monroe County, Tennessee has a population of 47,695, the 34th most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $56,895 and the median home value is $227,500. The poverty rate is 15.5%.

Monroe County Quick Facts

Population 47,695

Median Household Income $56,89590% MOE ±$2,810

Median Home Value $227,50090% MOE ±$11,877

Poverty Rate 15.5%90% MOE ±2.2 pts

Unemployment Rate 4.3%90% MOE ±1.3 pts

Median Age 45.2 years90% MOE ±0.3 years

Homeownership Rate 72.2%90% MOE ±2.7 pts

Affordability Ratio 4.0x

Bachelor's Degree+ 17.1%90% MOE ±1.9 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 85.6%

Cities/Places 4

Population 47,695 34th of 95

Median Income $56,895 18% lower than state

Poverty Rate 15.5%

Unemployment 4.3%

How Monroe 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	46,064	47,695	+3.5%
Median household income	$52,218	$56,895	No clear change (+9.0%)
Median home value¹	$164,546	$227,500	+38.3%
Median gross rent	$822	$714	-13.2%

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

Median Household Income

Monroe

$56,895

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Monroe

$227,500

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 24.2%

$25K-$50K 20.8%

$50K-$100K 30.9%

$100K+ 24.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.5%

$10K-$15K

6.8%

$15K-$20K

6.2%

$20K-$25K

6.7%

$25K-$30K

4.9%

$30K-$35K

4.0%

$35K-$40K

4.2%

$40K-$45K

4.0%

$45K-$50K

3.8%

$50K-$60K

7.6%

$60K-$75K

7.9%

$75K-$100K

15.4%

$100K-$125K

11.0%

$125K-$150K

5.2%

$150K-$200K

4.5%

$200K+

3.5%

Employment

4.3% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

50.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 72.2%

Renter 27.8%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.0x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $714/mo 15.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.5%

18-34

18.4%

35-54

23.7%

55-74

28.5%

75+

8.9%

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 Monroe County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Madisonville	5,241	$39,878	18.1%	$234,400
Tellico Plains	1,146	$45,625	29.8%	$187,500
Kahite	892	$119,286	4.7%	$667,900
Coker Creek	155	N/A	63.2%	N/A

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

Monroe County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 47,695. It is the 34th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Monroe County is 45.2 years. This is 16% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Monroe County is $56,895. This is 18% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 30% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.5%. This is 12% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 4.3%. This is 7% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $227,500. Housing costs are 21% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.0x. 72.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Monroe County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 86.9% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.7%. The Black or African American population (2.0%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.9%.

Education

17.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 45% 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 85.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Monroe 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 Monroe County, Tennessee?

Monroe County has a population of 47,695, making it the 34th most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Monroe County?

The median household income in Monroe County is $56,895 with a poverty rate of 15.5%.

How many cities are in Monroe County, Tennessee?

Monroe County contains 4 Census-designated places.