Rhea County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

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

Rhea County, Tennessee has a population of 33,992, the 45th most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $55,033 and the median home value is $206,000. The poverty rate is 15.9%.

Rhea County Quick Facts

Population 33,992

Median Household Income $55,03390% MOE ±$2,802

Median Home Value $206,00090% MOE ±$12,728

Poverty Rate 15.9%90% MOE ±2.5 pts

Unemployment Rate 5.8%90% MOE ±2.2 pts

Median Age 42.0 years90% MOE ±0.9 years

Homeownership Rate 71.5%90% MOE ±2.6 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 18.6%90% MOE ±2.6 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 83.3%

Cities/Places 3

Population 33,992 45th of 95

Median Income $55,033 21% lower than state

Poverty Rate 15.9%

Unemployment 5.8%

How Rhea 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	32,719	33,992	+3.9%
Median household income	$51,943	$55,033	No clear change (+5.9%)
Median home value¹	$150,885	$206,000	+36.5%
Median gross rent	$796	$839	No clear change (+5.4%)

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

Median Household Income

Rhea

$55,033

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Rhea

$206,000

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.1%

$25K-$50K 20.6%

$50K-$100K 35.5%

$100K+ 21.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.2%

$10K-$15K

7.8%

$15K-$20K

3.7%

$20K-$25K

4.4%

$25K-$30K

4.0%

$30K-$35K

2.8%

$35K-$40K

4.1%

$40K-$45K

5.3%

$45K-$50K

4.4%

$50K-$60K

12.3%

$60K-$75K

11.9%

$75K-$100K

11.3%

$100K-$125K

7.3%

$125K-$150K

4.9%

$150K-$200K

5.5%

$200K+

4.1%

Employment

5.8% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

52.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 71.5%

Renter 28.5%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $839/mo 18.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.2%

18-34

20.1%

35-54

24.7%

55-74

26.4%

75+

7.6%

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 Rhea County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Dayton	7,625	$49,719	22.2%	$214,900
Spring City	2,358	$38,975	18.3%	$166,700
Graysville	1,304	$40,000	23.7%	$104,700

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

Rhea County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 33,992. It is the 45th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rhea County is 42.0 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Rhea County is $55,033. This is 21% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 32% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.9%. This is 15% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 5.8%. This is 25% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $206,000. Housing costs are 28% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.7x. 71.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Rhea County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.2% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 6.3%. 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

18.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 40% 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 83.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Rhea 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 Rhea County, Tennessee?

Rhea County has a population of 33,992, making it the 45th most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Rhea County?

The median household income in Rhea County is $55,033 with a poverty rate of 15.9%.

How many cities are in Rhea County, Tennessee?

Rhea County contains 3 Census-designated places.