Roan Mountain, Tennessee Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 797, Roan Mountain's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Roan Mountain is a small community located in Tennessee, within Carter County. The total population is 797. It ranks as the 328th most populous out of 502 Census-designated places in Tennessee.

Age Demographics

The median age in Roan Mountain is 45.9 years. This is 18% higher than the state median of 38.9 years. Only 11.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Roan Mountain is $55,625. This is 20% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 31% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 1.7%. This is 88% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 3.9%. This is 17% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $166,200. Housing costs are 42% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 92.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 38% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Roan Mountain has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.0% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 6.3%. The Black or African American population (6.3%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.0%) is well below the state average of 7.4%.

Education

20.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 34% 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 94.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Roan Mountain, Tennessee is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Tennessee state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 502 Census-designated places in Tennessee. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.