Sullivan County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

Name: Sullivan County, Tennessee Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Sullivan County, Tennessee has a population of 160,624, the 9th most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $58,807 and the median home value is $213,300. The poverty rate is 15.4%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Sullivan County Quick Facts

Population 160,624

Median Household Income $58,807

Median Home Value $213,300

Poverty Rate 15.4%

Unemployment Rate 5.4%

Median Age 45.0 years

Homeownership Rate 72.1%

Affordability Ratio 3.6x

Bachelor's Degree+ 26.8%

High School Graduation 90.0%

Cities/Places 11

Population 160,624 9th of 95

Median Income $58,807 16% lower than state

Poverty Rate 15.4%

Unemployment 5.4%

How Sullivan County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	159,693	160,624	+0.6%
Median household income	$56,802	$58,807	+3.5%
Median home value	$190,800	$213,300	+11.8%

Median Household Income

Sullivan

$58,807

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Sullivan

$213,300

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.8%

$25K-$50K 23.2%

$50K-$100K 29.7%

$100K+ 27.3%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.7%

$10K-$15K

4.7%

$15K-$20K

4.4%

$20K-$25K

6.0%

$25K-$30K

4.8%

$30K-$35K

5.0%

$35K-$40K

4.4%

$40K-$45K

4.9%

$45K-$50K

4.2%

$50K-$60K

7.7%

$60K-$75K

9.2%

$75K-$100K

12.8%

$100K-$125K

8.9%

$125K-$150K

5.4%

$150K-$200K

6.6%

$200K+

6.4%

Employment

5.4% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

56.2% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 72.1%

Renter 27.9%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.6x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $889/mo 18.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.1%

18-34

19.6%

35-54

24.8%

55-74

27.0%

75+

9.6%

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 Sullivan County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Johnson City	72,222	$57,254	20.3%	$268,200
Kingsport	56,262	$52,490	20.7%	$234,100
Bristol	27,636	$58,162	13.6%	$194,500
Bloomingdale	9,292	$52,317	25.7%	$165,500
Spurgeon	4,071	$64,250	21.9%	$219,300
Blountville	3,309	$54,754	8.3%	$177,300
Colonial Heights	3,258	$80,148	4.7%	$217,100
Walnut Hill	2,415	$51,742	5.9%	$219,900
Bluff City	2,225	$61,059	15.3%	$157,400
Sullivan Gardens	1,267	$46,754	8.0%	$194,800
Orebank	816	$67,740	12.5%	$185,100

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

Sullivan County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 160,624. It is the 9th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 11 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Sullivan County is 45.0 years. This is 16% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Sullivan County is $58,807. This is 16% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 27% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.4%. This is 12% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 5.4%. This is 16% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $213,300. Housing costs are 26% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.6x. 72.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Sullivan County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.6% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.6%. The Black or African American population (2.0%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.6%) is well below the state average of 7.4%. The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 1.9%.

Education

26.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 14% 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 90.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Sullivan 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 Sullivan County, Tennessee?

Sullivan County has a population of 160,624, making it the 9th most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Sullivan County?

The median household income in Sullivan County is $58,807 with a poverty rate of 15.4%.

How many cities are in Sullivan County, Tennessee?

Sullivan County contains 11 Census-designated places.