Unicoi County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

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

Unicoi County, Tennessee has a population of 17,756, the 72nd most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $52,218 and the median home value is $189,600. The poverty rate is 14.3%.

Unicoi County Quick Facts

Population 17,756

Median Household Income $52,21890% MOE ±$6,675

Median Home Value $189,60090% MOE ±$16,867

Poverty Rate 14.3%90% MOE ±3.4 pts

Unemployment Rate 4.3%90% MOE ±1.9 pts

Median Age 46.9 years90% MOE ±1.0 years

Homeownership Rate 72.9%90% MOE ±4.2 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.6x

Bachelor's Degree+ 21.3%90% MOE ±3.2 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 86.8%

Cities/Places 3

Population 17,756 72nd of 95

Median Income $52,218 25% lower than state

Poverty Rate 14.3%

Unemployment 4.3%

How Unicoi 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	17,811	17,756	-0.3%
Median household income	$51,554	$52,218	No clear change (+1.3%)
Median home value¹	$159,377	$189,600	+19.0%
Median gross rent	$775	$750	No clear change (-3.3%)

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

Median Household Income

Unicoi

$52,218

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Unicoi

$189,600

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 24.1%

$25K-$50K 23.6%

$50K-$100K 28.8%

$100K+ 23.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.7%

$10K-$15K

3.3%

$15K-$20K

6.1%

$20K-$25K

6.9%

$25K-$30K

3.3%

$30K-$35K

4.7%

$35K-$40K

2.9%

$40K-$45K

8.0%

$45K-$50K

4.6%

$50K-$60K

8.7%

$60K-$75K

8.7%

$75K-$100K

11.5%

$100K-$125K

7.3%

$125K-$150K

6.1%

$150K-$200K

5.9%

$200K+

4.3%

Employment

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

54.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 72.9%

Renter 27.1%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.6x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $750/mo 17.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

17.8%

18-34

18.7%

35-54

24.3%

55-74

29.3%

75+

9.8%

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 Unicoi County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Erwin	5,988	$47,487	12.6%	$180,900
Unicoi	3,806	$42,424	21.3%	$244,300
Banner Hill	1,211	$59,784	28.4%	$116,300

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

Unicoi County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 17,756. It is the 72nd most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Unicoi County is 46.9 years. This is 21% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Unicoi County is $52,218. This is 25% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 35% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.3%. This is 4% 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 $189,600. Housing costs are 34% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.6x. 72.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Unicoi County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 6.7%. The Black or African American population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 1.9%.

Education

21.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 32% 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 86.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Unicoi 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 Unicoi County, Tennessee?

Unicoi County has a population of 17,756, making it the 72nd most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Unicoi County?

The median household income in Unicoi County is $52,218 with a poverty rate of 14.3%.

How many cities are in Unicoi County, Tennessee?

Unicoi County contains 3 Census-designated places.