White County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

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

White County, Tennessee has a population of 28,160, the 53rd most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $52,188 and the median home value is $207,200. The poverty rate is 13.2%.

White County Quick Facts

Population 28,160

Median Household Income $52,18890% MOE ±$3,172

Median Home Value $207,20090% MOE ±$15,589

Poverty Rate 13.2%90% MOE ±2.8 pts

Unemployment Rate 5.6%90% MOE ±1.7 pts

Median Age 43.5 years90% MOE ±0.6 years

Homeownership Rate 76.9%90% MOE ±3.0 pts

Affordability Ratio 4.0x

Bachelor's Degree+ 15.1%90% MOE ±2.0 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 84.3%

Cities/Places 3

Population 28,160 53rd of 95

Median Income $52,188 25% lower than state

Poverty Rate 13.2%

Unemployment 5.6%

How White 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	26,800	28,160	+5.1%
Median household income	$51,687	$52,188	No clear change (+1.0%)
Median home value¹	$143,993	$207,200	+43.9%
Median gross rent	$837	$849	No clear change (+1.4%)

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

Median Household Income

White

$52,188

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

White

$207,200

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.6%

$25K-$50K 26.6%

$50K-$100K 33.9%

$100K+ 19.9%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.3%

$10K-$15K

5.4%

$15K-$20K

6.6%

$20K-$25K

4.4%

$25K-$30K

5.0%

$30K-$35K

5.2%

$35K-$40K

5.8%

$40K-$45K

6.6%

$45K-$50K

4.1%

$50K-$60K

7.8%

$60K-$75K

10.7%

$75K-$100K

15.4%

$100K-$125K

9.0%

$125K-$150K

4.7%

$150K-$200K

3.0%

$200K+

3.2%

Employment

5.6% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

54.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 76.9%

Renter 23.1%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.0x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $849/mo 19.5% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.6%

18-34

19.1%

35-54

23.9%

55-74

27.0%

75+

8.3%

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 White County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Sparta	4,939	$50,080	14.3%	$217,000
Doyle	532	$39,808	17.1%	$164,300
Bon Air	205	$63,750	19.0%	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

White County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 28,160. It is the 53rd most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in White County is 43.5 years. This is 12% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in White County is $52,188. 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 13.2%. This is 4% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 5.6%. This is 19% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $207,200. Housing costs are 28% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.0x. 76.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 15% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

White County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.9% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.2%. The Black or African American population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.2%) is well below the state average of 7.4%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 1.9%.

Education

15.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 51% 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 84.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for White 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 White County, Tennessee?

White County has a population of 28,160, making it the 53rd most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in White County?

The median household income in White County is $52,188 with a poverty rate of 13.2%.

How many cities are in White County, Tennessee?

White County contains 3 Census-designated places.