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COUNTY

Carter County

Tennessee · 57,361 residents (2025 est.) · 341.258 sq mi
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The short version

Carter County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $50,135. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $168,200. With a median age of 45.9, the population is older than the US median of 38.9. Households here earn about 28% less than the Tennessee median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 35%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
56,712
Unchangedsince 2000
from 56,742 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
166 / sq mi
−4%since 2009
from 173 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
45.9
+19%since 2000
from 38.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:57,361 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
51K53K55K57K60K1990201020202024Carter County
202457K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54%(2,255)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.8%(2,727)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.1%(2,884)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.1%(3,479)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.6%(3,157)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412%(6,799)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.4%(6,455)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413.4%(7,583)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.9%(8,471)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7413.1%(7,451)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847.6%(4,291)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2%(1,160)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$50,135
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,371 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$30,064
+105%since 2000
from $14,678 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
32.8%
+20.2 ptssince 2009
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
17.1%
+0.2 ptssince 2000
from 16.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.453
+3%since 2010
from 0.440 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade13.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Information12.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services5.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5%
US avg: 5.9%
Public administration4.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical3.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1%
US avg: 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$168,200
+35%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $68,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$739
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $393 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
75.2%
+0.3 ptssince 2000
from 74.9% in 2000
24.8% rent
Vacancy rate
13.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
17.4%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 18.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
29.7%
−3.4 ptssince 2009
from 33.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.4
+20%since 2009
from 2.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
63
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Carter County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic96.9%(54,996)
Black1%(558)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(504)
Asian0.3%(145)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic92.8%(52,636)
Black1.9%(1,078)
Hispanic / Latino2.5%(1,422)
Asian0.1%(63)
Other2.7%(1,513)
Diversity Score
17
+51%since 2009
from 11 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
20
−41%since 2020
from 34 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.8%(446)
Cuban0.3%(162)
Puerto Rican0.3%(156)
Honduran0.2%(123)
Guatemalan0.1%(70)
Salvadoran0.1%(70)
Nicaraguan0.1%(58)
Spaniard0.1%(30)
Dominican0%(19)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Asian origin
Korean0.1%(58)
Chinese0%(5)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
American25.4%(14,415)
English14.8%(8,412)
German10%(5,652)
Irish8.4%(4,751)
Scottish2.8%(1,595)
Scotch-Irish2.6%(1,459)
Italian1.3%(722)
Polish0.7%(419)
French0.7%(415)
Dutch0.7%(371)
Welsh0.5%(303)
+ 28 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.3%(186)
Swedish0.3%(170)
British0.2%(138)
Hungarian0.2%(112)
Kenyan0.2%(97)
Arab0.2%(91)
Ethiopian0.1%(80)
Greek0.1%(79)
Danish0.1%(77)
Swiss0.1%(68)
Egyptian0.1%(61)
Portuguese0.1%(52)
Slovak0.1%(42)
Russian0.1%(40)
Lithuanian0.1%(39)
Canadian0.1%(37)
Ukrainian0.1%(30)
Croatian0%(19)
Syrian0%(18)
Czech0%(12)
Belgian0%(11)
Turkish0%(10)
Finnish0%(9)
Slovene0%(9)
RANKED:Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest Scottish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
20.6%
+7.8 ptssince 2000
from 12.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
89.5%
+20.4 ptssince 2000
from 69.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
7.3%
+3.0 ptssince 2000
from 4.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.3 min
+58%since 2000
from 15.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
82.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 82.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.4%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
7.2%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.2%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.6%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.2%
−3.3 ptssince 2011
from 9.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
52.6%
−3.5 ptssince 2011
from 56.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
15.5%
+2.9 ptssince 2009
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
32.2%
−22.3 ptssince 2009
from 54.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.0%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.4% in 2009
Female
51.0%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.6% in 2009
Foreign born
1.7%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.7%
−41.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
22.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2012
from 22.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
11.7%
−72.9 ptssince 2013
from 84.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
83.7%
+23.2 ptssince 2017
from 60.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
97.6%
−0.5 ptssince 2016
from 98.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.5%
Unchangedsince 2016
from 1.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married29.2%(6,920)
Married51.6%(12,238)
Widowed5.1%(1,220)
Divorced14.1%(3,348)
Women 15+
Never married23.3%(5,863)
Married47.6%(11,965)
Widowed12.8%(3,218)
Divorced16.2%(4,074)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Pop 58,898
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Pop 54,281
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Pop 62,987
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Places similar to Carter County
Head to head

Compare Carter County to nearby counties

CARTER COUNTY VS
Sullivan County
Income$58,807+17%
Home value$213,300+27%
Population163,759+185%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CARTER COUNTY VS
Avery County
Income$61,428+23%
Home value$265,800+58%
Population18,110−68%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CARTER COUNTY VS
Johnson County
Income$53,129+6%
Home value$178,600+6%
Population18,718−67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CARTER COUNTY VS
Mitchell County
Income$57,602+15%
Home value$220,100+31%
Population15,062−74%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Carter County, Tennessee?

Carter County, Tennessee has about 56,712 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Carter County, Tennessee?

The typical household in Carter County, Tennessee earns about $50,135 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Carter County, Tennessee expensive?

In Carter County, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $168,200, and the typical rent is about $739 a month.

How educated are people in Carter County, Tennessee?

About 20.6% of adults age 25 and over in Carter County, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Carter County, Tennessee?

About 17.1% of people in Carter County, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.

Has Carter County, Tennessee grown since 1990?

Yes, Carter County, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 5,207 residents, a change of about 10 percent over that period.

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18 census tracts
Census Tract 703Census Tract 702Census Tract 709Census Tract 705Census Tract 713.01Census Tract 712Census Tract 717Census Tract 707Census Tract 714Census Tract 713.02Census Tract 708Census Tract 706Census Tract 710Census Tract 704Census Tract 701Census Tract 715Census Tract 711Census Tract 716
5 ZIP codes
ZIP 37643ZIP 37687ZIP 37658ZIP 37694ZIP 37682
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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