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COUNTY

Cocke County

Tennessee · 37,889 residents (2025 est.) · 436.135 sq mi
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The short version

Cocke County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $48,016. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 11% 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 $158,100. With a median age of 45.3, the population is older than the US median of 38.9. Households here earn about 31% less than the Tennessee median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
11% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 37%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
36,813
+10%since 2000
from 33,565 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
84 / sq mi
+4%since 2009
from 81 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
45.3
+17%since 2000
from 38.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:37,889 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
28K31K33K35K38K1990201020202024Cocke County
202437K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55%(1,858)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.5%(2,023)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.3%(2,322)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.1%(1,892)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.2%(1,904)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.3%(4,173)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.1%(4,078)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413%(4,800)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6415.4%(5,662)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7413.4%(4,927)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.6%(2,421)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2%(753)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$48,016
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $25,553 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$28,260
+104%since 2000
from $13,881 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
30.6%
+18.1 ptssince 2009
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
21.9%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 22.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.460
−3%since 2010
from 0.474 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade19.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade9.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services2.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Transportation & warehousing1.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Public administration1.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1%
US avg: 1.6%
Education & health services1%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.4%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$158,100
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $63,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$798
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $334 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
74.5%
−0.9 ptssince 2000
from 75.5% in 2000
25.5% rent
Vacancy rate
13.6%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
20.1%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 23.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
38.4%
+4.6 ptssince 2009
from 33.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.3
+7%since 2009
from 3.1 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
49
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Cocke County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic95.5%(32,056)
Black2%(668)
Hispanic / Latino1.1%(354)
Asian0.2%(52)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic92%(33,859)
Black2.2%(814)
Hispanic / Latino3.1%(1,144)
Asian0.5%(181)
Other2.2%(815)
Diversity Score
19
+41%since 2009
from 13 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
21
−28%since 2020
from 30 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
Mexican1.6%(583)
Puerto Rican0.8%(281)
Honduran0.2%(88)
Spaniard0.2%(85)
Cuban0.2%(79)
Argentine0.1%(28)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.4%(136)
Taiwanese0%(17)
Filipino0%(14)
Chinese0%(8)
Korean0%(3)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(3)
Ancestry
American16%(5,872)
English13.9%(5,113)
Irish10.7%(3,942)
German7.7%(2,848)
Scottish1.9%(700)
Scotch-Irish1.3%(462)
Italian1.1%(395)
Polish1%(386)
French1%(363)
Norwegian0.7%(269)
Dutch0.5%(200)
Welsh0.4%(145)
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data
British0.2%(91)
Hungarian0.2%(79)
Arab0.2%(67)
Czech0.2%(62)
Danish0.1%(55)
Canadian0.1%(46)
Finnish0.1%(46)
Austrian0.1%(44)
West Indian0.1%(33)
Russian0.1%(20)
Swedish0%(18)
Greek0%(16)
Swiss0%(15)
Slovak0%(13)
Slovene0%(12)
Israeli0%(3)
RANKED:Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Scottish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
11.0%
+4.8 ptssince 2000
from 6.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
84.9%
+23.7 ptssince 2000
from 61.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
4.1%
+2.0 ptssince 2000
from 2.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
32.8 min
+56%since 2000
from 21.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
80.6%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 83.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
12.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
3.9%
+2.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.4%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.2%
−8.9 ptssince 2011
from 13.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
53.5%
−1.1 ptssince 2011
from 54.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
12.3%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
24.4%
−31.3 ptssince 2009
from 55.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.9%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 48.5% in 2009
Female
51.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 51.5% in 2009
Foreign born
1.2%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.2%
−39.6 ptssince 2009
from 47.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
23.1%
+1.0 ptssince 2012
from 22.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
12.7%
−68.8 ptssince 2013
from 81.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
79.1%
+25.9 ptssince 2017
from 53.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
97.8%
−0.2 ptssince 2016
from 98.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2016
from 1.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married26.2%(3,887)
Married50.6%(7,518)
Widowed5.4%(799)
Divorced17.8%(2,641)
Women 15+
Never married22%(3,465)
Married51.7%(8,155)
Widowed12.4%(1,956)
Divorced13.9%(2,189)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Pop 36,665
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Pop 36,906
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Pop 42,982
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Pop 33,688
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Head to head

Compare Cocke County to nearby counties

COCKE COUNTY VS
Jefferson County
Income$66,114+38%
Home value$229,300+45%
Population60,024+58%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COCKE COUNTY VS
Hamblen County
Income$55,454+15%
Home value$210,900+33%
Population68,843+82%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COCKE COUNTY VS
Madison County
Income$58,531+22%
Home value$284,600+80%
Population22,553−40%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COCKE COUNTY VS
Greene County
Income$56,194+17%
Home value$207,500+31%
Population73,831+95%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Cocke County, Tennessee?

Cocke County, Tennessee has about 36,813 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Cocke County, Tennessee earns about $48,016 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Cocke County, Tennessee expensive?

In Cocke County, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $158,100, and the typical rent is about $798 a month.

How educated are people in Cocke County, Tennessee?

About 11.0% of adults age 25 and over in Cocke County, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Cocke County, Tennessee?

About 21.9% of people in Cocke County, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.

Has Cocke County, Tennessee grown since 1990?

Yes, Cocke County, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 7,672 residents, a change of about 26 percent over that period.

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9 census tracts
Census Tract 9202Census Tract 9205.01Census Tract 9205.02Census Tract 9203Census Tract 9206Census Tract 9201Census Tract 9207Census Tract 9204Census Tract 9801
6 ZIP codes
ZIP 37821ZIP 37722ZIP 37843ZIP 37727ZIP 37713ZIP 37753
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →