United States › Tennessee › Monroe County COUNTY
Monroe County Tennessee · 49,730 residents (2025 est.) · 636 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 47,695 people, Monroe County is a county in Tennessee. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 17% of adults. The median age is 45.2, about 6 years above the US median. 2% of people here were born outside the United States. Renters pay $714 a month at the median. The typical home is worth $227,500, having roughly tripled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 74%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 38,961 in 2000
49,730 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 70 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
29K 34K 39K 44K 49K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Monroe County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $56,895
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,337 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,951 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 15.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 15.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.435 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.9%
Public administration 2.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.3%
Transportation & warehousing 1.9%
Education & health services 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$227,500
+74%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $71,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$714
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $396 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 78.3% in 2000
27.8% rent
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.39 people
−12%since 2009
from 2.73 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 37.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.8 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 94.1%(36,677)
Hispanic / Latino 1.8%(684)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 86.9%(41,463)
Hispanic / Latino 4.7%(2,220)
from 17 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 22 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 Ancestry
+ 26 more ancestry groups with data from 10.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 66.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 12.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 55.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 62.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 21.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 21.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 16.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 65.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 83.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 84.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 26.6%(5,193)
Women 15+
Never married 21.1%(4,288)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 43.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 27.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 25.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 57.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 48.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 16.8%(502)
Gulf War (1990s) 20.6%(615)
Share of the 2,988 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Monroe County Head to head
Compare Monroe County to nearby counties MONROE COUNTY VS
Loudon County
Income $84,185 +48%
Home value $348,000 +53%
Population 63,764 +28%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MONROE COUNTY VS
McMinn County
Income $61,470 +8%
Home value $211,800 −7%
Population 57,404 +15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MONROE COUNTY VS
Cherokee County
Income $53,628 −6%
Home value $232,300 +2%
Population 30,830 −38%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MONROE COUNTY VS
Graham County
Income $49,684 −13%
Home value $170,600 −25%
Population 8,190 −84%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Monroe County, Tennessee? Monroe County, Tennessee has about 47,695 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Monroe County, Tennessee? The typical household in Monroe County, Tennessee earns about $56,895 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Monroe County, Tennessee expensive? In Monroe County, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $227,500, and the typical rent is about $714 a month.
How educated are people in Monroe County, Tennessee? About 17.1% of adults age 25 and over in Monroe County, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Monroe County, Tennessee? About 15.5% of people in Monroe County, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.
Has Monroe County, Tennessee grown since 1990? Yes, Monroe County, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 17,154 residents, a change of about 56 percent over that period.
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