United States › Tennessee › Rhea County COUNTY
Rhea County Tennessee · 34,844 residents (2025 est.) · 315 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 33,992 people, Rhea County is a county in Tennessee. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 19% of adults. 3% of people here were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $206,000, having roughly tripled since 2000. The median age is 42.0, about 3 years above the US median. Renters pay $839 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 61%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 28,400 in 2000
34,844 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
108 / sq mi
+11%since 2009
from 97 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
23K 26K 29K 32K 35K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Rhea County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $55,033
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,418 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,672 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 14.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.421 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.9%
Public administration 3.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.4%
Education & health services 2.2%
Transportation & warehousing 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$206,000
+61%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $70,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$839
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $384 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 75.5% in 2000
28.5% rent
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.53 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 29.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 44.0% 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 94.6%(26,880)
Hispanic / Latino 1.7%(474)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 87.2%(29,632)
Hispanic / Latino 6.3%(2,142)
from 18 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 29 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
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data from 9.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 65.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 79.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 13.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 14.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 57.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 58.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 21.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 24.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 62.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 83.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 28.2%(3,964)
Women 15+
Never married 21.5%(3,065)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 44.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 25.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 59.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 43.7% 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) 26.9%(666)
Gulf War (1990s) 29.7%(735)
Share of the 2,478 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Rhea County Head to head
Compare Rhea County to nearby counties RHEA COUNTY VS
Meigs County
Income $61,375 +12%
Home value $180,000 −13%
Population 14,186 −59%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RHEA COUNTY VS
Bledsoe County
Income $54,720 −1%
Home value $189,400 −8%
Population 15,920 −54%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RHEA COUNTY VS
McMinn County
Income $61,470 +12%
Home value $211,800 +3%
Population 57,404 +65%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RHEA COUNTY VS
Cumberland County
Income $60,375 +10%
Home value $250,500 +22%
Population 66,300 +90%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Rhea County, Tennessee? Rhea County, Tennessee has about 33,992 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Rhea County, Tennessee? The typical household in Rhea County, Tennessee earns about $55,033 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Rhea County, Tennessee expensive? In Rhea County, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $206,000, and the typical rent is about $839 a month.
How educated are people in Rhea County, Tennessee? About 18.6% of adults age 25 and over in Rhea County, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Rhea County, Tennessee? About 15.9% of people in Rhea County, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.
Has Rhea County, Tennessee grown since 1990? Yes, Rhea County, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 9,648 residents, a change of about 40 percent over that period.
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