United States › Tennessee › Rhea County COUNTY · 2020 ACS
Rhea County Tennessee · 32,870 residents · 315 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 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Rhea County is home to 32,870 people in Tennessee. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 17% of adults. The typical home is worth $131,100, having more than doubled since 2000. 3% of people here were born outside the United States. The median age is 42.1, about 3 years above the US median. Renters pay $648 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 42.1
US median: 38.8
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 37.2 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
23K 26K 29K 32K 35K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Rhea County Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $46,096
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,418 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $15,672 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 14.7% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Education & health services 5%
Professional, scientific, technical 4%
Public administration 3.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.7%
Transportation & warehousing 1.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
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$131,100
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $70,100 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$648
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $384 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 75.5% in 2000
31.0% rent
from 2.53 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 94.6%(26,880)
Hispanic / Latino 1.7%(474)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 87.1%(28,641)
Hispanic / Latino 6%(1,960)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data from 9.1% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 65.3% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 79.2% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 14.3% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 57.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 21.8% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 14.1% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 25.6%(581)
Gulf War (1990s) 15.3%(348)
Share of the 2,270 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 +33%
Home value $180,000 +37%
Population 14,186 −59%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RHEA COUNTY VS
Bledsoe County
Income $54,720 +19%
Home value $189,400 +44%
Population 15,920 −54%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RHEA COUNTY VS
McMinn County
Income $61,470 +33%
Home value $211,800 +62%
Population 57,404 +65%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RHEA COUNTY VS
Cumberland County
Income $60,375 +31%
Home value $250,500 +91%
Population 66,300 +90%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Rhea County, Tennessee? Rhea County, Tennessee has about 32,870 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Rhea County, Tennessee? The typical household in Rhea County, Tennessee earns about $46,096 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 $131,100, and the typical rent is about $648 a month.
How educated are people in Rhea County, Tennessee? About 16.6% 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 17.1% 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 8,526 residents, a change of about 35 percent over that period.
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