COUNTY
Sullivan County
Tennessee · 163,759 residents (2025 est.) · 414 sq mi
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The short version
With 160,624 people, Sullivan County is a county in Tennessee. The median age is 45.0, about 6 years above the US median. The foreign-born share is 2%. About 27% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $213,300, having more than doubled since 2000. Median rent is $889 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 42%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
160,624
+5%since 2000
from 153,048 in 2000
163,759 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
414 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024161K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.7%(7,611)
5 to 94.9%(7,851)
10 to 145.8%(9,248)
15 to 195.7%(9,124)
20 to 245.4%(8,710)
25 to 3412.2%(19,518)
35 to 4411.4%(18,267)
45 to 5413.4%(21,572)
55 to 6414.3%(23,002)
65 to 7412.7%(20,340)
75 to 847.6%(12,187)
85 and over2%(3,194)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$58,807
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,529 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
40.1%
+18.7 ptssince 2009
from 21.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information14.4%
Retail trade13.6%
Wholesale trade6.9%
Other services5.7%
Finance & insurance5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical4.4%
Public administration4.4%
Transportation & warehousing2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
Education & health services0.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.5%
Construction0.4%
Manufacturing0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$213,300
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $82,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
3.6
+33%since 2009
from 2.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
58
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic96.1%(147,036)
Black1.9%(2,868)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(1,090)
Asian0.4%(644)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic91.6%(147,130)
Black2%(3,263)
Hispanic / Latino2.6%(4,217)
Asian0.7%(1,204)
Other3%(4,810)
20
+70%since 2009
from 12 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
23
−17%since 2020
from 28 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
Mexican1.4%(2,287)
Puerto Rican0.3%(555)
Central American0.3%(475)
South American0.2%(292)
Guatemalan0.2%(278)
Cuban0.1%(218)
Panamanian0.1%(119)
Ecuadorian0.1%(108)
Peruvian0.1%(92)
Honduran0%(51)
Dominican0%(43)
Bolivian0%(40)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.3%(515)
Filipino0.2%(336)
Chinese0.1%(117)
Vietnamese0.1%(100)
Cambodian0%(79)
Korean0%(20)
Japanese0%(5)
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0%(33)
Ancestry
English20.7%(33,256)
American13.4%(21,582)
Irish12.5%(20,158)
German12.1%(19,493)
Scottish3.3%(5,295)
Scotch-Irish2.9%(4,702)
Italian1.9%(3,075)
Dutch1.2%(1,928)
French1.2%(1,869)
Polish0.9%(1,466)
Welsh0.7%(1,172)
Norwegian0.5%(724)
+ 39 more ancestry groups with data
West Indian0.3%(558)
Swedish0.3%(538)
British0.3%(450)
Serbian0.2%(378)
Subsaharan African0.2%(359)
Jamaican0.2%(318)
French Canadian0.2%(281)
Czech0.2%(264)
Arab0.2%(241)
Greek0.1%(224)
Russian0.1%(191)
Hungarian0.1%(176)
Swiss0.1%(168)
Danish0.1%(157)
Barbadian0.1%(155)
Croatian0.1%(113)
Ukrainian0.1%(87)
Finnish0.1%(86)
Austrian0.1%(82)
Slovak0%(78)
Lebanese0%(59)
Nigerian0%(58)
Egyptian0%(56)
Belgian0%(55)
Portuguese0%(55)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0%(53)
Israeli0%(52)
Canadian0%(50)
Iranian0%(38)
Slovene0%(34)
Moroccan0%(27)
Armenian0%(27)
Syrian0%(26)
Brazilian0%(19)
Romanian0%(16)
Lithuanian0%(12)
Turkish0%(11)
Ethiopian0%(4)
Bulgarian0%(2)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
89.9%
+14.2 ptssince 2000
from 75.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
70.0%
+2.7 ptssince 2020
from 67.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
92.3%
+4.6 ptssince 2020
from 87.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married29.5%(19,487)
Married52.3%(34,535)
Widowed4.1%(2,682)
Divorced14.2%(9,351)
Women 15+
Never married22.1%(15,411)
Married50.6%(35,382)
Widowed12.9%(8,981)
Divorced14.4%(10,085)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
15.4%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 16.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
4.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 4.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
60.8%
−2.0 ptssince 2020
from 62.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
45.2%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 45.2% 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)16.7%(1,770)
Gulf War (1990s)23.7%(2,504)
Vietnam era39.7%(4,197)
Korean War4%(427)
World War II0.4%(43)
Share of the 10,568 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 Sullivan County
Citrus County
Pop 171,666
Imperial County
Pop 181,411
Ouachita Parish
Pop 158,542
Vanderburgh County
Pop 181,995
Places similar to Sullivan CountyHead to head
Compare Sullivan County to nearby counties
SULLIVAN COUNTY VS
Bristol
Income$50,404−14%
Home value$184,100−14%
Population16,418−90%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SULLIVAN COUNTY VS
Washington County
Income$62,809+7%
Home value$249,000+17%
Population141,199−14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SULLIVAN COUNTY VS
Carter County
Income$50,135−15%
Home value$168,200−21%
Population57,361−65%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SULLIVAN COUNTY VS
Scott County
Income$46,349−21%
Home value$143,000−33%
Population21,200−87%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Sullivan County, Tennessee?
Sullivan County, Tennessee has about 160,624 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sullivan County, Tennessee?
The typical household in Sullivan County, Tennessee earns about $58,807 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Sullivan County, Tennessee expensive?
In Sullivan County, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $213,300, and the typical rent is about $889 a month.
How educated are people in Sullivan County, Tennessee?
About 26.8% of adults age 25 and over in Sullivan County, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Sullivan County, Tennessee?
About 15.4% of people in Sullivan County, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.
Has Sullivan County, Tennessee grown since 1990?
Yes, Sullivan County, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 17,028 residents, a change of about 12 percent over that period.
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40 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 433.01Census Tract 423Census Tract 412Census Tract 433.02Census Tract 421Census Tract 434.01Census Tract 413Census Tract 434.02Census Tract 436Census Tract 430Census Tract 429Census Tract 405Census Tract 414Census Tract 410Census Tract 432.02Census Tract 428.02Census Tract 418Census Tract 426Census Tract 406Census Tract 432.01Up the hierarchy
All counties in TennesseeDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024