United States › Tennessee › Unicoi County COUNTY
Unicoi County Tennessee · 17,856 residents (2025 est.) · 186 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 17,756 people, Unicoi County is a county in Tennessee. At a median age of 46.9, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 1% of people here were born outside the United States. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $189,600. Renters pay $750 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 46.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 36%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 17,667 in 2000
17,856 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
95 / sq mi
Unchangedsince 2009
from 95 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 41.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K 17K 17K 18K 18K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Unicoi County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $52,218
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,863 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,612 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 13.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.456 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.6%
Education & health services 3%
Public administration 2.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.1%
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$189,600
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $76,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$750
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $380 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 76.4% in 2000
27.1% rent
from 15.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.39 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 25.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.9 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 97.1%(17,161)
Hispanic / Latino 1.9%(342)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 90.1%(16,005)
Hispanic / Latino 6.7%(1,188)
from 11 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 13 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
+ 9 more ancestry groups with data from 10.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 67.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 85.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 61.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 26.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 22.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 62.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 81.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 27.7%(2,027)
Women 15+
Never married 22.4%(1,780)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 44.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 27.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 26.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 57.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 49.7% 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) 13.7%(191)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.8%(248)
Share of the 1,394 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 Unicoi County Head to head
Compare Unicoi County to nearby counties UNICOI COUNTY VS
Washington County
Income $62,809 +20%
Home value $249,000 +31%
Population 141,199 +691%
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UNICOI COUNTY VS
Mitchell County
Income $57,602 +10%
Home value $220,100 +16%
Population 15,062 −16%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
UNICOI COUNTY VS
Yancey County
Income $58,709 +12%
Home value $243,100 +28%
Population 19,084 +7%
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UNICOI COUNTY VS
Carter County
Income $50,135 −4%
Home value $168,200 −11%
Population 57,361 +221%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Unicoi County, Tennessee? Unicoi County, Tennessee has about 17,756 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Unicoi County, Tennessee? The typical household in Unicoi County, Tennessee earns about $52,218 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Unicoi County, Tennessee expensive? In Unicoi County, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $189,600, and the typical rent is about $750 a month.
How educated are people in Unicoi County, Tennessee? About 21.3% of adults age 25 and over in Unicoi County, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Unicoi County, Tennessee? About 14.3% of people in Unicoi County, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.
Has Unicoi County, Tennessee grown since 1990? Yes, Unicoi County, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,207 residents, a change of about 7 percent over that period.
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