Carter County, TN

County

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2024 Population

56,712

US Senator

Marsha Blackburn

Republican Party

US Senator

Bill Hagerty

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

45.9

0.218% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

17.1%

4.94% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$50,135

3.51% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$168,200

7% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

23,565

2.15% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Carter County, TN reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.9% of the residents in Carter County, TN are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Carter County, TN are Milligan University (368 degrees awarded in 2023) and Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Elizabethton (361 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Carter County, TN was $168,200, and the homeownership rate was 75.2%.

Most people in Carter County, TN drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Carter County, TN was 2 cars per household.

Carter County, TN borders Avery County, NC, Mitchell County, NC, Johnson County, TN, Sullivan County, TN, Unicoi County, TN, and Washington County, TN.

United States Tennessee Johnson City, TN

Population & Diversity

Carter County, TN is home to a population of 56.7k people, from which 98.9% are citizens. As of 2024, 1.65% of Carter County, TN residents were born outside of the country (938 people).

In 2024, there were 41.7 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (52.6k people) in Carter County, TN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.26k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 1.08k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.9%

2024 Citizenship

98.5%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.9% of Carter County, TN residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Carter County, TN was 98.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Carter County, TN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Carter County, TN

White (Non-Hispanic)
52.6k ± 153
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
1.26k ± 168
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
1.08k ± 166

2.51%

Hispanic Population

1.42k people

2.51% of the people in Carter County, TN are hispanic (1.42k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Carter County, TN as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Tennessee.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
96,695 ± 7,581 people
Guatemala
27,777 ± 4,084 people
India
24,683 ± 3,850 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Tennessee was Mexico, the natal country of 96,695 Tennessee residents, followed by Guatemala with 27,777 and India with 24,683.

Foreign-Born Population

1.65%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

938 people

2.07%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.17k people

As of 2024, 1.65% of Carter County, TN residents (938 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Carter County, TN was 2.07%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Carter County, TN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,641 ± 247
Gulf War (2001-)
1,046 ± 280
Gulf War (1990s)
421 ± 112

Carter County, TN has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.57 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Carter County, TN.

Economy

The economy of Carter County, TN employs 23.6k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Carter County, TN were Health Care & Social Assistance (3,756 people), Manufacturing (3,098 people), and Retail Trade (3,006 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($84,083), Information ($59,700), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($54,750).

Employment

Occupations

23.6k

2024 Value

± 1,125

2.15%

1 Year growth

± 6.83%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Carter County, TN grew at a rate of 2.15%, from 23.1k employees to 23.6k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Carter County, TN, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,829 people), Sales & Related Occupations (2,536 people), and Production Occupations (2,331 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Carter County, TN.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Tennessee (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

23.6k

2024 Value

± 1,125

2.15%

1 Year growth

± 6.83%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Carter County, TN grew at a rate of 2.15%, from 23.1k employees to 23.6k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Carter County, TN, are Health Care & Social Assistance (3,756 people), Manufacturing (3,098 people), and Retail Trade (3,006 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Carter County, TN, though some of these residents may live in Carter County, TN and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$43,036

Median earning men ± $2,191

$32,290

Median earning women ± $2,092

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($63,021), Information ($59,650), and Manufacturing ($54,537).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Information ($70,114), Public Administration ($52,188), and Manufacturing ($44,375).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

Y-Axis

3.15%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 3.29M people employed in Tennessee. This represents a 3.15% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.8%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Tennessee.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

83
Other Services (except Public Administration)
55
Retail Trade
53
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$79.1k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$66k
Manufacturing
$52k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Tennessee went to Donald J. Trump with 64.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.703%).

Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are the senators currently representing the state of Tennessee. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Tennessee is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Carter County, TN. Showing the available data for Tennessee.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (64.2%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (34.5%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.703%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Tennessee went to Donald J. Trump with 64.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.703%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Tennessee for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Tennessee

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Tennessee.

Marsha Blackburn

Senator from Tennessee

Assumed office on January 3, 2019

Bill Hagerty

Senator from Tennessee

Assumed office on January 3, 2021

Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are the senators currently representing Tennessee.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Tennessee over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2023, universities in Carter County, TN awarded 729 degrees. The student population of Carter County, TN in 2023 is skewed towards men, with 1,277 male students and 1,016 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Carter County, TN are White (608 and 85.5%), Black or African American (34 and 4.78%), Hispanic or Latino (33 and 4.64%), and Two or More Races (15 and 2.11%).

The largest universities in Carter County, TN by number of degrees awarded are Milligan University (368 and 50.5%) and Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Elizabethton (361 and 49.5%).

The most popular majors in Carter County, TN are Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training (91 and 12.5%), General Business Administration & Management (59 and 8.09%), and Phlebotamy Technician (35 and 4.8%).

The median tuition cost for private four year colleges is $37,700.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Carter County, TN, the percentage of applicants admitted was 70.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 29.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 2,293 (55.7% men and 44.3% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 2,293 students enrolled in Carter County, TN, 55.7% men and 44.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,817 records, of which 44.4% were women and 55.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
42 degrees awarded
General Psychology
24 degrees awarded
General Health & Physical Education
24 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Carter County, TN was General Business Administration & Management with 42 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Carter County, TN according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Milligan University
368 degrees awarded
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Elizabethton
361 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Milligan University with 368 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 341 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Carter County, TN, which is 0.879 times less than the 388 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 608 degrees mean that there were 17.9 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 34 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($37,700) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,650) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,300) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Carter County, TN was $168,200 in 2024, which is 0.506 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $157,200 to $168,200, a 7% increase. The homeownership rate in Carter County, TN is 75.2%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Carter County, TN have an average commute time of 24.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Carter County, TN is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 10.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Carter County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.53%.

Housing

Property

$168,200

Median Property Value 2024

±$4,365

$18,366

Median Property Taxes

±$945

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Carter County, TN the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Carter County, TN compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

75.2%

Homeownership

2024

68.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 75.2% of the housing units in Carter County, TN were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 74.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Carter County, TN compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$50,135

Median Household Income

± $3,158

24.4k

Number of Households

± 1,137

In 2024, the median household income of the 24.4k households in Carter County, TN grew to $50,135 from the previous year's value of $48,435.

The following chart displays the households in Carter County, TN distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Carter County, TN is from Tennessee.

0.459

2023 Wage GINI in Tennessee

0.462

2022 Wage GINI in Tennessee

In 2023, the income inequality in Tennessee was 0.459 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.619% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Tennessee was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Tennessee in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Tennessee across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (82.7%)
Carpooled (7.42%)
Worked At Home (7.16%)

In 2024, 82.7% of workers in Carter County, TN drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.42%) and those who worked at home (7.16%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

24.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Carter County, TN have a shorter commute time (24.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.61% of the workforce in Carter County, TN have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Carter County, TN compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Carter County, TN distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Carter County, TN have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 10.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Carter County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.53%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

17.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Carter County, TN (9.42k out of 55.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 55 - 64, followed by Females 45 - 54 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Carter County, TN is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 23% of the children was living in poverty in Carter County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 9.2%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 271 in Carter County, TN. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 52.2 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

88.3% of the population of Carter County, TN has health coverage, with 34.2% on employee plans, 19.9% on Medicaid, 17.3% on Medicare, 12.5% on non-group plans, and 4.4% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Carter County, TN see 3,302 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (3,302 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2820 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1462 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

3,302 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Carter County, TN

Primary care physicians in Carter County, TN see an average of 3,302 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (3,302 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Carter County, TN in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 19% under 18 years, 18.8% between 18 and 34 years, 39.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 22.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

11.7%

Uninsured

34.2%

Employer Coverage

19.9%

Medicaid

17.3%

Medicare

12.5%

Non-Group

4.4%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Carter County, TN declined by 9.98% from 12.9% to 11.7%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Carter County, TN changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.