Rhea County, TN

County

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2024 Population

33,992

US Senator

Marsha Blackburn

Republican Party

US Senator

Bill Hagerty

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

2.44% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

15.9%

3.55% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$55,033

5.33% 1-year decline

2024 Median Property Value

$206,000

15.4% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

13,839

1.75% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Rhea 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.

97.8% of the residents in Rhea County, TN are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Rhea County, TN are Bryan College-Dayton (263 degrees awarded in 2024) and Omega Graduate School (17 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Rhea County, TN was $206,000, and the homeownership rate was 71.5%.

Most people in Rhea County, TN drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Rhea County, TN was 2 cars per household.

Rhea County, TN borders Bledsoe County, TN, Cumberland County, TN, Hamilton County, TN, Meigs County, TN, and Roane County, TN.

United States Tennessee Dayton, TN

Population & Diversity

Rhea County, TN is home to a population of 34k people, from which 97.8% are citizens. As of 2024, 2.73% of Rhea County, TN residents were born outside of the country (929 people).

In 2024, there were 32.5 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (29.6k people) in Rhea County, TN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 913 Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 821 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.8%

2024 Citizenship

97.7%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.8% of Rhea County, TN residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Rhea County, TN was 97.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Rhea County, TN

White (Non-Hispanic)
29.6k ± 347
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
913 ± 315
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
821 ± 156

6.3%

Hispanic Population

2.14k people

6.3% of the people in Rhea County, TN are hispanic (2.14k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Rhea 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
95,077 ± 7,519 people
Guatemala
31,959 ± 4,379 people
Honduras
26,792 ± 4,011 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Tennessee was Mexico, the natal country of 95,077 Tennessee residents, followed by Guatemala with 31,959 and Honduras with 26,792.

Foreign-Born Population

2.73%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

929 people

3.01%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1k people

As of 2024, 2.73% of Rhea County, TN residents (929 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 Rhea County, TN was 3.01%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
724 ± 166
Gulf War (2001-)
666 ± 264
Gulf War (1990s)
564 ± 217

Rhea County, TN has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.09 times greater than any other conflict.

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

Health

87.1% of the population of Rhea County, TN has health coverage, with 39.4% on employee plans, 19.1% on Medicaid, 15.8% on Medicare, 11.8% on non-group plans, and 1.01% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Rhea County, TN see 2,761 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,761 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3748 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 2827 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.1% were men and 49.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,761 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Rhea County, TN

Primary care physicians in Rhea County, TN see an average of 2,761 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,761 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23% under 18 years, 18.4% between 18 and 34 years, 38.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.1% were men and 49.9% were women.

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

Uninsured People

12.9%

Uninsured

39.4%

Employer Coverage

19.1%

Medicaid

15.8%

Medicare

11.8%

Non-Group

1.01%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Rhea County, TN grew by 13.4% from 11.4% to 12.9%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 6.72 in Rhea County, TN.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Rhea County, TN.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 39.3% in Rhea County, TN.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Rhea County, TN.

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 13.2% in Rhea County, TN.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Rhea County, TN.

Economy

The economy of Rhea County, TN employs 13.8k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Rhea County, TN were Manufacturing (4,165 people), Retail Trade (1,480 people), and Educational Services (1,094 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($111,645), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($101,898), and Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation ($57,969).

Employment

Occupations

13.8k

2024 Value

± 1,039

1.75%

1 Year growth

± 10.4%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Rhea County, TN grew at a rate of 1.75%, from 13.6k employees to 13.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Rhea County, TN, are Production Occupations (2,708 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,710 people), and Management Occupations (1,195 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Rhea 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

13.8k

2024 Value

± 1,039

1.75%

1 Year growth

± 10.4%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Rhea County, TN grew at a rate of 1.75%, from 13.6k employees to 13.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Rhea County, TN, are Manufacturing (4,165 people), Retail Trade (1,480 people), and Educational Services (1,094 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Rhea County, TN, though some of these residents may live in Rhea County, TN and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$46,502

Median earning men ± $3,985

$30,448

Median earning women ± $3,846

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Information ($69,792), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($65,833), and Public Administration ($51,696).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($58,046), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($50,096), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($49,760).

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

49
Retail Trade
38
Other Services (except Public Administration)
33
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

$161k
Manufacturing
$42k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$36.3k
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 Rhea 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 2024, universities in Rhea County, TN awarded 280 degrees. The student population of Rhea County, TN in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 826 male students and 944 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Rhea County, TN are White (235 and 84.8%), Black or African American (12 and 4.33%), Unknown (9 and 3.25%), and Hispanic or Latino (9 and 3.25%).

The largest universities in Rhea County, TN by number of degrees awarded are Bryan College-Dayton (263 and 93.9%) and Omega Graduate School (17 and 6.07%).

The most popular majors in Rhea County, TN are General Business Administration & Management (90 and 32.1%), General Psychology (22 and 7.86%), and General Education (21 and 7.5%).

The median tuition cost for private four year colleges is $18,900.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2019 in Rhea County, TN, the percentage of applicants admitted was 51%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 38.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 1,770 (46.7% men and 53.3% 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 2024 there were 1,770 students enrolled in Rhea County, TN, 46.7% men and 53.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 884 records, of which 56% were women and 44% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
50 degrees awarded
General Psychology
22 degrees awarded
General Health & Physical Education
16 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Rhea County, TN was General Business Administration & Management with 50 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Bryan College-Dayton
263 degrees awarded
Omega Graduate School
17 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Bryan College-Dayton with 263 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 119 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Rhea County, TN, which is 0.739 times less than the 161 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 235 degrees mean that there were 19.6 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 12 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 ($18,900) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($900) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,250) 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 Rhea County, TN was $206,000 in 2024, which is 0.619 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $178,500 to $206,000, a 15.4% increase. The homeownership rate in Rhea County, TN is 71.5%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Rhea County, TN have an average commute time of 29.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Rhea County, TN is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 10.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Rhea County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.21%.

Housing

Property

$206,000

Median Property Value 2024

±$12,728

$9,632

Median Property Taxes

±$817

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 Rhea County, TN the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

71.5%

Homeownership

2024

71%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 71.5% of the housing units in Rhea County, TN were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 73%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Rhea 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.

$55,033

Median Household Income

± $2,802

13.5k

Number of Households

± 1,032

In 2024, the median household income of the 13.5k households in Rhea County, TN declined from $55,033 from the previous year's value of $58,133.

The following chart displays the households in Rhea 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 $50k - $60k range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.457

2024 Wage GINI in Tennessee

0.459

2023 Wage GINI in Tennessee

In 2024, the income inequality in Tennessee was 0.457 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.505% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Tennessee was lower than than the national average of 0.474. 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 (79.5%)
Carpooled (12%)
Worked At Home (6.53%)

In 2024, 79.5% of workers in Rhea County, TN drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (12%) and those who worked at home (6.53%).

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

29.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Rhea County, TN have a longer commute time (29.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 3.05% of the workforce in Rhea County, TN have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Rhea 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 Rhea County, TN distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Rhea County, TN have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 10.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Rhea County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.21%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

15.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Rhea County, TN (5.31k out of 33.4k 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 45 - 54, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Rhea 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, 21.4% of the children was living in poverty in Rhea County, TN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 11%.

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

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

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 280 in Rhea County, TN. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 58% per 100,000 population.

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