Population 36,813 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cocke County
Household size in Cocke County
| Period | Cocke County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.38 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.37 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.50 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.39 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Cocke County is a place of small households, averaging 2.39 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Cocke County has smaller households than at least four in five Tennessee counties.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cocke County
| Period | Cocke County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.4 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.5 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.6 | 39.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.3 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.0 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Cocke County skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.3, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 41.4 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cocke County
| Period | Cocke County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.2% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.3% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Cocke County: 15.3% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 3.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Of Tennessee's 95 counties, only five have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cocke County
Renters in Cocke County
| Period | Cocke County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.0% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.1% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.9% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.5% | 33.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | +2.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a quarter of households in Cocke County rent their homes (25.5%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. About six in ten owners (60.0%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the west and least common in the south. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 1.5 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cocke County
| Period | Cocke County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 11.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 20.0% | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.1% | 10.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Cocke County than nationally: 13.1%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has fallen 1.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cocke County
| Period | Cocke County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Cocke County is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1985, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cocke County
| Period | Cocke County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $492 | $761 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $555 | $837 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $642 | $961 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $830 | $1,286 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$338 | +$526 | +$606 |
The median renter in Cocke County pays $830 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $338 a month from 2006–10, a 69% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 25.4% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cocke County
Bachelor's degrees in Cocke County
| Period | Cocke County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 23.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 25.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 27.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Cocke County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 10.9%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 3.2 points, as it has nationally. Of Tennessee's 95 counties, only two have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cocke County
| Period | Cocke County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.1% | 83.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 77.8% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 79.5% | 87.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 84.6% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +13.5 pts | +6.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in seven adults in Cocke County never finished high school, more than nationally: 84.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 13.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cocke County
| Period | Cocke County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 9.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.7% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.3 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Cocke County than nationally: unemployment was 3.7%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 8.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cocke County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cocke County | 2.39 | 44.3 | 15.3% | 25.5% | 13.1% | 1985 | $830 | 10.9% | 84.6% | 3.7% |
| Jefferson County | 2.56 | 45.0 | 10.1% | 24.2% | 13.2% | 1988 | $914 | 20.4% | 89.0% | 4.5% |
| Sevier County | 2.51 | 43.2 | 10.5% | 29.3% | 22.0% | 1995 | $1,131 | 22.3% | 88.1% | 3.3% |
| Madison County | 2.57 | 45.4 | 9.7% | 22.5% | 25.2% | 1986 | $880 | 32.3% | 89.7% | 2.6% |
| Knox County | 2.46 | 38.8 | 9.4% | 34.8% | 8.5% | 1985 | $1,401 | 41.4% | 92.2% | 3.4% |
| Yancey County | 2.31 | 48.9 | 7.2% | 20.6% | 26.7% | 1988 | $880 | 25.1% | 90.5% | 7.1% |
| Anderson County | 2.44 | 42.7 | 11.5% | 28.3% | 9.0% | 1976 | $1,062 | 28.4% | 91.3% | 3.7% |
| Mitchell County | 2.21 | 48.1 | 7.5% | 23.7% | 22.7% | 1979 | $845 | 23.9% | 90.8% | 6.4% |
| Avery County | 2.31 | 46.8 | 5.7% | 17.0% | 42.2% | 1984 | $869 | 25.0% | 87.4% | 4.6% |
| Roane County | 2.44 | 46.3 | 9.0% | 21.9% | 10.9% | 1981 | $867 | 22.0% | 89.9% | 4.9% |
| Morgan County | 2.72 | 41.9 | 10.7% | 15.1% | 16.6% | 1985 | $847 | 13.7% | 85.5% | 5.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Geneva County, AL · Summit County, UT · Sumter County, GA · Susquehanna County, PA · Suwannee County, FL · Sweetwater County, WY · Gillespie County, TX · Giles County, TN · Gibson County, IN · Summit County, CO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cocke County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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