Population 56,864 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Jefferson County
Household size in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.47 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.53 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.57 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.56 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Jefferson County run a little small, averaging 2.56 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has climbed from 2.47 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the north.
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 Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.7 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.9 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.4 | 39.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.0 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.0, Jefferson County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 40.7 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.1% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.1% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Jefferson County (10.1%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national share fell.
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 Jefferson County
Renters in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.2% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.7% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.8% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.2% | 33.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +2.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Jefferson County is largely a place of homeowners: only 24.2% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 51.5% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged down 1.0 points since 2006–10, 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 Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 11.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.3% | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.2% | 10.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Jefferson County: 13.2% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 1.6 points, mirroring the country.
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 Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1986 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1988 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Jefferson County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1988, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. Tennessee as a whole looks much the same. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the northwest has the oldest housing.
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 Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $600 | $761 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $667 | $837 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $740 | $961 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $914 | $1,286 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$314 | +$526 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Jefferson County costs $914 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $314 a month since 2006–10, up 52%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 27.2% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the west.
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 Jefferson County
Bachelor's degrees in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 23.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.0% | 25.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.6% | 27.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.4% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Jefferson County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 20.4%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 6.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the southwest.
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 Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.9% | 83.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.1% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.3% | 87.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.0% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.1 pts | +6.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Jefferson County is close to the national rate: 89.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 11.1 points since 2006–10, as it has 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 Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 9.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Jefferson County than nationally: unemployment was 4.5%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.3 points, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Jefferson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 2.56 | 45.0 | 10.1% | 24.2% | 13.2% | 1988 | $914 | 20.4% | 89.0% | 4.5% |
| Cocke County | 2.39 | 44.3 | 15.3% | 25.5% | 13.1% | 1985 | $830 | 10.9% | 84.6% | 3.7% |
| Knox County | 2.46 | 38.8 | 9.4% | 34.8% | 8.5% | 1985 | $1,401 | 41.4% | 92.2% | 3.4% |
| Greene County | 2.49 | 44.3 | 9.3% | 22.9% | 13.4% | 1983 | $763 | 19.5% | 88.3% | 5.9% |
| Anderson County | 2.44 | 42.7 | 11.5% | 28.3% | 9.0% | 1976 | $1,062 | 28.4% | 91.3% | 3.7% |
| Unicoi County | 2.23 | 46.9 | 10.2% | 27.1% | 11.7% | 1975 | $824 | 20.8% | 86.9% | 4.5% |
| Morgan County | 2.72 | 41.9 | 10.7% | 15.1% | 16.6% | 1985 | $847 | 13.7% | 85.5% | 5.5% |
| Yancey County | 2.31 | 48.9 | 7.2% | 20.6% | 26.7% | 1988 | $880 | 25.1% | 90.5% | 7.1% |
| 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% |
| Cumberland County | 2.26 | 51.4 | 7.9% | 19.8% | 10.6% | 1993 | $965 | 18.3% | 90.7% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Crittenden County, AR · Van Zandt County, TX · Val Verde County, TX · Tuscola County, MI · Tioga County, NY · Thomas County, GA · Stevens County, WA · Eddy County, NM · Eagle County, CO · Darlington County, SC
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 Jefferson 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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