Population 160,624 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sullivan County
Household size in Sullivan County
| Period | Sullivan County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.30 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.33 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.33 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Sullivan County are small: just 2.34 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.30, even as the national average fell.
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 Sullivan County
| Period | Sullivan County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.7 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.6 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.2 | 39.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.8 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.1 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.8, Sullivan County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 42.7, in line with the national trend. 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 Sullivan County
| Period | Sullivan County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.0% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Sullivan County as they are nationally: 10.9%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged up 0.6 points since 2006–10, even as 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 Sullivan County
Renters in Sullivan County
| Period | Sullivan County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.2% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.0% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.2% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.9% | 33.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +2.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Sullivan County own their homes; 27.9% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 49.4% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the southeast. The renter share has risen 3.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Sullivan County
| Period | Sullivan County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 11.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 10.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Sullivan County is close to the national rate: 10.3% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national rate fell.
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 Sullivan County
| Period | Sullivan County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in Sullivan County was built around 1976, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in Tennessee overall, where the median home dates to 1986. The median year built has moved up from 1972 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Of Tennessee's 95 counties, only five have older homes.
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 Sullivan County
| Period | Sullivan County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $575 | $761 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $641 | $837 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $709 | $961 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $911 | $1,286 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$336 | +$526 | +$606 |
The median renter in Sullivan County pays $911 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $336 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 27.7% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the southeast and lowest in the northwest.
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 Sullivan County
Bachelor's degrees in Sullivan County
| Period | Sullivan County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.5% | 23.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.4% | 25.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.9% | 27.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.3% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Sullivan County (27.3%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the northwest.
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 Sullivan County
| Period | Sullivan County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.2% | 83.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.7% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.2% | 87.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.2% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | +6.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Sullivan County have finished high school as nationally: 90.2%, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 8.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Sullivan County has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Tennessee counties.
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 Sullivan County
| Period | Sullivan County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 9.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.2%, unemployment in Sullivan County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.7 points, mirroring the country. 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).
Sullivan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sullivan County | 2.34 | 44.8 | 10.9% | 27.9% | 10.3% | 1976 | $911 | 27.3% | 90.2% | 5.2% |
| Bristol City | 2.38 | 45.6 | 17.7% | 36.4% | 19.3% | 1965 | $867 | 24.0% | 89.6% | 7.0% |
| Scott County | 2.28 | 47.8 | 10.5% | 23.0% | 22.0% | 1976 | $700 | 15.0% | 84.3% | 3.3% |
| Hawkins County | 2.46 | 46.1 | 12.6% | 19.9% | 13.3% | 1985 | $907 | 16.2% | 87.4% | 7.1% |
| Johnson County | 2.33 | 46.2 | 14.4% | 22.5% | 16.3% | 1982 | $741 | 17.4% | 83.0% | 3.8% |
| Hancock County | 2.39 | 45.1 | 8.8% | 25.4% | 21.7% | 1984 | $619 | 11.0% | 76.9% | 7.9% |
| Ashe County | 2.20 | 49.6 | 9.0% | 20.6% | 27.3% | 1983 | $894 | 27.0% | 89.1% | 4.5% |
| Claiborne County | 2.30 | 42.5 | 11.2% | 27.8% | 12.8% | 1987 | $750 | 18.0% | 84.2% | 4.4% |
| Grayson County | 2.26 | 48.6 | 6.5% | 19.6% | 28.4% | 1975 | $736 | 15.5% | 85.3% | 3.6% |
| Alleghany County | 2.15 | 51.2 | 4.0% | 25.6% | 29.5% | 1980 | $721 | 22.2% | 83.7% | 4.1% |
| Bell County | 2.34 | 39.9 | 14.5% | 41.2% | 14.0% | 1980 | $624 | 18.0% | 80.3% | 9.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Berrien County, MI · Yellowstone County, MT · Washington County, MD · Tolland County, CT · Stafford County, VA · St. Clair County, MI · Scott County, MN · Santa Fe County, NM · Hampshire County, MA · Greene County, OH
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 Sullivan 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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