Population 17,756 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Unicoi County
Household size in Unicoi County
| Period | Unicoi County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.37 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.33 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.26 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.23 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.14 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Unicoi County is a place of small households, averaging 2.23 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.37, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of Tennessee's 95 counties, only three have smaller households.
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 Unicoi County
| Period | Unicoi County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.7 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.0 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.1 | 39.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.9 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.2 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.9, Unicoi 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 43.7 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of Tennessee's 95 counties, only four are older.
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 Unicoi County
| Period | Unicoi County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.2% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Unicoi County (10.2%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 0.7 points from 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 Unicoi County
Renters in Unicoi County
| Period | Unicoi County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.1% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.1% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.1% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.1% | 33.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +2.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a quarter of households in Unicoi County rent their homes (27.1%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. More than half of owners (54.0%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the northeast; owners are most common in the south. The renter share is down 1.0 points from 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 Unicoi County
| Period | Unicoi County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.5% | 11.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.5% | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 10.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Unicoi County than nationally: 11.7%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.8 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 Unicoi County
| Period | Unicoi County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1972 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Unicoi County run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1975 against 1980. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the south has the oldest housing. Only one other Tennessee county has 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 Unicoi County
| Period | Unicoi County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $492 | $761 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $567 | $837 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $624 | $961 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $824 | $1,286 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$332 | +$526 | +$606 |
The median renter in Unicoi County pays $824 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $332 a month since 2006–10, up 68%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 31.2% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the northeast; 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 Unicoi County
Bachelor's degrees in Unicoi County
| Period | Unicoi County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.0% | 23.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 25.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 27.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.8% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.7 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Unicoi County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 20.8%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 7.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the south.
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 Unicoi County
| Period | Unicoi County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.5% | 83.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 77.4% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.0% | 87.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.9% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.4 pts | +6.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Unicoi County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 11.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Unicoi County
| Period | Unicoi County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 9.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Unicoi County runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has edged down 1.0 points since 2006–10, 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).
Unicoi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unicoi County | 2.23 | 46.9 | 10.2% | 27.1% | 11.7% | 1975 | $824 | 20.8% | 86.9% | 4.5% |
| Greene County | 2.49 | 44.3 | 9.3% | 22.9% | 13.4% | 1983 | $763 | 19.5% | 88.3% | 5.9% |
| Avery County | 2.31 | 46.8 | 5.7% | 17.0% | 42.2% | 1984 | $869 | 25.0% | 87.4% | 4.6% |
| Watauga County | 2.33 | 35.3 | 6.0% | 37.9% | 27.1% | 1986 | $1,142 | 52.3% | 91.3% | 7.7% |
| Hamblen County | 2.55 | 40.3 | 14.5% | 30.2% | 7.6% | 1982 | $890 | 20.2% | 88.3% | 4.8% |
| Jefferson County | 2.56 | 45.0 | 10.1% | 24.2% | 13.2% | 1988 | $914 | 20.4% | 89.0% | 4.5% |
| Grainger County | 2.54 | 46.7 | 10.2% | 22.9% | 16.4% | 1991 | $872 | 16.2% | 85.9% | 4.3% |
| Wilkes County | 2.43 | 45.7 | 12.5% | 26.5% | 15.0% | 1979 | $728 | 16.7% | 81.6% | 5.5% |
| Union County | 2.58 | 43.3 | 6.3% | 19.8% | 19.2% | 1991 | $825 | 14.0% | 86.2% | 2.4% |
| Yadkin County | 2.51 | 44.8 | 9.4% | 23.1% | 13.6% | 1983 | $844 | 17.9% | 86.5% | 5.0% |
| Anderson County | 2.44 | 42.7 | 11.5% | 28.3% | 9.0% | 1976 | $1,062 | 28.4% | 91.3% | 3.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Quebradillas Municipio, PR · Labette County, KS · Lajas Municipio, PR · Lamoille County, VT · Lampasas County, TX · Pointe Coupee Parish, LA · Polk County, AR · Poweshiek County, IA · Prentiss County, MS · Presque Isle County, MI
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 Unicoi 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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