Demographics

Why East Tennessee?

East Tennessee offers a compelling mix of affordability, growth, and opportunity. With a cost of living below the national average, residents enjoy a high quality of life without the high price tag. The region’s diverse counties each bring unique strengths for both individuals and employers.

Our growing population benefits from strong educational institutions, with a well-educated workforce ready to meet industry demands. Whether you’re considering population trends, local tax rates, cost-of-living, or educational attainment, East Tennessee provides an exceptional environment for businesses and residents alike where everyone is welcome.

By The Numbers

1,278,556

Total Population

2025

15%

Population Growth

since 2010

595,423

Total Regional Employment

2025

$68,818

Median Household Income

2025

Regional Demographics

Regional Summary

Households by Income

Population by Race & Ethnicity

Population by Age

Educational Attainment

Regional Data

Cost of Living

Fact Sheets

Summary	2020	2025	2030 (Est)
Total Population	1,192,505	1,255,297	1,301,451
Households	484,932	517,483	541,094
Families	318,013	329,260	340,999
Average Household Size	2.41	2.38	2.36
Owner Occupied Housing Units	337,567	367,328	389,679
Renter Occupied Housing Units	147,365	150,155	151,415
Median Age	41.8	42.3	43.1

	2025		2030 (Est)
Households by Income	Number	Percent	Number	Percent
<$15,000	46,489	9.0%	42,177	7.8%
$15,000 – $24,999	41,793	8.1%	36,007	6.7%
$25,000 – $34,999	38,943	7.5%	33,956	6.3%
$35,000 – $49,999	62,112	12.0%	58,549	10.8%
$50,000 – $74,999	88,374	17.1%	87,039	16.1%
$75,000 – $99,999	62,119	12.0%	64,556	11.9%
$100,000 – $149,999	92,512	17.9%	106,201	19.6%
$150,000 – $199,999	35,605	6.9%	45,148	8.3%
$200,000+	49,522	9.6%	67,447	12.5%

Median Household Income	$68,818		$78,962
Average Household Income	$96,416		$108,249
Per Capita Income	$39,799		$45,057

	2020		2025		2030 (Est)
Race and Ethnicity	Number	Percent	Number	Percent	Number	Percent
Total	1,192,505	100%	1,255,297	100%	1,301,451	100%
White Alone	1,019,806	85.5%	1,062,053	84.6%	1,086,524	83.5%
Black Alone	53,346	4.5%	56,006	4.5%	60,564	4.7%
American Indian Alone	4,617	0.4%	5,120	0.4%	5,424	0.4%
Asian Alone	17,231	1.4%	19,930	1.6%	22,687	1.7%
Pacific Islander Alone	521	0.0%	549	0.0%	590	0.0%
Some Other Race Alone	28,509	2.4%	33,831	2.7%	38,568	3.0%
Two or More Races	68,475	5.7%	77,808	6.2%	87,094	6.7%

Hispanic Origin (Any Race)	60,032	5.0%	71,725	5.7%	81,464	6.3%

	2020		2025		2030 (Est)
Population by Age	Number	Percent	Number	Percent	Number	Percent
0 – 4	61,846	5.2%	63,267	5.0%	64,655	5.0%
5 – 9	67,037	5.6%	68,943	5.5%	66,554	5.1%
10 – 14	72,719	6.1%	70,297	5.6%	71,717	5.5%
15 – 19	77,939	6.5%	77,811	6.2%	74,990	5.8%
20 – 24	76,686	6.4%	78,551	6.3%	79,591	6.1%
25 – 34	144,392	12.1%	156,309	12.5%	156,292	12.0%
35 – 44	139,412	11.7%	153,669	12.2%	167,785	12.9%
45 – 54	152,299	12.8%	153,621	12.2%	157,398	12.1%
55 – 64	166,814	14.0%	164,409	13.1%	160,678	12.3%
65 – 74	139,997	11.7%	152,017	12.1%	161,198	12.4%
75 – 84	70,559	5.9%	90,242	7.2%	106,543	8.2%
85+	22,805	1.9%	26,161	2.1%	34,050	2.6%

Education Attainment	% of Population	Population
Less Than 9th Grade	3.7%	33,029
9th Grade to 12th Grade	6.2%	56,276
High School Diploma	32.2%	290,571
Some College	19.4%	175,054
Associate’s Degree	9.0%	80,908
Bachelor’s Degree	18.2%	164,108
Graduate Degree and Higher	11.4%	103,132

Common Search Terms

Demographics

Why East Tennessee?

By The Numbers

Regional Demographics

Regional Data