Carter County, Tennessee
Located in Tennessee, Carter County has a population of 56,712 residents and a median age of 45.9 years, making it the #933 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 17.1%. The median home value is $168,200, and the median household income is $50,135, which is 33% below the national median.
Demographics
Carter County has a population of 56,712, making it the #933 most populous county in the US. The median age is 45.9 years, which is 18.0% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Carter County is $50,135, ranking #2,763 out of 3,222 counties — 33.3% below the national median. The poverty rate is 17.1% and unemployment stands at 6.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Carter County is $168,200 (-40.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $739/mo and the homeownership rate is 75.2%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Carter County, 20.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 38.8% below the national average, ranking #1,890 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Carter County is 72.7 years. 23.6% of adults report poor or fair health and 13.4% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
23.1% of adults in Carter County smoke , 41.3% are obese , and 17.4% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 44.4 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Carter County is 5.8 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 24.6 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 14.7 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
23.0% of children in Carter County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 6.4 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 25.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Carter County is 53.9%. The mean commute time is 26.7 min, which is 3.3% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Carter County voted Republican with a margin of 63.2%. The vote was 17.9% Dem / 81.1% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.7 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Carter County, Tennessee
Carter County, Tennessee has a total population of 56,712, making it the 933rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Carter County is 45.9 years, which is 18.0% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Carter County is $50,135, which ranks #2,763 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 33.3% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 17.1%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 6.2%.
The median home value in Carter County is $168,200, 40.3% below the national median. Renters in Carter County pay a median gross rent of $739 per month. The homeownership rate is 75.2%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Carter County, 20.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 38.8% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 88.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 26.7 min.
Carter County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 92.8% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
All data for Carter County, Tennessee comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.