Rhea County, Tennessee
Located in Tennessee, Rhea County has a population of 33,992 residents and a median age of 42.0 years, making it the #1,367 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 15.9%. The median home value is $206,000, and the median household income is $55,033, which is 27% below the national median.
Demographics
Rhea County has a population of 33,992, making it the #1,367 most populous county in the US. The median age is 42.0 years, which is 8.0% 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 Rhea County is $55,033, ranking #2,470 out of 3,222 counties — 26.8% below the national median. The poverty rate is 15.9% and unemployment stands at 5.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Rhea County is $206,000 (-26.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $839/mo and the homeownership rate is 71.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Rhea County, 18.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 44.7% below the national average, ranking #2,236 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Rhea County is 71.4 years. 24.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 13.2% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
24.4% of adults in Rhea County smoke , 39.3% are obese , and 17.6% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 45.9 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 14.1 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 16.4 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
21.4% of children in Rhea County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 7.5 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 32.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Rhea County is 54.9%. The mean commute time is 31.7 min, which is 14.8% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Rhea County voted Republican with a margin of 66.9%. The vote was 16% Dem / 82.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 3.3 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Rhea County, Tennessee
Rhea County, Tennessee has a total population of 33,992, making it the 1,367th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Rhea County is 42.0 years, which is 8.0% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Rhea County is $55,033, which ranks #2,470 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 26.8% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 15.9%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.8%.
The median home value in Rhea County is $206,000, 26.9% below the national median. Renters in Rhea County pay a median gross rent of $839 per month. The homeownership rate is 71.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Rhea County, 18.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 44.7% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 87.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 31.7 min.
Rhea County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 87.2% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (6.3%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
All data for Rhea 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.