Sullivan County, Tennessee
Located in Tennessee, Sullivan County has a population of 160,624 residents and a median age of 45.0 years, making it the #431 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 15.4%. The median home value is $213,300, and the median household income is $58,807, which is 22% below the national median.
Demographics
Sullivan County has a population of 160,624, making it the #431 most populous county in the US. The median age is 45.0 years, which is 15.7% 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 Sullivan County is $58,807, ranking #2,192 out of 3,222 counties — 21.7% below the national median. The poverty rate is 15.4% and unemployment stands at 5.4%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Sullivan County is $213,300 (-24.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $889/mo and the homeownership rate is 72.1%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Sullivan County, 26.8% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 20.4% below the national average, ranking #1,027 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Sullivan County is 72.7 years. 18.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.5% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
18.1% of adults in Sullivan County smoke , 40.7% are obese , and 15.4% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 44.1 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Sullivan County is 5.3 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 20.4 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 15.2 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
19.0% of children in Sullivan County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 6.3 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 24.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Sullivan County is 59.0%. The mean commute time is 24.1 min, which is 12.8% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Sullivan County voted Republican with a margin of 55.0%. The vote was 22% Dem / 77% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 3.1 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Sullivan County, Tennessee
Sullivan County, Tennessee has a total population of 160,624, making it the 431st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Sullivan County is 45.0 years, which is 15.7% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Sullivan County is $58,807, which ranks #2,192 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 21.7% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 15.4%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.4%.
The median home value in Sullivan County is $213,300, 24.3% below the national median. Renters in Sullivan County pay a median gross rent of $889 per month. The homeownership rate is 72.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Sullivan County, 26.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 20.4% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 91.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 24.1 min.
Sullivan County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 91.6% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
All data for Sullivan 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.