Unicoi County, Tennessee
Located in Tennessee, Unicoi County has a population of 17,756 residents and a median age of 46.9 years, making it the #1,997 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 14.3%. The median home value is $189,600, and the median household income is $52,218, which is 31% below the national median.
Demographics
Unicoi County has a population of 17,756, making it the #1,997 most populous county in the US. The median age is 46.9 years, which is 20.6% 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 Unicoi County is $52,218, ranking #2,647 out of 3,222 counties — 30.5% below the national median. The poverty rate is 14.3% and unemployment stands at 4.3%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Unicoi County is $189,600 (-32.7% vs national). Renters pay a median of $750/mo and the homeownership rate is 72.9%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Unicoi County, 21.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 36.9% below the national average, ranking #1,779 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Unicoi County is 71.2 years. 25.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.8% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
26.6% of adults in Unicoi County smoke , 36.8% are obese , and 17.8% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 47.1 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Unicoi County is 8.8 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 15.7 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 16.1 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
22.0% of children in Unicoi County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 23.7 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Unicoi County is 57.6%. The mean commute time is 28.0 min, which is 1.4% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Unicoi County voted Republican with a margin of 62.0%. The vote was 18.5% Dem / 80.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.0 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Unicoi County, Tennessee
Unicoi County, Tennessee has a total population of 17,756, making it the 1,997th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Unicoi County is 46.9 years, which is 20.6% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Unicoi County is $52,218, which ranks #2,647 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 30.5% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 14.3%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.3%.
The median home value in Unicoi County is $189,600, 32.7% below the national median. Renters in Unicoi County pay a median gross rent of $750 per month. The homeownership rate is 72.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Unicoi County, 21.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 36.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 91.8% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 28.0 min.
Unicoi County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 90.1% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (6.7%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
All data for Unicoi 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.