City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

Mountain City, TN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Mountain City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

2,275
Residents
$36,902
Median income
$186,800
Median home
$925
Median rent (state)

Mountain City - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Mountain City lands in the 6th percentile for household income and the 65th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

6th
percentile, household income
39th
percentile, home value
7th
percentile, median rent
65th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Mountain City, TN

2,275 people live in Mountain City, Tennessee - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $36,902 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 23.8%. Mountain City's housing stock carries a median value of $186,800, and the median resident age is 54.3 years. 8.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 36.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 6 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 500% from five years earlier. Mountain City reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 968.5 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Tennessee run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Tennessee at 91.9 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $925 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Tennessee's average monthly utility costs around $218 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 28.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

2,275 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Tennessee

Median Household Income

$36,902 /yr

Poverty 23.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

How does Mountain City compare to other US cities?

Here's how Mountain City stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 6% higher than other cities
Home value 39% pricier than other cities
Median rent 7% pricier than other cities
Safety 65% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Tennessee alone, Mountain City ranks #49 of 174 Tennessee cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Mountain City's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Tennessee, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

6thIncome percentile
65thSafety percentile

6th percentile nationally for median household income · 65th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Mountain City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Mountain City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 49 Avg. percentile National median
Mountain City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Mountain City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$186,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 61% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Mountain City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Mountain City, TN Mountain City, TN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Mountain City, TN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Mountain City, TN median $36,902/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Mountain City, TN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Mountain City, TN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 8.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 23.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 36.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
2,275
Median Income
$36,902
Median Home Value
$186,800
Median Age
54.3
Poverty Rate
23.8%
Labor force participation
36.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
8.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
968.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
80.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
887.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,300 residents2,350 residents2,400 residents2,450 residents2,500 residents2,550 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,400 residents 2,490 residents ▲ +3.8%
Mountain City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
6
housing units authorized
Single-Family
6
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 1
2021 1
2022 7
2023 5
2024 6

Permit volume increased 500% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
83.5%
Carpool
3.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
13.4%

Based on 632 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Tennessee - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$58
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$218
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Tennessee state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Tennessee state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Mountain City sits in

Cost of Living Index
91.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$925/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
28.2 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Tennessee

Plainview
2,276 people
Bluff City
2,268 people
Gladeville
2,263 people
Spring City
2,299 people
Surgoinsville
2,246 people
Dyer
2,334 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Mountain City's 2,275 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bethlehem, CT
2,275 people
Malone, FL
2,275 people
Harrison, MI
2,275 people
English Creek, NJ
2,275 people
Glasco, NY
2,275 people
Arnold, CA
2,276 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Mountain City's $36,902 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Oyster Creek, TX
$36,902 median income
Moon Lake, FL
$36,901 median income
Dexter, OR
$36,905 median income
Boykin, AL
$36,908 median income
Salton, CA
$36,915 median income
Gooding, ID
$36,889 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Mountain City, TN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Mountain City, TN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.7% 9.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.8% White 86.7% Black or African American 2.8% Asian 0.9% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 9.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Mountain City compares to nearby Tennessee cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Mountain City (this city) 2,275 $36,902
Plainview 2,276 $61,343
Bluff City 2,268 $59,783
Gladeville 2,263 $94,693
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TN FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Mountain City, TN?

What is the population of Mountain City, TN? +

Mountain City, TN has a population of 2,275 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Mountain City, TN? +

The median household income in Mountain City is $36,902 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Mountain City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Mountain City; the closest available measure is the Tennessee state average, a cost of living index of 91.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Tennessee vary by metro area.

Is Mountain City, TN safe? +

Mountain City has a total crime rate of 968.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Mountain City, TN? +

Mountain City's median home value sits at $186,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.