City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

Rocky Top, TN

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

1,830
Residents
$30,119
Median income
$112,200
Median home
$1,471
Median rent (state)

Rocky Top - the verdict

Nationally, Rocky Top sits in the 3rd percentile for household income and the 4th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

3rd
percentile, household income
14th
percentile, home value
58th
percentile, median rent
4th
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: Rocky Top, TN

Tennessee's Rocky Top is a small town, with 1,830 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Rocky Top households earn a median of $30,119 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 38.4%. Typical homes in Rocky Top are valued around $112,200, and the median resident age is 30.1 years. Educational attainment runs 8.6% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 46.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Rocky Top's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 5115.7 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects 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). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,471 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $218 across Tennessee, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 73.2 out of 100 (High).

Population

1,830 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Tennessee

Median Household Income

$30,119 /yr

Poverty 38.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

How does Rocky Top compare to other US cities?

Where Rocky Top sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 3% higher than other cities
Home value 14% pricier than other cities
Median rent 58% pricier than other cities
Safety 4% 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, Rocky Top ranks #170 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

Each percentile compares Rocky Top against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Tennessee only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Tennessee-relative analysis

Poverty Rate is Rocky Top's strongest outlier among Tennessee cities

Among the 482 Tennessee cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Rocky Top ranks #19 - the 96th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Rocky Top only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#445 of 458
3rd percentile in Tennessee
Median Gross Rent
#68 of 482
79th percentile in Tennessee
Median Home Value
#387 of 455
15th percentile in Tennessee
Poverty Rate
#19 of 482
96th percentile in Tennessee
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#406 of 482
16th percentile in Tennessee

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Tennessee only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

3rdIncome percentile
4thSafety percentile

3rd percentile nationally for median household income · 4th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Rocky Top's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Rocky Top'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 24 Avg. percentile National median
Rocky Top'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 Rocky Top's home value compares nationally

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

$112,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 86% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Rocky Top $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 - Rocky Top, TN Rocky Top, TN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Rocky Top, 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 Rocky Top, TN median $30,119/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%
Rocky Top, 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 Rocky Top, TN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 8.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 38.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 46.4%

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

Population
1,830
Median Income
$30,119
Median Home Value
$112,200
Median Age
30.1
Poverty Rate
38.4%
Labor force participation
46.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
8.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
5115.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1522.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3593.2
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.

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,600 residents1,620 residents1,640 residents1,660 residents1,680 residents1,700 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,632 residents 1,681 residents ▲ +3.0%
Rocky Top's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
92.4%
Carpool
3.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.8%
Work from Home
3.6%

Based on 643 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 Rocky Top sits in

Cost of Living Index
91.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,471/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
73.2 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Tennessee

Vonore
1,829 people
Cornersville
1,832 people
Jellico
1,821 people
Monteagle
1,818 people
McEwen
1,814 people
Cross Plains
1,809 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Rocky Top's 1,830 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Derwood, MD
1,830 people
Lykens, PA
1,830 people
Maysville, GA
1,829 people
Old Orchard, PA
1,829 people
Lewistown, IL
1,828 people
Prophetstown, IL
1,828 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Rocky Top's $30,119 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Argyle, GA
$30,114 median income
Pinnacle, NC
$30,109 median income
Kingman, IN
$30,139 median income
Grandin, MO
$30,096 median income
Andersonville, GA
$30,156 median income
Barlow, KY
$30,069 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Rocky Top, 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 Rocky Top, TN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 88.0% 6.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.6% White 88.0% Black or African American 2.0% Asian 3.1% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 6.9% 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 Rocky Top 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
Rocky Top (this city) 1,830 $30,119
Vonore 1,829 $59,563
Cornersville 1,832 $63,438
Jellico 1,821 $41,111
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TN FBI UCR OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Rocky Top, TN?

What is the population of Rocky Top, TN? +

Rocky Top, TN counts 1,830 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Rocky Top, TN? +

The median household income in Rocky Top is $30,119 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Rocky Top? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Rocky Top; 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 Rocky Top, TN safe? +

Rocky Top has a total crime rate of 5115.7 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Rocky Top, TN? +

A typical home in Rocky Top is worth $112,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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

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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.