County · Tennessee

Carter County, Tennessee

Carter County, Tennessee. Carter County had 57,361 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.8% since 2020, slower than Tennessee (+5.8%). It holds 11 places (3 cities, villages and boroughs and 8 census-designated) and 18 census tracts. GEOID 47019.

Carter County is one of the 3 counties of the Johnson City, TN metropolitan statistical area (the Census Bureau's July 2023 delineation).

Residents, July 2025 estimate

57,361

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 56,356 · ACS 2020-2024: 56,712

Median household income

$50,135

±$3,158 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $69,595

Median home value

$168,200

±$4,365 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $286,700

Median gross rent

$739

±$29 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $1,189

How many people live in Carter County, and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 56,356 residents in Carter County. The Census Bureau estimates 57,361 for July 1, 2025, up 1.8% since 2020, slower than Tennessee (+5.8%). The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 56,712 over 341 square miles of land.

July 2020→2021 −263 (56,128)
2021→2022 +400 (56,528)
2022→2023 +519 (57,047)
2023→2024 +321 (57,368)
2024→2025 −7 (57,361)

Carter County in Tennessee. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Counts, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, with the change from 2015-2019
Measure	Carter County	Tennessee	Change since 2015-2019
Total population	56,712	7,066,383	+279
Households	24,425±463	2,824,277	+641
Average household size	2.26±0.04	2.45	no clear change
Housing units	28,118±85	3,143,670	no clear change

Carter County's population since 2000

From 56,742 in 2000 to 57,361 in 2025: up 1.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.

2000 Census 56,742
2005 (estimate) 57,693
2010 Census 57,424
2015 (estimate) 56,385
2020 Census 56,356
2025 (estimate) 57,361

Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov

What cities and towns are in Carter County?

Carter County holds 11 places: 3 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places) and 8 census-designated places. The largest is Elizabethton with 14,350 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.

Places in Carter County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Ring: estimate with a coefficient of variation over 40%.

Elizabethton	city	14,546	14,374±33	$46,975	$172,900	18.8%	100%
Pine Crest	CDP	2,439	2,029±472	$53,537	$196,600	9.7%	100%
Central	CDP	2,114	1,938±373	$37,444	$151,800	11.7%	100%
Hampton	CDP	2,030	1,883±347	$39,028	$98,200	19.9%	100%
Valley Forge	CDP	1,926	2,136±523	$54,631	$158,100	15.1%	100%
Biltmore	CDP	1,837	1,846±457	$52,917	$125,300	9.6%	100%
HunterGEOID 4736500	CDP	1,803	1,918±429	$51,815	$169,500	13.7%	100%
Johnson City	city	71,046	72,222±439	$57,254	$268,200	20.3%	2%
Roan MountainGEOID 4763840	CDP	1,078	797±213	$55,625	$166,200	1.7%	100%
Watauga	city	353	644±222	$62,917	$156,900	10.9%	100%
ButlerGEOID 4710080	CDP	297	127±120	$64,188	not published	4.7%	7%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Carter County?

The median resident of Carter County is 45.9 years old; 17.7% are under 18 and 22.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 2.5%. 1.7% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin and education, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure	Carter County	Tennessee	Change since 2015-2019
Median age	45.9±0.3	38.9	+0.5
Under 18 years	17.7%±0.2 pts	22.2%	–
65 years and over	22.8%±0.2 pts	17.1%	–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2.5%	7.4%	+0.6 pts
White alone, not Hispanic	92.8%±0.3 pts	71.0%	−2.0 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic	1.9%±0.3 pts	15.4%	no clear change
Asian alone, not Hispanic	0.1%±0.1 pts	1.9%	–
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.1 pts	0.1%	–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.1 pts	0.1%	–
Two or more races, not Hispanic	2.5%±0.4 pts	3.7%	–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic	0.1%±0.1 pts	0.4%	–
Born outside the United States	1.7%±0.4 pts	6.1%	no clear change
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)	2.4%±0.5 pts	8.6%	–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)	8.7%±0.9 pts	7.3%	–
With a disability	22.3%±1.4 pts	14.9%	–
No health insurance coverage	11.7%±1.3 pts	10.0%	no clear change
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)	89.5%±1.3 pts	90.0%	–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)	20.6%±1.6 pts	31.1%	+3.1 pts
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)	7.3%±1.1 pts	11.7%	–
Moved from another state in the past year	2.3%±0.7 pts	3.0%	–

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov

What do households in Carter County earn?

Half of Carter County's 24,425 households earn less than $50,135 a year (±$3,158), against $69,595 in Tennessee. In 2015-2019 it was $46,880 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 17.1% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Carter County	Tennessee	Change since 2015-2019
Median household income	$50,135±$3,158	$69,595	no clear change
Mean household income	$66,526±$2,762	$96,820	–
Per capita income	$30,064±$1,621	$39,437	no clear change
People below the poverty line	17.1%±2.0 pts	13.8%	−5.0 pts
Children under 18 below the poverty line	22.5%±4.9 pts	18.8%	−9.4 pts
Households receiving SNAP	14.3%±1.8 pts	10.8%	–
Households with a broadband subscription	83.7%±1.7 pts	89.2%	–

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What does housing cost in Carter County?

Owners occupy 75.2% of Carter County's occupied homes and renters 24.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $168,200 by its owner (±$4,365). The median renter pays $739 a month including utilities, and 28.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Carter County	Tennessee	Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)	$168,200±$4,365	$286,700	+$17,317
Median gross rent	$739±$29	$1,189	no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent	28.4%±4.2 pts	39.7%	−6.2 pts
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage	$1,134±$39	$1,566	–
Owner-occupied homes	75.2%±2.2 pts	66.9%	+4.4 pts
Housing units	28,118±85	3,143,670	no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate	1.2%±0.7 pts	0.9%	–
Rental vacancy rate	7.9%±3.6 pts	6.1%	–
Single-family detached homes	67.4%±2.2 pts	68.3%	–
Mobile homes	18.4%±1.8 pts	8.1%	–
Built 2020 or later	0.9%±0.4 pts	3.0%	–
Built 1939 or earlier	12.0%±1.4 pts	5.6%	–

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov

How many new homes is Carter County building?

Builders took permits for 190 new housing units across Carter County in 2025 (178 single-family), 3.3 per 1,000 residents.

2019 127 units
2020 157 units
2021 180 units
2022 171 units
2023 182 units
2024 177 units
2025 190 units

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in Carter County get to work?

82.7% of Carter County's workers drive alone and 7.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.2%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Carter County	Tennessee	Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)	52.6%±1.4 pts	62.4%	–
Unemployment rate	6.2%±1.2 pts	4.7%	no clear change
Drove alone to work	82.7%±1.7 pts	75.8%	–
Carpooled	7.4%±1.3 pts	8.4%	–
Public transportation	0.4%±0.4 pts	0.4%	–
Walked	1.2%±0.5 pts	1.2%	–
Worked from home	7.2%±1.2 pts	12.9%	+3.0 pts
Mean travel time to work	24.3 min±1.0	25.7 min	no clear change

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What are Carter County's census tracts?

Carter County is divided into 18 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $30,000 (Tract 701) to $58,438 (Tract 711).

Census tracts of Carter County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; sort by any column

Tract 70147019070100	Elizabethton	2,063	2,155±267	$30,000	$167,700	$587	30.4%
Tract 70247019070200	Elizabethton (90%)	4,103	4,438±389	$57,441	$227,700	$912	10.6%
Tract 70347019070300	Elizabethton (92%)	5,747	5,661±688	$51,111	$171,200	$654	11.2%
Tract 70447019070400	Elizabethton (82%)	2,221	2,356±355	$43,136	$164,900	$662	31.9%
Tract 70547019070500	Valley Forge (28%)	4,179	3,753±346	$56,025	$157,900	$798	10.8%
Tract 70647019070600	Valley Forge (55%)	2,480	2,672±470	$44,613	$155,300	$635	18.0%
Tract 70747019070700	Johnson City (7%)	3,438	3,468±499	$58,431	$229,900	$727	15.7%
Tract 70847019070800	Johnson City (39%)	2,902	3,076±377	$50,456	$182,200	$686	16.9%
Tract 70947019070900	Elizabethton (57%)	3,583	3,899±393	$42,607	$233,700	$840	27.1%
Tract 71047019071000	Central (45%)	2,705	2,386±338	$35,667	$156,400	$911	13.1%
Tract 71147019071100	Watauga (39%)	1,538	1,715±288	$58,438	$181,500	$711	9.1%
Tract 71247019071200	Biltmore (37%)	3,806	3,705±440	$52,813	$139,400	$670	16.7%
Tract 713.0147019071301	Hunter (4%)	3,766	3,741±623	$47,425	$166,600	$675	18.9%
Tract 713.0247019071302	Hunter (48%)	3,443	3,246±535	$54,621	$167,900	$839	15.1%
Tract 71447019071400	Hampton (71%)	3,314	3,358±438	$40,284	$124,700	$688	17.5%
Tract 71547019071500	–	2,109	1,986±495	$40,341	not published	$809	17.1%
Tract 71647019071600	Butler (1%)	1,462	1,406±258	$53,313	$190,500	not published	17.7%
Tract 71747019071700	Roan Mountain (39%)	3,497	3,691±675	$55,878	$169,200	$675	21.0%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov

How does Carter County compare with Tennessee's other counties?

Carter County's rank among Tennessee's counties with a reliable estimate (1 = highest)
Measure	Rank
Population	28th of 95
Growth 2020-2025	83rd of 95
Residents per square mile	21st of 95
Median household income	81st of 95
Median home value	66th of 95
Median gross rent	78th of 95
Poverty rate	34th of 95
Bachelor's degree or higher	36th of 95
Median age	17th of 95

Every county in Tennessee

Source: PlainCities ranks from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed

How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections

Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Carter County are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.