Data / Sullivan County / Profile

Sullivan County in figures

A profile of Sullivan County from official statistics: 24 figures in 6 sections, each with its period, its change from a year earlier, its rank among similar places where a ranking exists, and its source.

Figures last updated on 2026-10-12.

People

Population in Sullivan County was 163,759 in 2025, up 0.6% from 2024, and the 10th highest of 95 counties in Tennessee.

Population163,7592025Up 0.6% from 2024The 10th highest of 95 counties in Tennessee
Median age45 years2024Unchanged from 2023The 25th highest of 95 counties in Tennessee
Population aged 65 and over23.7%2025Up 0.2 percentage points from 2024The 21st highest of 95 counties in Tennessee
Foreign-born population share1.9%2024Up 0.1 percentage points from 2023
Population density152.9 inhabitants per km²2025Up 0.6% from 2024
Net domestic migration, July to June1,9062025, estimatedCompared with 1,435 in 2024
158K160K162K164K2020202120222023202420252020: 158,238 persons2021: 159,250 persons2022: 160,899 persons2023: 161,953 persons2024: 162,709 persons2025: 163,759 persons
Population, 2020 to 2025. persons. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual estimates of the resident population for the United States, states and counties, 1 July (Population Estimates Program).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual estimates of the resident population for the United States, states and counties, 1 July (Population Estimates Program); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B01002: median age, total population; U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex (cc-est agesex): residents aged 65 and over as a percentage of the total, 1 July; states and the nation summed from counties; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs; U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km²; U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program: net domestic migration, states and counties, July 1 of the previous year to June 30 of the reported year; vintage 2020 files for 2011 to 2020 and the latest 2020s vintage from 2021. Population and demography statistics and rankings

Work and income

Unemployment rate in Sullivan County was 3.5% (provisional) in August 2026, unchanged from August 2025, and tied for the 21st lowest of 95 counties in Tennessee.

Unemployment rate3.5%August 2026, provisionalUnchanged from August 2025Tied for the 21st lowest of 95 counties in Tennessee
Median household income$58,8072024Up 3.5% from 2023The 45th lowest of 95 counties in Tennessee
Per capita personal income$58,1282024Up 5.5% from 2023The 20th highest of 95 counties in Tennessee
Poverty rate (US official measure)15.7%2024Up 2.2 percentage points from 2023
Gini index46.72024Down 0.3 points from 2023
2.533.544.552021-072022-042023-012023-102024-072025-042026-082021-07: 4.8 %2021-08: 4.1 %2021-09: 3.6 %2021-10: 3.5 %2021-11: 3.2 %2021-12: 3.1 %2022-01: 3.6 %2022-02: 3.3 %2022-03: 3.3 %2022-04: 3.1 %2022-05: 3.3 %2022-06: 4.3 %2022-07: 3.8 %2022-08: 3.6 %2022-09: 3.3 %2022-10: 3.5 %2022-11: 3.4 %2022-12: 3.2 %2023-01: 3.6 %2023-02: 3.5 %2023-03: 3.3 %2023-04: 2.8 %2023-05: 3.2 %2023-06: 3.9 %2023-07: 3.6 %2023-08: 3.3 %2023-09: 3.4 %2023-10: 3.4 %2023-11: 3.2 %2023-12: 3.1 %2024-01: 3.5 %2024-02: 3.2 %2024-03: 3.2 %2024-04: 2.9 %2024-05: 3.2 %2024-06: 4.1 %2024-07: 4 %2024-08: 3.7 %2024-09: 3.5 %2024-10: 3.5 %2024-11: 3.6 %2024-12: 3.4 %2025-01: 3.7 %2025-02: 3.3 %2025-03: 3.4 %2025-04: 3 %2025-05: 3.3 %2025-06: 3.9 %2025-07: 3.9 %2025-08: 3.5 %2025-09: 3.6 %2025-11: 3.7 %2025-12: 3.3 %2026-01: 3.5 %2026-02: 3.7 %2026-03: 3.2 %2026-04: 3.1 %2026-05: 3.1 %2026-06: 3.8 %2026-07: 3.5 %2026-08: 3.5 %
Unemployment rate, July 2021 to August 2026. %. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19013: median household income in the past 12 months; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, per capita personal income, current dollars, individual counties and county equivalents; U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19083: Gini index of household income inequality (coefficient multiplied by 100). Labor market statistics and rankings

Economy

GDP (US dollars) in Sullivan County was $11.88 billion in 2024, up 7.2% from 2023, and the 8th highest of 95 counties in Tennessee.

Gross domestic product (GDP), US dollars$11.88 billion2024Up 7.2% from 2023The 8th highest of 95 counties in Tennessee
GDP per capita, US dollars$73,0142024Up 6.8% from 2023The 14th highest of 95 counties in Tennessee
Real GDP growth6%2024Up 5.9 percentage points from 2023Tied for the 19th highest of 95 counties in Tennessee
4,0006,0008,00010K12K20012005200920132017202120242001: 4,957.7 USD million2002: 4,979.2 USD million2003: 4,914.1 USD million2004: 5,614 USD million2005: 5,552.2 USD million2006: 6,097.2 USD million2007: 6,357.8 USD million2008: 6,574.4 USD million2009: 6,597.9 USD million2010: 6,627.1 USD million2011: 7,123.1 USD million2012: 7,343.5 USD million2013: 7,283.8 USD million2014: 6,986.7 USD million2015: 7,227.5 USD million2016: 7,371.8 USD million2017: 7,673.8 USD million2018: 8,125.7 USD million2019: 8,071.7 USD million2020: 8,412.9 USD million2021: 9,805.6 USD million2022: 10,708 USD million2023: 11,081.5 USD million2024: 11,879.5 USD million
Gross domestic product (GDP), US dollars, 2001 to 2024. USD million. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAGDP1: county GDP summary, current-dollar GDP (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions).

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAGDP1: county GDP summary, current-dollar GDP (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions); Invokely, GDP in current dollars (BEA SAGDP2 and CAGDP1) divided by mid-year population (BEA SAINC1 and CAINC1); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAGDP11: annual percent change in real GDP, all industry total, individual counties and county equivalents. Economy statistics and rankings

Prices and housing

Median home value in Sullivan County was $213,300 in 2024, up 11.8% from 2023, and the 41st highest of 95 counties in Tennessee.

Median home value$213,3002024Up 11.8% from 2023The 41st highest of 95 counties in Tennessee
County house price annual change, sales and refinances1.29%2025Down 6.93 percentage points from 2024The 19th lowest of 91 counties in Tennessee
Median gross rent (monthly)$8892024Up 4.6% from 2023The 33rd highest of 95 counties in Tennessee
Homeownership rate (US, housing units)72.1%2024Down 0.8 percentage points from 2023
Housing units authorized by building permits7712025, estimatedUp 70.2% from 2024
140K160K180K200K220K20212022202320242021: 152,000 USD2022: 173,000 USD2023: 190,800 USD2024: 213,300 USD
Median home value, 2021 to 2024. USD. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25077: median value (dollars), owner-occupied housing units.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25077: median value (dollars), owner-occupied housing units; Federal Housing Finance Agency, FHFA developmental all-transactions county house prices, published annual percent change, nominal, not seasonally adjusted; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25064: median gross rent (dollars), renter-occupied housing units paying cash rent; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: owner-occupied housing units as a percentage of occupied housing units, calculated with stored inputs; U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey: final annual county estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized, including imputation. Housing statistics and rankings

Business and tourism

Employer firms in Sullivan County were 2,481 in 2023, up 1.3% from 2022, and the 10th highest of 95 counties in Tennessee.

Employer firms2,4812023Up 1.3% from 2022The 10th highest of 95 counties in Tennessee
Farms1,0502022No 2021 figure to compareThe 15th highest of 95 counties in Tennessee
2,4002,5002,6002,7002,8002,9003,00019992003200720112015201920231999: 2,923 count2000: 2,905 count2001: 2,828 count2002: 2,763 count2003: 2,731 count2004: 2,773 count2005: 2,726 count2006: 2,768 count2007: 2,765 count2008: 2,739 count2009: 2,710 count2010: 2,596 count2011: 2,573 count2012: 2,570 count2013: 2,539 count2014: 2,527 count2015: 2,507 count2016: 2,518 count2017: 2,510 count2018: 2,492 count2019: 2,491 count2020: 2,464 count2021: 2,455 count2022: 2,450 count2023: 2,481 count
Employer firms, 1999 to 2023. count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties; U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture: number of farms, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Companies statistics and rankings

Energy and environment

Median Air Quality Index (US EPA) in Sullivan County was 40 in 2025, down 1 point from 2024, and tied for the 13th lowest of 30 counties in Tennessee in 2003.

Median Air Quality Index (US EPA)402025Down 1 point from 2024Tied for the 13th lowest of 30 counties in Tennessee in 2003
Share of days with good air quality (US EPA AQI)82%2025Up 3.1 percentage points from 2024The 15th highest of 30 counties in Tennessee in 2003
Average annual temperature56.6 °F2025Down 1.6 °F from 2024Tied for the 8th lowest of 95 counties in Tennessee
303540455020012005200920132017202120252001: 50 index2002: 49 index2003: 46 index2004: 44 index2005: 48 index2006: 46 index2007: 49 index2008: 39 index2009: 34 index2010: 40 index2011: 39 index2012: 38 index2013: 41 index2014: 39 index2015: 39 index2016: 42 index2017: 45 index2018: 43 index2019: 44 index2020: 36 index2021: 41 index2022: 40 index2023: 42 index2024: 41 index2025: 40 index
Median Air Quality Index (US EPA), 2001 to 2025. index. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA AirData annual AQI by county: median daily AQI.

Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA AirData annual AQI by county: median daily AQI; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA AirData annual AQI by county: good days as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts; NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties. Environment and emissions statistics and rankings

Sources and citations

Each figure comes from the table cited here. Cite the publisher; these citations include any notice the publisher requires.

  1. U.S. Census Bureau. Annual estimates of the resident population for the United States, states and counties, 1 July (Population Estimates Program). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  2. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B01002: median age, total population. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b01002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  3. U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex (cc-est agesex): residents aged 65 and over as a percentage of the total, 1 July; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/counties/asrh/cc-est2025-agesex-all.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  4. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b05002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  5. U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  6. U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program: net domestic migration, states and counties, July 1 of the previous year to June 30 of the reported year; vintage 2020 files for 2011 to 2020 and the latest 2020s vintage from 2021. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  7. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  8. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19013: median household income in the past 12 months. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b19013.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  9. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, per capita personal income, current dollars, individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC1.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19083: Gini index of household income inequality (coefficient multiplied by 100). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b19083.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  12. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAGDP1: county GDP summary, current-dollar GDP (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions). https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAGDP1.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  13. Invokely calculation from GDP in current dollars (BEA SAGDP2 and CAGDP1) divided by mid-year population (BEA SAINC1 and CAINC1). https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#gdp_per_capita_usd. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  14. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAGDP11: annual percent change in real GDP, all industry total, individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAGDP11.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  15. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25077: median value (dollars), owner-occupied housing units. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25077.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  16. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). FHFA developmental all-transactions county house prices, published annual percent change, nominal, not seasonally adjusted. https://www.fhfa.gov/hpi/download/annual/hpi_at_county.xlsx. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  17. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25064: median gross rent (dollars), renter-occupied housing units paying cash rent. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  18. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: owner-occupied housing units as a percentage of occupied housing units, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  19. U.S. Census Bureau. Building Permits Survey: final annual county estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/County/co2025a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  20. U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
  21. Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture: number of farms, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved through Data Commons (datacommons.org). https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Retrieved 2026-10-11. Retrieved through Data Commons (https://datacommons.org).
  22. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System, AirData. EPA AirData annual AQI by county: median daily AQI. https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  23. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System, AirData. EPA AirData annual AQI by county: good days as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts. https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  24. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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