Carter County, Tennessee
Among the top 17% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 83% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 44% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 22% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 26% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 61% of US counties
- top 3% for park & nature access
- top 7% for estimated total tax burden
- bottom 4% for sales tax
Carter County is a county in Tennessee with about 56,000 residents. It grades B+ for affordability and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include park & nature access, estimated total tax burden, and income tax. It rates lower on school quality and sales tax.
Official websitecartercountytn.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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66%57%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.1 in3.1 in
humid 71%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$48k17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$42kbetter than 91% of US counties
Home Value$145k41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$727better than 73% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 89% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.56%better than 80% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax9.55%better than 4% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden4.85%better than 93% of US counties
Unemployment7.2%better than 15% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)37°F60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.0 in69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall13.1 inbetter than 49% of US counties
Sunny Days233 daysbetter than 45% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 52% of US counties
Comfortable Days77 daysbetter than 44% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk63.2better than 36% of US counties
School Quality35.4better than 8% of US counties
Violent Crime719/100kbetter than 54% of US counties
Property Crime1290/100kbetter than 33% of US counties
Community
Population56,31571st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age46.082nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1115th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9623rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+6283rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)92.9%85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.2%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.7%28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.5%40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)1.7%12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 53% of US counties
Walkability4.6/20better than 12% of US counties
Airport Distance101 mibetter than 48% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access78.4%better than 25% of US counties
Amenities Nearby2.31better than 49% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 97% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Carter County an affordable place to live?
- Carter County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $42k, better than 91% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Carter County?
- The median home value in Carter County is $145k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Carter County?
- Median household income in Carter County is $48k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Carter County?
- Median gross rent in Carter County is $727 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Carter County safe?
- Carter County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 719/100k (better than 54%). Property crime is 1290/100k.
- What is the weather like in Carter County?
- Carter County averages 76°F in July and 37°F in January, with 49.0 in of annual precipitation and about 233 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Carter County?
- Public-school quality in Carter County is below average, scoring better than 8% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Carter County?
- The average one-way commute in Carter County is 24 min.
Other counties in Tennessee
Explore Tennessee
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)