Cocke County, Tennessee Income Statistics
Cocke County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Cocke County Well below averageLess wealthy than 87% of counties in Tennessee
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Cocke County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $47,750 | $69,901 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $41,704 | $53,263 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.6% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.6% | 10.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.8% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Cocke County is about 32% lower than in Tennessee. Income has been growing faster in Cocke County (5.6%/yr) than in Tennessee (5.2%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Cocke County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Tennessee average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Cocke County, Tennessee grew by 59.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $47,750 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Cocke County
| Metric | Cocke County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.514 | 0.542 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $48,263 | $61,993 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $38,151 | $50,108 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 21.0% | 19.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Cocke County, it is 0.514, lower than Tennessee's 0.542, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 27% more than women's income in Cocke County, Tennessee. Over a 35-year career, a 27% wage gap accumulates to roughly $353,920 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Cocke County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 25% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2022, and was narrowest at 19% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,900 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Cocke County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 3.9% | 12.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 31 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 683 people are unemployed in Cocke County, Tennessee.
The average commute time in Cocke County is 31 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in Tennessee.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Cocke County, Tennessee has fallen from 13.1% to 4.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 14.8% in 2012.
Cocke County, TN Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Cocke County, TN is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 36,809 residents against a local median of 59,366. Cocke County, TN's median household income, at $47,750, runs 18% below the $58,302 typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 5.6%/yr against a local median of 4.8%/yr, 16% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while median household income runs behind it, so Cocke County, TN is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread $11,190 on median household income, so Cocke County, TN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Cocke County, TN has the 6th highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cocke County, TN | 36,809 | $47,750 #6/6 | 5.6%/yr #1/6 | 4.2% #3/6 | 0.514 #1/6 |
| Hamblen County, TN | 65,669 | $55,786 | 4.5%/yr | 5.3% | 0.538 |
| Jefferson County, TN | 56,834 | $66,976 | 5.5%/yr | 4.6% | 0.523 |
| Greene County, TN | 71,628 | $56,389 | 5.5%/yr | 5.7% | 0.536 |
| Haywood County, NC | 59,366 | $63,952 | 4.8%/yr | 3.1% | 0.521 |
| Madison County, NC | 21,867 | $58,302 | 4.8%/yr | 3.1% | 0.538 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Cocke County, Tennessee has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Tennessee, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Cocke County, Tennessee.
How Rich Is Cocke County, Tennessee?
Cocke County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $47,750, about 32% lower than the Tennessee average of $69,901.
How has median household income changed in Cocke County, Tennessee?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Cocke County, Tennessee rose 59%, from $30,030 to $47,750. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Tennessee as a whole: +59% against +63%.
What was the median household income in Cocke County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Cocke County, Tennessee was $47,990, up 6% from $45,089 in 2022. The Tennessee median that year was $67,483.
What was the median household income in Cocke County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Cocke County, Tennessee was $39,046. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $47,750.
What is the Gini coefficient in Cocke County, Tennessee?
The Gini coefficient in Cocke County is 0.514. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Cocke County, Tennessee?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Cocke County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 25% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2022, and was narrowest at 19% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,900 since 2009.
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