The Town FilesUnicoi, Tennessee
Town in Unicoi County · population 3,833 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $244,300
- Household income
- $42,424
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 49.7
Unicoi is a town of 3,833 people in Unicoi County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $244,300, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for retirees than 100% of Tennessee towns, quieter than 95% of Tennessee towns, better transit than 92% of Tennessee towns.
How Unicoi ranks
Percentile among Tennessee towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Tennessee towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Unicoi is worth $244,300, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $42,424, which is more affordable than 5% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $920 a month. 58.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Unicoi | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $244,300 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $920 | $863 |
| Median household income | $42,424 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 58.3% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Unicoi
| People | Unicoi | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.7 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.2% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 15.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.9% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.3% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 29.1 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.2% | 88.2% |
Weather in Unicoi
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 24.5°F. About 47.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.3 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 98 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Unicoi since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 10, 1980 about 1.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 12 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 27, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 1, 1969.
Severe weather in Unicoi County since 1996
Unicoi County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 2, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4832: Tropical Storm Helene |
| September 27, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3620: Tropical Storm Helene |
Jobs and pay in Unicoi County
Unicoi County had 5,042 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,936 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Unicoi itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Unicoi
1 public school with 317 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unicoi Elementary | PK-5 | 317 | 13.8 |
Towns near Unicoi
- Erwin, TN7.0 mi · 6,083 people · home $180,900
- Johnson City, TN8.8 mi · 71,046 people · home $268,200
- Elizabethton, TN9.6 mi · 14,546 people · home $172,900
- Jonesborough, TN9.7 mi · 5,860 people · home $299,200
- Oak Grove, TN15.2 mi · 4,482 people · home $260,600
- Spurgeon, TN17.0 mi · 3,978 people · home $219,300
- Colonial Heights, TN20.9 mi · 3,055 people · home $217,100
- Blountville, TN21.5 mi · 3,120 people · home $177,300
Unicoi questions
Is Unicoi, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Unicoi scores better for retirees than 100% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 95%. 22.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.7).
How much does a house cost in Unicoi?
The median owner-occupied home in Unicoi is valued at $244,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,424, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $920 a month.
What is the weather like in Unicoi?
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 24.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.0 inches of precipitation a year and 9.3 inches of snow.
Does Unicoi get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Unicoi since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 10, 1980. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)