1st Advantage MortgageBlount County households have a median income of $77,365 and median rent of $1,090 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Blount County
- How Blount County residents earn a living
- Income in Blount County compared with Tennessee
- What it costs to live in Blount County
- Places inside Blount County
- Counties near Blount County
- Debt-to-income at Blount County's medians
- Borrowing situations common in Blount County
- Who lives in Blount County, in numbers
- Lender oversight for Blount County
- Four steps for Blount County borrowers
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Blount County
With an estimated 139,333 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Blount County ranks 11th of 95 in Tennessee for population. Packed into 559 square miles, that is close to 249 residents for every square mile of land. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Knoxville, TN metropolitan area. Maryville is the biggest of its 9 Census places, at roughly 32,392 people (23% of the county total).
How Blount County residents earn a living
Education and health care employs 21% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 13%. The survey's unemployment rate for Blount County averages 3.5% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.7%). 13% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 12% work from home. Households without a car make up 2.7% of the total (5.2% statewide).
| Sector | Blount County | Compared with Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.1% | -1.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 13.1% | +0.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.0% | +1.5 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.2% | -0.5 pts |
| Construction | 8.6% | +1.5 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.2% | -0.7 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Income in Blount County compared with Tennessee
Half of Blount County households take in less than $77,365 a year and half take in more, 11% above the Tennessee median of $69,595. That places it 10th among Tennessee's 95 county-level areas.
| Band | Blount County | Compared with Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 17.6% | -6.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.9% | +3.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 27.8% | +3.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 8.8% | -0.2 pts |
The spread is wide: 37% of Blount County households make $100,000 or more, and 18% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 8.4%, 5 points lower than the state's 13.8%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.432 here. None of these numbers decides a Blount County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
What it costs to live in Blount County
Renters in Blount County pay a median of $1,090 a month, 8% below the Tennessee figure of $1,189. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 40% of renter households here. With a median value of $320,500, a typical Blount County house costs 4.1 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 77% of homes.
| Blount County | Tennessee | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,090/mo | $1,189/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $320,500 | $286,700 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 77% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 40% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 21% | 25% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 10.4% | 8.1% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 10% | 10% | n/a |
Because most Blount County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
Places inside Blount County
9 Census places fall mainly inside Blount County; the 9 biggest are below. They account for 58,445 residents, leaving about 58% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Louisville has the highest median household income on the list ($89,744) and Alcoa the lowest ($65,714), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $950 in Louisville to $1,665 in Wildwood. None of the 9 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryville | city | 32,392 | $81,963 | $1,157 | 5 mi |
| Alcoa | city | 12,222 | $65,714 | $1,282 | 9 mi |
| Eagleton Village | CDP | 5,598 | $71,875 | $1,124 | 7 mi |
| Louisville | city | 4,383 | $89,744 | $950 | 12 mi |
| Friendsville | city | 980 | $69,063 | $1,357 | 13 mi |
| Wildwood | CDP | 968 | $87,083 | $1,665 | 8 mi |
| Rockford | city | 824 | $71,094 | $965 | 10 mi |
| Townsend | city | 701 | $85,921 | $1,347 | 10 mi |
| Walland | CDP | 377 | $63,906 | n/a | 7 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
Counties near Blount County
Six nearby counties, 21 to 27 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $49,684 in Graham County to $84,185 in Loudon County; 1 of these neighbors top Blount County's median. The list crosses into North Carolina, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blount County | - | $77,365 | $1,090/mo | 77% |
| Knox County, TN | 21 mi | $74,222 | $1,261/mo | 65% |
| Loudon County, TN | 22 mi | $84,185 | $1,062/mo | 80% |
| Sevier County, TN | 23 mi | $62,581 | $1,072/mo | 71% |
| Graham County, NC | 24 mi | $49,684 | $676/mo | 81% |
| Monroe County, TN | 25 mi | $56,895 | $714/mo | 72% |
| Swain County, NC | 27 mi | $52,349 | $742/mo | 73% |
Debt-to-income at Blount County's medians
How much room does a median Blount County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- $6,447 a month: gross income for a household at the Blount County median
- Less median rent of $1,090, which is 17% of it
- With a 36% ceiling, about $1,231 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Blount County's.
Borrowing situations common in Blount County
A few patterns in the Blount County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
Who lives in Blount County, in numbers
29% of Blount County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 9% go without health insurance.
| Indicator | Blount County | All of Tennessee | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.7 | 38.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 28.6% | 31.1% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.8% | 10.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 9.4% | 10.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 2.7% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 12.3% | 12.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.5% | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Blount County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 22.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 38.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 26.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.5% |
| 60+ min | 4.2% |
Lender oversight for Blount County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Blount County, check the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. See the Tennessee state guide for the statewide picture.
Four steps for Blount County borrowers
Steps that save money for Blount County residents:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Related local guides
The Tennessee guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Blount County a high-income county?
Its $77,365 median ranks 10th of 95 Tennessee counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How much is rent in Blount County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,090 a month; 40% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
What are the biggest places in Blount County?
By population: Maryville, Alcoa, Eagleton Village, Louisville, Friendsville. The county has 9 Census places in all.
Can Blount County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Tennessee county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.
Who regulates personal lenders for Blount County residents?
The Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in Tennessee; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.