Jamie Stitt
Assistant Commissioner, Business and Workforce Development
Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
312 Rosa L. Parks Ave., Nashville, TN 37243Common Search Terms
Rhea County
County Profile ToolRhea County
Population & Demographics
Location
Time Zone
Eastern Time Zone
Grand Division
East Tennessee
Area (Square Miles)
315.5
County Seat
Dayton
Metropolitan Area
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area
ECD Region
Southeast
Population
Population
(2020)
32,870
Population
(2022)
33,031
Population Change
(2020 - 2022)
0.5%
Population Forecast
(2040)
33,886
Foreign Born Population
855
Foreign Born Persons (Percentage of Population)
2.60%
Language Other Than English Spoken At Home
4.30%
Civilian Veteran Population
2,386
Race (Percentage of Population)
White Alone
90.50%
Black or African American, alone
1.70%
American Indian And Alaska Native, alone
0.10%
Asian, alone
0.90%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, alone
0.00%
Some Other Race, alone
2.30%
Two or More Races
4.40%
Hispanic or Latino
5.50%
Age (Percentage of Population)
Male
Female
Total
Under 5 Years Old
Male: 5.60%
Female: 0.058
Total: 5.70%
Under 18 Years Old
Male: 23.10%
Female: 20.80%
Total: 22.00%
18-64 Years Old
Male: 60.00%
Female: 58.20%
Total: 59.10%
65 Years and Over
Male: 16.90%
Female: 21.00%
Total: 18.90%
Median Age
Male: 40.9
Female: 39.4
Total: 42.7
Sources:
U.S. Census Bureau, 2018-2022 5-Year American Community Survey
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Tennessee State Data Center (2024)
Housing & Income
Housing & Income
Households
12,744
Homeownership Rate
73.5%
Persons Per Household
2.53
Living In Same House 1 Year & Over
83.4%
Median Home Value
$155,800
Annual Home Sales
289
Median Sale Price of Homes Sold
$265,000
Persons In Households With Income Below Poverty Level
15.7%
Total Personal Income
$1.4B
Personal Income Per Capita
$43,403
County Median Wage
$18.68
Household Income & Benefits
Percent of Household
Less Than $10,000
5.3%
$10,000 to $14,999
5.3%
$15,000 to $24,999
8.7%
$25,000 to $34,999
10.1%
$35,000 to $49,999
13.1%
$50,000 to $74,999
21.6%
$75,000 to $99,999
14.7%
$100,000 to $149,999
12.4%
$150,000 to $199,999
5.3%
$200,000 or More
3.3%
Median Household Income
$55,568
Percentage of Households by Income Range
Sources:
U.S. Census Bureau, 2018-2022 5-Year American Community Survey
Tennessee Housing Development Agency (2023)
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2023)
Lightcast (2023)
Tax Structure
Property Tax
Property Tax Rate (County)
$1.3486
State Property Tax
None
Assessment Ratio: Residential Property
25%
Assessment Ratio: Farm Property
25%
Assessment Ratio: Commercial/Industrial Property
40%
Assessment Ratio: Public Utility Property
55%
Assessment Ratio: Business Personal Property
30%
State Tax
State Income Tax on Wages
None
State Income Tax: Interest from Bonds and Notes and Dividends from Stock
None (Hall Income tax was fully repealed January 1, 2021)
Excise Tax (State)
6.5% of Tennessee taxable income
Franchise Tax (state)
0.25% of the greater of net worth or real and tangible property in Tennessee. The minimum tax is $100.
Unemployment Insurance Tax (state)
2.7% of the first $7,000 in wages for new employers
Sales Tax
State Sales Tax Rate
7.0%
County Sales Tax Rate
2.75%
Local Sales Tax Collections
(FY 2023)
$14,098,257
Local Sales Tax Collections
(FY 2024)
$14,249,993
Local Sales Tax Collections Growth
(FY 2023 - FY 2024)
-1.06%
State Bond Ratings
Moody's
Aaa
Standard & Poor's
AAA
Fitch
AAA
Debt per Capita
State Debt per Capita
$988
County Debt Per Capita
$1,369
Sources:
Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury (2024)
Tennessee Department of Revenue (2024)
The Tax Foundation (2024)
Labor Force
Labor Force Estimates (2023)
Tennessee
Rhea
Labor Force
Tennessee: 3,379,605
Rhea: 13,367
Employment
Tennessee: 3,267,935
Rhea: 12,764
Unemployment
Tennessee: 111,670
Rhea: 603
Unemployment Rate
Tennessee: 3.30%
Rhea: 4.50%
Unemployment Rate*
Tennessee
Rhea
2019
Tennessee: 7.40%
Rhea: 9.60%
2020
Tennessee: 4.50%
Rhea: 5.00%
2021
Tennessee: 3.40%
Rhea: 4.30%
2022
Tennessee: 3.30%
Rhea: 4.50%
Unemployment Rate (by percentage)
Sources:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Industries
Industry
Employment
Establishments
Avg. Annual Wages
Crop and Animal Production
Employment: 52
Establishments: 4
Avg. Annual Wages: $29,828
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
Employment: 67
Establishments: 4
Avg. Annual Wages: $64,472
Construction
Employment: 422
Establishments: 37
Employment: $98,962
Manufacturing
Employment: 3,661
Establishments: 36
Employment: $55,777
Wholesale Trade
Employment: 36
Establishments: 13
Employment: $69,291
Retail Trade
Employment: 1,269
Establishments: 100
Employment: $28,646
Transportation and Warehousing
Employment: 369
Establishments: 20
Employment: $44,029
Information
Employment: 68
Establishments: 10
Employment: $91,681
Finance and Insurance
Employment: 173
Establishments: 37
Employment: $63,304
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
Employment: 49
Establishments: 21
Employment: $37,915
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Employment: 372
Establishments: 41
Employment: $88,690
Administrative, Support, Waste Management and Remediation
Employment: 653
Establishments: 21
Employment: $45,733
Educational Services
Employment: 329
Establishments: 3
Employment: $26,339
Health Care and Social Assistance
Employment: 767
Establishments: 79
Employment: $35,837
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
Employment: 76
Establishments: 9
Employment: $9,236
Accommodation and Food Services
Employment: 871
Establishments: 57
Employment: $18,435
Other Services (except Public Administration)
Employment: 114
Establishments: 24
Employment: $31,035
Government
Employment: 2,840
Establishments: 33
Employment: $82,821
Total
Employment: 12,204
Establishments: 554
Employment: $55,868
Unique Occupations*
Employment
Location Quotient*
Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Employment: 46
Location Quotient*: 44.16
Woodworkers, All Other
Employment: 25
Location Quotient*: 30.96
Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
Employment: 37
Location Quotient*: 27.71
Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Employment: 49
Location Quotient*: 24.77
Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
Employment: 12
Location Quotient*: 21.4
Key Cluster
Total Employment
Advanced Materials
318
Aerospace & Defense
0
Appliances & Electrical
0
Automotive
1,098
Business Services
293
Chemicals
64
Distribution & Logistics
374
Film, Music & Entertainment
0
Food & Beverage
60
Healthcare & Medical Devices
0
Top Employers
Top County Employers
Estimated Employees
City
La-Z-Boy, Inc.
Est. Employees: 1,516
City: Dayton
Tennessee Valley Authority
Est. Employees: 1,000
City: Spring City
Rhea County Board of Education
Est. Employees: 643
City: Dayton
Suburban Manufacturing Company
Est. Employees: 450
City: Dayton
Bryan College
Est. Employees: 373
City: Dayton
Robinson Manufacturing Company
Est. Employees: 340
City: Dayton
Walmart Stores, Inc.
Est. Employees: 318
City: Dayton
Nokian Tyres
Est. Employees: 300
City: Dayton
Polyloom Coporation of America
Est. Employees: 236
City: Dayton
Rhea Medical Center
Est. Employees: 220
City: Dayton
Transportation & Logistics
Transportation
Nearest Commercial Service Airport
Chattanooga Metropolitan
Distance to Nearest Commercial Service Airport
39
Daily Flights At Nearest Commercial Service Airport
25
Nearest General Aviation Airport
Mark Anton (Dayton)
Runway Length at Nearest General Aviation Airport
5,001'
Mean Travel Time to Work (Minutes)
27
Access of Interstate
I-40 (10 miles) & I-75 (15 miles)
U.S. Highways
27
State Highways
29, 30, 60, 68, 302, 303, 378, 443
Nearest Port (From County Seat)
Chattanooga, Lenoir City
Railroads Serving County
NS
Sources:
Tennessee Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration, Aeronautical Data (2024)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2018-2022 5-Year American Community Survey
Education
General Stats
Rhea
Tennessee
Population Aged 25-64 With High School Degree Or Higher
Rhea: 83.1%
Tennessee: 91.5%
Population Aged 25-64 With Associate's Degree Or Higher
Rhea: 25.2%
Tennessee: 41.2%
Population Aged 25-64 With Bachelor's Degree Or Higher
Rhea: 17.3%
Tennessee: 32.8%
High School Graduation Rate
Rhea: 90.5%
Tennessee: 90.6%
College Going Rate
Rhea: 45.8%
Tennessee: 56.7%
Average ACT Score
Rhea: 18.7
Tennessee: 19.0
High School Graduation Rate
College Going Rate
Average ACT Score
Rhea County Schools
Enrollment
Elementary Schools
Enrollment: 1,649
Middle Schools
Enrollment: 849
High Schools
Enrollment: 1,500
Dayton
Enrollment
Elemetary Schools
Enrollment: 553
Middle Schools
Enrollment: 247
High Schools
Enrollment: 0
Regional Higher Education Institutions
City
Enrollment
Bryan College-Dayton
City: Dayton
Enrollment: 1,656
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
City: Chattanooga
Enrollment: 11,283
Chattanooga State Community College
City: Chattanooga
Enrollment: 6,429
Roane State Community College
City: Harriman
Enrollment: 4,457
Southern Adventist University
City: Collegedale
Enrollment: 2,903
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Chattanooga
City: Chattanooga
Enrollment: 1,276
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Crossville
City: Crossville
Enrollment: 495
Sources:
U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 1-Year American Community Survey,
U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 5-Year American Community Survey
Tennessee Department of Education (2022-2023)
National Center for Education Statistics
Tennessee Board of Regents and Tennessee Higher Education Commission
† Regional higher education institutions include those within the selected and surrounding counties.
Due to data availability, federal graduation rates were used for Clay, Fentress, and Haywood counties.
Health & Public Safety
Doctors
Number of Doctors
24
Overweight & Obesity Prevalence
Adults*
35
Children** (Grade 8)
45.4
Regional Hospitals
Number of Beds
City
Rhea Medical Center
Number of Beds: 25
City: Dayton
Sources:
American Medical Association (2023)
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Tennessee Department of Health
† Regional hospitals include those within the selected and surrounding counties.
Climate
Climate
Average High Temperature
69.6°F
Average Low Temperature
48.8°F
Average Annual Temperature
59.2°F
Annual Rainfall
63.12"
Elevation (at County Seat)
698'
Prevailing Winds
Southwest
Sources:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2023)
Community Information
Dayton
Population (2022)
7,344
Charter Type
Private Act
Local Option Sales Tax Rate
2.75%
City Property Tax Rate
$0.58
Phone Number
(423) 775-1817
Retire Tennessee Participant
No
Tennessee Downtowns Participant
No
Main Street Participant
Yes
Graysville
Population (2022)
1,722
Charter Type
Private Act
Local Option Sales Tax Rate
2.75%
City Property Tax Rate
$1.35
Phone Number
(423) 775-9242
Retire Tennessee Participant
No
Tennessee Downtowns Participant
No
Main Street Participant
No
Spring City
Population (2019)
2,199
Charter Type
General Law Manager-Commission
Local Option Sales Tax Rate
2.75%
City Property Tax Rate
$1.33
Phone Number
(423) 365-6441
Retire Tennessee Participant
No
Tennessee Downtowns Participant
No
Main Street Participant
No
Additional Community Information
ThreeStar Certified County
Yes
Sources:
Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service
Tennessee Department of Revenue (2015)
Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury (2015)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 5-Year American Community Survey