County profile · Tennessee
Rhea County, TN market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Rhea County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 34,844
- +4.6% since 2020
- Households
- 13,475
- Median household income
- $55,033
- +30.4% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $206,000
- Jobs located here
- 10,252
- Highest market score
- 81
- Insurance agencies, #202 of 2,272 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Rhea County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Rhea County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 34,844 people live in Rhea County, in 13,475 households. Population estimates show Rhea County grew 4.6% from 2020 to 2025, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in Rhea County is $55,033 a year, 32% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 30.4% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Rhea County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 135, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (54).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Rhea County are for insurance agencies (81); home repair companies (77); and clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (70). Rhea County ranks #202 of 2,272 scored counties for insurance agencies.
For its number of households, Rhea County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for gas stations (71% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (59% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Rhea County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Rhea County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance agencies | 81 | #202 of 2,272 | 13 | 9.6 | $2.7M | 219 | 10 |
| Home repair trades | 77 | #82 of 2,057 | 8 | 5.9 | $4.2M | 172 | 6 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 70 | #378 of 2,210 | 13 | 9.6 | $1.7M | 190 | 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 65 | #346 of 1,707 | 7 | 5.2 | $4.8M | 100 | 6 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 64 | #400 of 1,656 | 5 | 3.7 | $2.6M | 144 | 10 |
| Auto repair shops | 64 | #584 of 2,378 | 28 | 20.8 | $452K | 102 | 7 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 63 | #581 of 2,087 | 13 | 9.6 | $1.7M | 132 | 3 |
| Auto repair and car care | 61 | #715 of 2,401 | 51 | 37.8 | $248K | 92 | 9 |
| Spas and skin care | 59 | #548 of 1,769 | 7 | 5.2 | $1.5M | 168 | Under 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 58 | #661 of 2,176 | 25 | 18.6 | Index only | 132 | 4 |
| Child care and preschools | 57 | #642 of 1,611 | 6 | 4.5 | $768K | 77 | 4 |
| Grocery stores | 57 | #783 of 2,070 | 9 | 6.7 | $8.2M | 88 | 4 |
| Pet businesses | 56 | #838 of 2,200 | 15 | 11.1 | $663K | 76 | 5 |
| Hair salons | 56 | #865 of 2,339 | 20 | 14.8 | $514K | 120 | Under 3 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 56 | #916 of 2,394 | 56 | 41.6 | $229K | 150 | 23 |
| Real estate | 54 | #876 of 2,229 | 31 | 23.0 | Index only | 134 | 10 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 54 | #1,004 of 2,405 | 60 | 44.5 | $709K | 107 | 17 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 54 | #1,048 of 2,402 | 32 | 23.7 | $2.3M | 68 | 5 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 53 | #905 of 2,088 | 11 | 8.2 | $646K | 98 | 4 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 53 | #980 of 2,385 | 37 | 27.5 | $278K | 131 | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | 52 | #615 of 1,328 | 5 | 3.7 | $2.1M | 123 | Under 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 52 | #871 of 1,886 | 11 | 8.2 | $1.2M | 118 | 7 |
| Car washes and detailing | 49 | #754 of 1,451 | 6 | 4.5 | $2.1M | 84 | Under 3 |
| Gas stations | 49 | #1,234 of 2,358 | 25 | 18.6 | $1.7M | 70 | 22 |
| Barbershops | 47 | #775 of 1,356 | 5 | 3.7 | $2.1M | 109 | Under 3 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 47 | #1,311 of 2,405 | 113 | 83.9 | $377K | 102 | 53 |
| Physical therapy | 45 | #847 of 1,422 | 5 | 3.7 | $2.6M | 107 | 6 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 45 | #1,206 of 2,063 | 12 | 8.9 | $3.5M | 96 | 7 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 44 | #1,151 of 1,889 | 11 | 8.2 | $3.9M | 93 | 7 |
| Pizza | 43 | #1,308 of 2,090 | 10 | 7.4 | $4.3M | 84 | 28 |
| Veterinarians | 41 | #952 of 1,485 | 5 | 3.7 | $2M | 73 | 5 |
| Convenience stores | 38 | #1,560 of 2,261 | 18 | 13.4 | $4.1M | 52 | Under 3 |
| Gyms | 37 | #1,326 of 1,792 | 8 | 5.9 | $889K | 68 | 4 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 37 | #1,607 of 2,222 | 18 | 13.4 | $2.4M | 77 | 28 |
| Collision repair and body shops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.0 | $3.2M | 103 | 4 |
| Funeral homes | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.0 | $490K | 72 | 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.0 | $3.2M | 102 | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.0 | $2.5M | 55 | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.0 | $3.2M | 126 | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.2 | $2.4M | 117 | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.2 | Index only | 154 | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.2 | $3.3M | 130 | Under 3 |
| Chiropractors | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.5 | $6.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.5 | $8.6M | Too few | 4 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.5 | $8.6M | Too few | 7 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.5 | Index only | Too few | 3 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $33.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 4 |
Household spending in Rhea County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $12.6M | $938 | 98 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $41.8M | $3,105 | 120 |
| Food away from home | $42.6M | $3,158 | 78 |
| Groceries | $73.6M | $5,459 | 86 |
| Personal care products and services | $10.3M | $763 | 76 |
| Child care and other personal services | $4.6M | $342 | 59 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $7.1M | $528 | 54 |
| Medical and dental services | $12.8M | $951 | 74 |
| Pets | $10M | $739 | 81 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $21.8M | $1,616 | 79 |
| Vehicle insurance | $35.7M | $2,647 | 135 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $33.4M | $2,477 | 82 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $17.2M | $1,276 | 90 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $180.4M | $13,384 | 80 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Rhea County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 34,844+4.6% since 2020
- Households
- 13,475
- Median age
- 41.7
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 71%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.0
- Land area
- 316 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 108
- Median household income
- $55,033+30.4% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $75,267
- Median home value
- $206,000
- Jobs located here
- 10,252
- Daytime population
- 31,260Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Rhea County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Rhea County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Tennessee 8
- Meigs County, TN13,343 people
- Bledsoe County, TN15,032 people
- McMinn County, TN54,884 people
- Bradley County, TN111,065 people
- Cumberland County, TN63,553 people
- Sequatchie County, TN16,809 people
- Van Buren County, TN6,437 people
- Roane County, TN55,208 people
Questions
How fast is Rhea County, TN growing?
Population estimates put Rhea County at 34,844 people in 2025, up 4.6% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 13,475 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 30.4%, before inflation.
How much do households in Rhea County, TN spend?
Households in Rhea County spend about $180.4M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $73.6M on groceries and $42.6M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Rhea County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 135, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (54).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Rhea County, TN?
Of the business types scored in Rhea County, insurance agencies (81); home repair companies (77); and clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (70) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For insurance agencies, that ranks #202 of 2,272 scored counties.
How does Rhea County, TN compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Rhea County is $55,033, 32% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 4.6% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $206,000, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for gas stations (71% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (59% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 34 of the 56 business types have a score in Rhea County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Rhea County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Rhea County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Rhea County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.