Monroe County, Tennessee: commercial real estate data.
Monroe County, Tennessee had an estimated 49,154 residents on July 1, 2024, up 6.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 46,250, across 636 square miles. County output reached $2.22 bn in 2024, 773 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 14 7(a) approvals worth $10.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Monroe County
How many people live in Monroe County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202447,695
- Households19,714
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$56,895
- Median age45.2
- Median gross rent$714 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$227,500
- Home value to household income4.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over34,614
- Population under 189,792
- Share under 1820.5 percent
- Population 65 and over10,627
- Share 65 and over22.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6427,276
- Civilian labor force19,859
- Unemployment rate4.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over52.4 percent
- Rank by population among Tennessee counties34th of 95
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1047th of 3,222
Monroe County is the 34th largest of 95 Tennessee counties by population. A median home costs 4.0 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 22.3 percent against 20.5 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Monroe County
Is Monroe County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202449,154
- Census 2020 base population46,250
- Population change since the 2020 census base6.28 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024576
- Births, 2024501
- Deaths, 2024793
- Natural change, 2024-292
- Net domestic migration, 2024865
- Net international migration, 2024-1
- Total net migration, 2024864
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20243,768
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents372nd of 3,144
The county has grown 6.28 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Monroe County
Where are people moving to Monroe County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,681
- People arriving, from those returns3,319
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,056
- Net household movement625
- Adjusted gross income arriving$123.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$70.2 m
- Average income of an arriving household$73,536
- Average income of a leaving household$50,626
- Largest single originLoudon County (179 households)
- Largest single destinationMcMinn County (205 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loudon County | 179 | 384 | $10.3 m |
| McMinn County | 172 | 349 | $6.7 m |
| Blount County | 165 | 337 | $11.3 m |
| Knox County | 135 | 246 | $9.2 m |
| Bradley County | 35 | 68 | $1.4 m |
| Roane County | 25 | 42 | $921,000 |
| Anderson County | 22 | 42 | $1.3 m |
Households arriving report $22,910 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Loudon County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Monroe County
What is the Monroe County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.22 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.13 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.1 percent
- GDP change over five years54.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Tennessee areas BEA publishes33rd of 95
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1192nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$46,487
Output grew 4.1 percent in the latest year and 54.2 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Monroe County
Employment by industry in Monroe County
- Covered employment, annual average15,485
- Establishments reporting958
- Average annual pay$49,323
- Average weekly wage$949
- Manufacturing, employment5,854
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$62,401
- Retail trade, employment1,986
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,007
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,448
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,313
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment739
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$30,918
- Wholesale trade, employment339
- Finance and insurance, employment292
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5,854 | 72 | $62,401 |
| Retail trade | 1,986 | 157 | $32,007 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,448 | 94 | $18,313 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 739 | 43 | $30,918 |
| Wholesale trade | 339 | 46 | $61,332 |
| Finance and insurance | 292 | 62 | $70,107 |
| Construction | 273 | 64 | $54,028 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 252 | 86 | $87,127 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,854 jobs, 37.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Monroe County
How many businesses are in Monroe County?
- Establishments, all industries773
- Employment at those establishments13,318
- Annual payroll$612.6 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents16.2
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Monroe County
Building permits in Monroe County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024157
- Declared construction value permitted$47.1 m
- Single family units authorized151
- Multifamily units authorized6
- Multifamily share of units3.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$300,234
- Units authorized per 1,000 households8.0
Single-family homes are 96.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Monroe County
SBA loans in Monroe County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded14
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$10.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$712,036
- Median 7(a) approval$643,900
- Largest single approval$1,707,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)199
- Jobs per approval14.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active12
- Distinct industries receiving approvals12
- Median 7(a) term300 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer64.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms9
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter4
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals14.3 percent
- 504 approvals recorded3
- 504 gross approval dollars$5.3 m
- Average 504 approval$1,756,000
- Median 504 approval$478,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval8.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved4.6
- Most active CDCBrightbridge, Inc. (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$15.2 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Monroe County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Monroe County
Do SBA loans in Monroe County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure10
- Status: Paid in full2
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 2 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Monroe County
SBA lending by place in Monroe County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Sweetwater, approvals8
- Madisonville, approvals4
- Tellico Plains, approvals1
- Vonore, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetwater | 8 | $4,180,800 |
| Madisonville | 4 | $3,907,700 |
| Tellico Plains | 1 | $1,250,000 |
| Vonore | 1 | $630,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Monroe County
How large is Monroe County?
- Land area636 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Tennessee counties6th of 95
- Width, east to west31.9 mi
- Height, north to south32.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land75
- Establishments per square mile1.22
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Monroe County
Flood risk in Monroe County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Monroe County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 470233
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Monroe County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Monroe County (community 470233), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Monroe County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Monroe County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Monroe County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202447,695
- Households19,714
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$56,895
- Median age45.2
Common questions
Monroe County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Monroe County, Tennessee?
The Census Bureau estimates 49,154 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 47,695, in 19,714 households, ranking 34th of 95 Tennessee counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Monroe County's population growing?
The population has grown 6.28 percent since the 2020 census base of 46,250, to 49,154 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 501 births against 793 deaths, with net migration of 864. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Monroe County?
$56,895. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $227,500, which is 4.0 times income, and median gross rent is $714 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Monroe County?
773 establishments, employing 13,318 people with an annual payroll of $612.6 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Monroe County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,854 jobs, 37.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 15,485 jobs at an average annual pay of $49,323, or $949 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Monroe County?
14 7(a) approvals totaling $10.0 m since FY2020, across 12 lenders, with a median approval of $643,900, plus 3 504 approvals worth $5.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Monroe County?
157 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $47.1 m. Multifamily was 3.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Monroe County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Monroe County come from?
The largest single origin is Loudon County, with 179 households. Arriving households report an average income of $73,536 against $50,626 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Monroe County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Monroe County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Monroe County
Cities and places in Monroe.
7 Census places lie wholly or partly in Monroe County. All 7 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetwater | city | 6,532 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Madisonville | city | 5,241 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Vonore | town | 2,191 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Tellico Plains | town | 1,146 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Kahite | CDP | 892 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rarity Bay | CDP | 757 | None recorded | 47.0 percent here, 53.0 percent Loudon County |
| Coker Creek | CDP | 155 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |