Tennessee · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Unicoi County, TN

Prices around Unicoi County, TN run 12.1% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $52,218 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,132 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $45,280 a year.

Unicoi County, TN at a glance

Median household income

$52,218$4,352 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,132HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)87.9-12.1% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential TN
Population17,756Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Unicoi County, TN?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,132Monthly market rent
Share of gross income26%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$45,280To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,305At 30% of $52,218
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Unicoi County, TN? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Johnson City, TN MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Unicoi County, TN, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$887$10,644$35,48020.4%
1-Bedroom Apartment$893$10,716$35,72020.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,132$13,584$45,28026%
3-Bedroom Home$1,398$16,776$55,92032.1%
4-Bedroom Home$1,548$18,576$61,92035.6%

Rent in Unicoi County, TN, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Unicoi County, TN

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $52,218 a year ($4,352 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,176/moRent ($1,132 2-BR), utilities (~$127/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,305/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$870/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $52,218 leaves after Tennessee taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Tennessee tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$52,218
$20,000$105,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$52,218
Net 85%
Fed 8%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$44,137After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,678Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,698Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,086 / yr
Tennessee state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,995 / yr

Living in Unicoi County, TN: common questions

What is the median household income in Unicoi County, TN?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Unicoi County, TN is $52,218 per year (approximately $4,352 per month).

What is the average rent in Unicoi County, TN?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $887 for a studio, $893 for one bedroom, $1,132 for two, $1,398 for three and $1,548 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Unicoi County, TN expensive to live in?

Prices there run 12.1% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 87.9, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Unicoi County, TN?

To keep a $1,132 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $45,280 a year, or $3,773 a month. That is 87% of what the typical household in Unicoi County, TN earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Unicoi County, TN?

On the local median income of $52,218 ($4,352 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,176 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,305 for everything else and $870 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,132 takes 52% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Unicoi County, TN?

Homes in Tennessee paid 14.1¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $127. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.