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Johnson County, TN: population growth, jobs and income

Johnson County gained 196 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+1.1%).

Johnson County had an estimated 18,718 residents in 2025, up 4.1% (733 more people) since 2020. That is slower than Tennessee as a whole (+5.6%), and the 62nd fastest growth of 95 counties in Tennessee.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Johnson County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Johnson County, ranked against Tennessee and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$674/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes16.7%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months102025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

New homes permitted

6

2025

0.3 per 1,000 residents

Small base: the change swings on a few homes or people, so we don't show it.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 304 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 3,415 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +4.0% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 5.3% in 2025, 0.9 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 6 new homes in 2025, or 0.3 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $53,129 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +39.5% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 766th.

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Johnson County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202518,718+196
202418,522+197
202318,325+320
202218,005−37
202118,042+57
202017,985–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Johnson County

Johnson County grew by 733 people since 2020; the largest part came from domestic migration (+1,329).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−119−721
International migrationfrom and to other countries+14+114
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+304+1,329
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−3+11
Total change+196+733

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn TennesseeAmong U.S. counties
Population growth62nd of 95766th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents18th of 95210th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth54th of 951,353rd of 3,092
Median household income69th of 952,560th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate93rd of 952,691st of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents85th of 942,561st of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Johnson County, TN as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Johnson County grew faster than all 7 of its neighbouring counties (+4.1%, 2020–25).

4 of its 7 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Johnson County's $53,129 (2020–24).

Johnson County, TN and its 7 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Johnson County, TN This county18,718+4.1%16.20.3$53,129
Watauga County, NC54,786+0.6%−3.19.8$51,693
Carter County, TN57,361+1.7%6.13.3$50,135
Washington County, VA53,898−0.0%2.93.5$64,552
Avery County, NC18,110+1.1%0.98.3$61,428
Ashe County, NC27,514+3.5%10.07.1$56,866
Sullivan County, TN163,759+3.5%11.64.7$58,807
Grayson County, VA15,230−0.3%4.52.2$47,730

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

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Questions

Is Johnson County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 4.1% between 2020 and 2025, about 733 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Tennessee as a whole changed +5.6% over the same years. That ranks 62nd of 95 counties in Tennessee for population growth.

How many people moved to Johnson County?

On net, about 304 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Johnson County?

It averaged 5.3% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Johnson County?

About 18,718 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Johnson County?

Private employers there had 3,415 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +4.0% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Tennessee

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Tennessee county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Johnson County data alerts

Email me when Johnson County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Johnson County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.