RANK #884 / 1001 NAT · #30 / 33 TN · POP 57,964
1YR FORECAST: +2.9%
5YR OUTLOOK: +20%
Hawkins County, Tennessee, stands out for its rich history, particularly in Rogersville, the county seat and the state's second-oldest town. Its downtown area, along with many adjacent neighborhoods, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The county, located in northeast Tennessee near the Virginia border, is bisected by the Holston River, offering diverse landscapes from farmlands to Appalachian mountain ranges. Outdoor recreation opportunities abound, including kayaking on Cherokee Lake and hiking trails at Laurel Run Park, which features waterfalls and river frontage. Commuting to nearby cities like Kingsport or Johnson City is common, with average commute times around 27.7 minutes.
Life in Hawkins County offers a community-focused atmosphere, attracting families and retirees. The Hawkins County School District serves over 6,000 students across 18 schools, with a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1. The local economy is experiencing growth, driven by investments in manufacturing, including automotive bearing parts and polysilicon production for solar panels and semiconductors. Existing companies are also expanding, contributing to job creation in the area.
Hawkins County is one of 35 U.S. counties in this market profile — weaker than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of +3.9% runs above the profile's typical +1.4%.
See all 35 Secondary Market Surge counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Moderate climate & terrain
Above national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 12.9x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Polysilicon Manufacturing Facility (Project Rocks)
Highland Materials
|
$900M | Planned |
|
Phipps Bend Industrial Park Site Preparation (Lot 17)
Hawkins County Industrial Development Board / Mattern & Craig
|
$50M | Under Construction |
|
Battery Storage System
Tenaska
|
$50M | Proposed |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
The data is not encouraging — Hawkins County scores just 11/100 on the Boom Town Index, ranking #884 of 1001 counties. Job growth at +10.8% and median household income of $56,936 reflect an economy that has been contracting or stagnating relative to the rest of the country.
Housing in Hawkins County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $176,300 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.32, with rents averaging $785/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Hawkins County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +0.9% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +10.8% clip — and home values reflect that momentum, rising +3.9% over the past 12 months.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 4.79% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Hawkins County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.