The Town FilesBanner Hill, Tennessee
Community in Unicoi County · population 1,426 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $116,300
- Household income
- $59,784
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 42.6
Banner Hill is a community of 1,426 people in Unicoi County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $116,300, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of Tennessee towns, better transit than 91% of Tennessee towns, hipper than 80% of Tennessee towns.
How Banner Hill ranks
Percentile among Tennessee towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Tennessee towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Banner Hill is worth $116,300, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $59,784, which is more affordable than 97% of Tennessee towns. 88.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Banner Hill | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $116,300 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | — | $863 |
| Median household income | $59,784 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 88.4% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Banner Hill
| People | Banner Hill | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.7% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 25.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.2% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.4% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 8.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.0% | 88.2% |
Weather in Banner Hill
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 24.5°F. About 47.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.3 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 98 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Banner Hill since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 10, 1980 about 6.6 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 12 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 7, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 1, 1990.
Severe weather in Unicoi County since 1996
Unicoi County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 2, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4832: Tropical Storm Helene |
| September 27, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3620: Tropical Storm Helene |
Jobs and pay in Unicoi County
Unicoi County had 5,042 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,936 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Banner Hill itself the ACS puts it at 10.3%.
Towns near Banner Hill
- Erwin, TN1.7 mi · 6,083 people · home $180,900
- Unicoi, TN8.5 mi · 3,833 people · home $244,300
- Telford, TN11.5 mi · 909 people · home $228,600
- Jonesborough, TN12.4 mi · 5,860 people · home $299,200
- Pine Crest, TN13.3 mi · 2,439 people · home $196,600
- Johnson City, TN15.4 mi · 71,046 people · home $268,200
- Burnsville, NC15.8 mi · 1,614 people · home $243,500
- Central, TN16.2 mi · 2,114 people · home $151,800
Banner Hill questions
Is Banner Hill, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Banner Hill scores better for retirees than 59% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 30%. 19.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.6).
How much does a house cost in Banner Hill?
The median owner-occupied home in Banner Hill is valued at $116,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,784, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Banner Hill?
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 24.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.0 inches of precipitation a year and 9.3 inches of snow.
Does Banner Hill get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Banner Hill since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 10, 1980. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)