The Town FilesMount Carmel, Tennessee
Town in Hawkins County · population 5,473 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $179,600
- Household income
- $68,866
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 47.2
Mount Carmel is a town of 5,473 people in Hawkins County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $179,600, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for cycling than 93% of Tennessee towns, better for retirees than 83% of Tennessee towns, more upscale than 75% of Tennessee towns.
How Mount Carmel 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 Mount Carmel is worth $179,600, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $68,866, which is more affordable than 86% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $643 a month. 91.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mount Carmel | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $179,600 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $643 | $863 |
| Median household income | $68,866 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 91.4% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Mount Carmel
| People | Mount Carmel | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.2 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.2% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 17.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.9% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.0% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 13.1% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.4% | 88.2% |
Weather in Mount Carmel
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 27.3°F. About 45.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.1 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 83 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Carmel since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 5, 1955 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 27, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 48 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 27, 2014.
Severe weather in Hawkins County since 1996
Hawkins County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| 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 Hawkins County
Hawkins County had 12,055 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,373 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Mount Carmel itself the ACS puts it at 7.4%.
Public schools in Mount Carmel
1 public school with 304 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt Carmel Elementary | PK-4 | 304 | 13.8 |
Towns near Mount Carmel
- Church Hill, TN4.0 mi · 6,998 people · home $211,000
- Kingsport, TN7.6 mi · 55,442 people · home $234,100
- Bloomingdale, TN9.0 mi · 8,918 people · home $165,500
- Colonial Heights, TN11.0 mi · 3,055 people · home $217,100
- Spurgeon, TN14.2 mi · 3,978 people · home $219,300
- Oak Grove, TN16.2 mi · 4,482 people · home $260,600
- Blountville, TN18.9 mi · 3,120 people · home $177,300
- Jonesborough, TN21.4 mi · 5,860 people · home $299,200
Mount Carmel questions
Is Mount Carmel, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mount Carmel scores better for retirees than 83% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 60%. 23.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.2).
How much does a house cost in Mount Carmel?
The median owner-occupied home in Mount Carmel is valued at $179,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,866, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $643 a month.
What is the weather like in Mount Carmel?
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 27.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.0 inches of precipitation a year and 5.1 inches of snow.
Does Mount Carmel get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Carmel since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 5, 1955. 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)