The Town FilesRoan Mountain, Tennessee
Community in Carter County · population 1,078 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $166,200
- Household income
- $55,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 45.9
Roan Mountain is a community of 1,078 people in Carter County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $166,200, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks quieter than 98% of Tennessee towns, better for first-time buyers than 96% of Tennessee towns, better for families than 78% of Tennessee towns.
How Roan Mountain 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 Roan Mountain is worth $166,200, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $55,625, which is more affordable than 76% of Tennessee towns. 92.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Roan Mountain | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $166,200 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | — | $863 |
| Median household income | $55,625 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 92.5% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Roan Mountain
| People | Roan Mountain | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.9 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.5% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 11.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.5% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.7% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.9% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.3% | 88.2% |
Weather in Roan Mountain
July highs average 79.6°F and January lows 22.2°F. About 52.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.9 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 125 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Roan Mountain since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 9, 1965 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 15, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 30, 2012.
Severe weather in Carter County since 1996
Carter County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, 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 Carter County
Carter County had 12,025 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,576 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Roan Mountain itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Public schools in Roan Mountain
2 public schools with 512 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudland Elementary School | PK-6 | 267 | 14.1 |
| Cloudland High School | 7-12 | 245 | 12.9 |
Towns near Roan Mountain
- Elk Park, NC5.4 mi · 542 people · home $160,400
- Hampton, TN8.5 mi · 2,030 people · home $98,200
- Beech Mountain, NC10.4 mi · 675 people · home $443,500
- Newland, NC10.5 mi · 715 people · home $241,700
- Valley Forge, TN10.7 mi · 1,926 people · home $158,100
- Banner Elk, NC11.5 mi · 1,049 people · home $458,100
- Elizabethton, TN14.1 mi · 14,546 people · home $172,900
- Unicoi, TN14.6 mi · 3,833 people · home $244,300
Roan Mountain questions
Is Roan Mountain, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Roan Mountain scores better for retirees than 54% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 98%. 22.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.9).
How much does a house cost in Roan Mountain?
The median owner-occupied home in Roan Mountain is valued at $166,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,625, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Roan Mountain?
July highs average 79.6°F and January lows 22.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.5 inches of precipitation a year and 42.9 inches of snow.
Does Roan Mountain get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Roan Mountain since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 9, 1965. 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)