The Town FilesRocky Top, Tennessee
City in Anderson County · population 1,628 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $149,100
- Household income
- $32,868
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 27.4
Rocky Top is a city of 1,628 people in Anderson County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $149,100, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks more walkable than 91% of Tennessee towns, easier by car than 86% of Tennessee towns, more of a college town than 76% of Tennessee towns.
How Rocky Top 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 Rocky Top is worth $149,100, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $32,868, which is more affordable than 20% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $690 a month. 31.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rocky Top | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $149,100 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $690 | $863 |
| Median household income | $32,868 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 31.7% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rocky Top
| People | Rocky Top | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 27.4 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.4% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.2% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 36.6% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 3.7% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.5% | 88.2% |
Weather in Rocky Top
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 25.2°F. About 57.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.1 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 101 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rocky Top since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 10, 2002 about 1.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 10, 2002.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on February 29, 2012.
Severe weather in Anderson County since 1996
Anderson County has been included in 22 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 |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3473: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Anderson County
Anderson County had 46,052 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $79,878 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Rocky Top itself the ACS puts it at 10.6%.
Public schools in Rocky Top
2 public schools with 639 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake City Elementary | PK-5 | 389 | 13.4 |
| Lake City Middle School | 6-8 | 250 | 9.6 |
Towns near Rocky Top
- Norris, TN5.2 mi · 1,599 people · home $315,900
- Caryville, TN6.5 mi · 2,212 people · home $200,500
- Andersonville, TN7.1 mi · 508 people · home $340,400
- Jacksboro, TN7.9 mi · 2,306 people · home $236,500
- Clinton, TN8.9 mi · 10,056 people · home $225,000
- La Follette, TN10.3 mi · 7,430 people · home $138,900
- Fincastle, TN13.7 mi · 1,611 people · home $215,300
- Powell, TN14.8 mi · 13,802 people · home $299,400
Rocky Top questions
Is Rocky Top, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rocky Top scores better for retirees than 9% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 32%. 15.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 27.4).
How much does a house cost in Rocky Top?
The median owner-occupied home in Rocky Top is valued at $149,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $32,868, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $690 a month.
What is the weather like in Rocky Top?
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 25.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.7 inches of precipitation a year and 3.1 inches of snow.
Does Rocky Top get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rocky Top since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 10, 2002. 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)