The Town FilesSurgoinsville, Tennessee
Town in Hawkins County · population 1,882 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $189,100
- Household income
- $53,854
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 51.6
Surgoinsville is a town of 1,882 people in Hawkins County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $189,100, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks easier by car than 89% of Tennessee towns, quieter than 82% of Tennessee towns, better for first-time buyers than 75% of Tennessee towns.
How Surgoinsville 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 Surgoinsville is worth $189,100, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $53,854, which is more affordable than 59% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $790 a month. 86.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Surgoinsville | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $189,100 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $790 | $863 |
| Median household income | $53,854 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 86.4% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Surgoinsville
| People | Surgoinsville | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.6 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.1% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 18.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.0% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 11.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.3% | 88.2% |
Weather in Surgoinsville
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 25.5°F. About 48.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.3 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 87 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Surgoinsville 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 0.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 5, 1955.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on April 9, 2011.
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 Surgoinsville itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Surgoinsville
2 public schools with 589 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surgoinsville Elementary | K-4 | 330 | 12.7 |
| Surgoinsville Middle School | 5-8 | 259 | 13.6 |
Towns near Surgoinsville
- Church Hill, TN8.8 mi · 6,998 people · home $211,000
- Rogersville, TN9.1 mi · 4,671 people · home $192,800
- Mount Carmel, TN12.5 mi · 5,473 people · home $179,600
- Fall Branch, TN13.7 mi · 1,248 people · home $213,300
- Sullivan Gardens, TN15.0 mi · 1,271 people · home $194,800
- Kingsport, TN17.9 mi · 55,442 people · home $234,100
- Bulls Gap, TN19.0 mi · 756 people · home $178,500
- Weber City, VA19.5 mi · 1,250 people · home $155,900
Surgoinsville questions
Is Surgoinsville, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Surgoinsville scores better for retirees than 59% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 82%. 26.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.6).
How much does a house cost in Surgoinsville?
The median owner-occupied home in Surgoinsville is valued at $189,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,854, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $790 a month.
What is the weather like in Surgoinsville?
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 25.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.8 inches of precipitation a year and 6.3 inches of snow.
Does Surgoinsville get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Surgoinsville 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)