Census-designated place · Carter County, Tennessee

Central, Tennessee

Central is a census-designated place in Carter County, Tennessee, part of the Johnson City, TN metro area. It has 1,938 residents. Central, Tennessee has a quality-of-life score of 17 out of 100 (very low), ranking #12,929 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Tennessee it ranks #191 of 305 cities and towns. It ranks best on hot days (low), effective property tax rate (low) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) (low). It ranks worst on depression (high), frequent mental distress (high) and food environment index (low).

17Very low

Quality-of-life score: #12,929 of 15,651 cities and towns
Tennessee: #191 of 305 in TN
Population: 1,938 (2020-2024)
Land area: 4 mi²
Density: 550.2 /mi²
FIPS code: 4712460

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 72 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety32#10,667/15,637
Economy16#13,065/15,631
Housing63#5,539/14,977
Health2#15,271/15,609
Healthcare9#14,314/15,650
Environment95#834/15,453
Education28#11,345/15,649
Infrastructure34#10,253/15,650
Community15#13,340/15,651
Leisure & amenities5#14,835/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Central, Tennessee ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Carter County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Hot days · low1 days
97/100Tennessee 32 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationCarter County value
Effective property tax rate · low0.39%
94/100Tennessee 0.52%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low6.3 µg/m³
86/100Tennessee 7.9 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyCarter County value
Mammography screening · high53.0%
85/100Tennessee 46.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteCarter County value
Social associations · high13.3 /10k
84/100Tennessee 11.0 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteCarter County value
High ozone days · low0 days
76/100Tennessee 2 daysUnited States 7 days2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyCarter County value

Weaknesses

Depression · high34.4%
1/100Tennessee 29.0%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Frequent mental distress · high23.4%
2/100Tennessee 22.0%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Food environment index · low5.3
2/100Tennessee 6.3United States 7.62019 & 2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteCarter County value
Public libraries · low0.2 /10k
3/100Tennessee 0.4 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesCarter County value
Adult smoking · high23.5%
3/100Tennessee 21.0%United States 16.1%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Restaurants and bars · low4.2 /10k
5/100Tennessee 7.7 /10kUnited States 9.0 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsCarter County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationFalling
2,217 (2015-2019) → 1,938 (2020-2024)
−13%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
64.2% (2015-2019) → 92.5% (2020-2024)
+28 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
69.0% (2015-2019) → 41.7% (2020-2024)
−27 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Rent as share of incomeImproving
41.7% (2015-2019) → 23.9% (2020-2024)
−18 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Poverty rateImproving
28.5% (2015-2019) → 11.7% (2020-2024)
−17 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Median household incomeImproving
$27,188 (2015-2019) → $37,444 (2020-2024)
+38%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Central, Tennessee improved on 3 of 10 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 7 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved3

Poverty−17 points28.5% → 11.7%
Broadband+28 points64.2% → 92.5%
Inequality−0.0950.488 → 0.393

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 10 measures

Change of every measure of Central, Tennessee between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	17.2 min2015-2019	19.4 min2020-2024	+2.2 min	Within the margin of error	26%
Bachelor's degree or higher	20.4%2015-2019	15.6%2020-2024	−4.8 points	Within the margin of error	7%
Broadband subscriptions	64.2%2015-2019	92.5%2020-2024	+28 points	Improved	97%
Effective property tax rate	0.43%2015-2019	0.39%2020-2024	−0 points	Within the margin of error	23%
High school diploma or higher	82.4%2015-2019	84.5%2020-2024	+2.1 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4882015-2019	0.3932020-2024	−0.095	Improved	95%
Median household income	$27,1882015-2019	$37,4442020-2024	+38%	Within the margin of error	70%
Poverty rate	28.5%2015-2019	11.7%2020-2024	−17 points	Improved	98%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	20.0%2015-2019	12.7%2020-2024	−7.3 points	Within the margin of error	93%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Central, Tennessee five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Central, Tennessee in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Central, Tennessee itself moved +10.8 points in standing on average over the same 7 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,938 residents (±373)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 30–39 men (−5.7 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

1,938 residents (±373)

Central, Tennessee
Tennessee share

White97%1,875
Black0.0%0
Hispanic or Latino0.9%†18
Asian0.0%0
American Indian and Alaska Native0.1%†1
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races2.3%†44

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

1,508 residents (±279)

Central, Tennessee
Tennessee share

No high school diploma16%†234
High school or GED30%454
Some college30%†459
Associate degree8.4%†126
Bachelor's degree13%†195
Graduate degree2.7%†40

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

924 households (±217)

Central, Tennessee
Tennessee share

Under $25k33%†307
$25k–50k23%†213
$50k–75k19%†172
$75k–100k8.8%†81
$100k–150k16%†151
$150k–200k0.0%0
$200k or more0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $100k–150k (+12.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

924 households (±217)

Central, Tennessee
Tennessee share

Own76%†706
Rent24%†218

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Rent (−15.4 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

163 households (±77)

Central, Tennessee
Tennessee share

Under $7504.9%†8
$750–1,00072%†118
$1,000–1,50016%†26

Home values

706 homes (±220)

Central, Tennessee
Tennessee share

Under $150k48%†342
$150k–250k40%†283
$250k–400k10%†72

Age of homes

1,047 homes (±227)

Central, Tennessee
Tennessee share

2010 or later4.5%†47
2000–20094.3%†45
1980–199935%†365

Size of homes

1,047 homes (±227)

Central, Tennessee
Tennessee share

Studio0.0%0
1 bedroom4.8%†50
2 bedrooms33%†346

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

754 workers (±213)

Central, Tennessee
Tennessee share

Drive alone83%†626
Carpool13%†100
Public transit0.0%0
Walk0.0%0
Bike0.0%0
Work from home3.7%†28
Other0.0%0

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

726 workers (±215)

Central, Tennessee
Tennessee share

Under 15 min31%†226
15–29 min50%†366
30–44 min12%†89

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Johnson City, TN

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Carter County, the county holding most of Central's residents.

Carter County has 751 employer establishments, 132 for every 10,000 residents (0.53× the US rate of 248; 0.63× Tennessee's), with 9,177 paid employees at an average annual pay of $36,575. The Census Bureau also counts 3,657 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 751; 3,657 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 132; US 248 · Tennessee 210
Paid employees: 9,177
Average annual pay: $36,575; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Carter County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Religious organizations	73	12.8	2.31×More than typical	257	$20,638	—
Restaurants and other eating places	65	11.4	0.62×Fewer than typical	1,294	$18,808	17
Ambulatory health care services	62	10.9	0.52×Fewer than typical	561	$60,909	110
Specialty trade contractors	46	8.1	0.52×Fewer than typical	166	$46,735	450
Limited-service restaurants	36	6.3	0.79×Fewer than typical	861	$17,053	8
Full-service restaurants	26	4.6	0.59×Fewer than typical	371	$21,655	6
Services to buildings and dwellings	25	4.4	0.65×Fewer than typical	131	$32,351	390
Building equipment contractors	24	4.2	0.70×Fewer than typical	92	$42,489	89
Gasoline stations	24	4.2	1.30×More than typical	158	$27,139	—
Construction of buildings	23	4	0.53×Fewer than typical	65	$36,369	228
Lessors of real estate	23	4	0.33×Fewer than typical	61	$21,148	219
Offices of physicians	22	3.9	0.60×Fewer than typical	141	$84,085	12

Rank places for an industry Open Carter County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 57,047 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated -$911.4K of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Central, Tennessee: -$470 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: -$911.4K; −161% vs FY2025
Per resident: -$470; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

MLU SERVICES, LLC-$911.4K0.0%

Spending by fiscal year

1.5MFY2025
-911.4KFY2026

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Central, Tennessee, so they do not add up across cities.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Central is mostly in Carter County.

See federal money in Carter County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Central, Tennessee is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Diana HarshbargerR-TN-1 · 100% of residentsWith party 99%Missed 1.3%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Carter County26100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Johnson City, TN45

Other cities and towns in Carter County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

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