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Living in
Alcoa.
About
Life in Alcoa
Alcoa is a community of 11,635 people in Tennessee. The median household income is $65,714, median rent runs about $1,282 per month, and median home values are around $277,100. Unemployment is low at 3%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Alcoa at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.9%
Foreign-Born
9.9%
Broadband Internet
91.9%
of households
Population Growth
+24.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics9.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Alcoa: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Alcoa, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (60.9%), and 9.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.2%
of residents
65 and Older
18.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.7%
of households
Married Couples
43.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.44
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 8% above TN average
Rent, home values, and income in Alcoa
In Alcoa, rent runs 8% above the TN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,389
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
66.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1980
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $319,553 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below TN average
Unemployment in Alcoa
Unemployment in Blount County, which includes Alcoa, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the TN average.
Unemployment rate
Alcoa: Blount County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Blount County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Alcoa Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute23.8 min avg
How Alcoa residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Alcoa, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 66% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 2 mi
McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS)
Small hub1.8M passengers boarded in 2025
- 150 mi
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Major hub51.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 21% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Alcoa runs 21% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
397.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,219.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Alcoa Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
74.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Blount County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Blount County, which includes Alcoa, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Hail | None reported |
| 2024 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | Not estimated |
| 2020 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,000 |
| 2019 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.8M |
| 2018 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Blount County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Blount County, which includes Alcoa, is typically good — 261 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
261
per year
Moderate Days
103
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Blount County, county-wide
Climate87°F summers, 32°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Alcoa has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and cold winters (avg low 32°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
71°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
51°/32°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
51.9"
Annual Snowfall
4.6"
Hot Days/Year
37
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
67
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
129
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 30°F | 4.76" |
| Feb | 53°F | 33°F | 4.81" |
| Mar | 61°F | 40°F | 4.89" |
| Apr | 71°F | 48°F | 4.71" |
| May | 79°F | 57°F | 4.13" |
| Jun | 86°F | 65°F | 4.24" |
| Jul | 88°F | 69°F | 5.25" |
| Aug | 88°F | 68°F | 3.63" |
| Sep | 83°F | 61°F | 3.49" |
| Oct | 72°F | 49°F | 2.81" |
| Nov | 60°F | 38°F | 4.21" |
| Dec | 51°F | 33°F | 5.00" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Alcoa
Uninsured
14.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Alcoa's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Blount Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.8 mi away · Maryville
University Health System, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.2 mi away · Knoxville
East Tennessee Behavioral Health
Psychiatric · 10.2 mi away · Knoxville
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Alcoa
Alcoa's student/teacher ratio is 14.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 34.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
34.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Alcoa (within 15 miles)
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
10.3 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 30,418 students · in-state tuition $13,812 · 72% graduate · median earnings $65,090 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 8,745 students · in-state tuition $19,360 · 45% graduate · median earnings $45,099 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,005 students · in-state tuition $40,658 · 53% graduate · median earnings $50,006 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 30 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Alcoa
Alcoa has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Great Smoky Mountains National Park (30 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
National Park
30 mi awayObed Wild & Scenic River
Wild & Scenic River
41 mi awayCumberland Gap National Historical Park
National Historical Park
60 mi awayBig South Fork National River & Recreation Area
National River & Recreation Area
63 mi awayAndrew Johnson National Historic Site
National Historic Site
68 mi awayBlue Ridge Parkway
Parkway
85 mi awayCarl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
93 mi awayChickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
National Military Park
95 mi awayCities Near Alcoa
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Alcoa?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Alcoa FAQ
Is Alcoa, Tennessee affordable?⌄
Alcoa's median rent is $1,282/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $65,714/year. Median home value is $277,100.
Is Alcoa, Tennessee safe?⌄
Alcoa's violent crime rate was 397 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1220 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Alcoa, Tennessee?⌄
Blount County, which includes Alcoa, has an unemployment rate of 3.0%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Alcoa, Tennessee?⌄
The cost of living in Alcoa is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,282/month and median household income is $65,714/year. The median home value is $277,100. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Alcoa, Tennessee?⌄
The average commute in Alcoa is 24 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from