Hancock County
County
Hancock County Courthouse in Sneedville
Hancock County Courthouse in Sneedville
Map of Tennessee highlighting Hancock County
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
Map of the United States highlighting Tennessee
Tennessee's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°32′N 83°13′W / 36.53°N 83.22°W / 36.53; -83.22
Country United States
State Tennessee
Founded1844
Named forJohn Hancock[1]
SeatSneedville
Largest townSneedville
Area
 • Total223 sq mi (580 km2)
 • Land222 sq mi (570 km2)
 • Water1.2 sq mi (3 km2)  0.5%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total6,662 Decrease
 • Density31/sq mi (12/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.hancockcountytn.com

Hancock County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,662, making it the fourth-least populous county in Tennessee. Its county seat is Sneedville.[2]

History

Hancock County was created from parts of Hawkins and Claiborne counties. The act establishing the county was passed by the state legislature in 1844, but several Hawkins residents sued to block its creation. In 1848, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled in favor of the new county. The county seat, Sneedville, was named in honor of the attorney William H. Sneed, who represented the county in the court case. The county was named after the Revolutionary War patriot John Hancock.[1][3]

Geography

Elrod Falls in Hancock County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 223 square miles (580 km2), of which 222 square miles (570 km2) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2) (0.5%) is water.[4]

Adjacent counties

State protected areas

  • Kyles Ford Wildlife Management Area (part)

Major highways

There are 3 primary state highways and 4 secondary state highways that run through Hancock County.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18505,660—
18607,02024.0%
18707,1481.8%
18809,09827.3%
189010,34213.7%
190011,1477.8%
191010,778−3.3%
192010,454−3.0%
19309,673−7.5%
194011,23116.1%
19509,116−18.8%
19607,757−14.9%
19706,719−13.4%
19806,8872.5%
19906,739−2.1%
20006,7860.7%
20106,8190.5%
20206,662−2.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7]
1990-2000[8] 2010-2020[9] 2020[10]
Age pyramid Hancock County[11]

2020 census

Hancock County racial composition[12]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 6,391 95.93%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 33 0.5%
Native American 25 0.38%
Asian 1 0.02%
Other/Mixed 172 2.58%
Hispanic or Latino 40 0.6%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,662 people, 2,742 households, and 1,729 families residing in the county.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 6,819 people living in the county. 98.0% were White, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% of some other race and 1.1% of two or more races. 0.2% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census

At the 2000 census,[13] there were 6,786 people, 2,769 households and 1,938 families living in the county. The population density was 30 people per square mile (12 people/km2). There were 3,280 housing units at an average density of 15 units per square mile (5.8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.91% White, 0.49% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 0.37% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,769 households, of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.10% were married couples living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.91.

23.10% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 25.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.30 males.

The median household income was $19,760, which was the lowest median household income of any county in Tennessee,[14] and the 27th lowest in the United States. The median family income was $25,372. Males had a median income of $23,150 and females $18,199. The per capita income was $11,986. About 25.30% of families and 29.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.50% of those under age 18 and 30.70% of those age 65 or over.

The county as of the fiscal year 2020, was designated as an "economically distressed" area by the state government,[15] and is one of the poorest in the state. Hancock County is estimated to experience a massive population decline.[16]

Culture

Hancock County is known particularly for its population of people of Melungeon ancestry, who are believed to be of mixed European, African, and Native American heritage. The Vardy Community School, which provided state-mandated education for Melungeon children in the early 20th century, is now a historic site located in the Newman's Ridge area.

Communities

City

Unincorporated communities

Politics

United States presidential election results for Hancock County, Tennessee[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 2,372 86.44% 362 13.19% 10 0.36%
2016 1,843 82.61% 322 14.43% 66 2.96%
2012 1,527 74.63% 475 23.22% 44 2.15%
2008 1,588 70.86% 604 26.95% 49 2.19%
2004 1,756 68.84% 777 30.46% 18 0.71%
2000 1,343 64.72% 690 33.25% 42 2.02%
1996 1,259 58.45% 760 35.28% 135 6.27%
1992 1,274 52.02% 1,000 40.83% 175 7.15%
1988 1,303 62.58% 737 35.40% 42 2.02%
1984 1,491 69.87% 619 29.01% 24 1.12%
1980 1,734 69.72% 704 28.31% 49 1.97%
1976 1,309 62.63% 764 36.56% 17 0.81%
1972 1,813 81.59% 393 17.69% 16 0.72%
1968 1,489 72.88% 318 15.57% 236 11.55%
1964 1,517 68.83% 687 31.17% 0 0.00%
1960 2,107 82.56% 438 17.16% 7 0.27%
1956 1,939 83.29% 350 15.03% 39 1.68%
1952 1,830 79.50% 458 19.90% 14 0.61%
1948 1,598 77.38% 416 20.15% 51 2.47%
1944 1,929 81.60% 431 18.23% 4 0.17%
1940 1,673 61.94% 1,014 37.54% 14 0.52%
1936 1,673 63.54% 960 36.46% 0 0.00%
1932 1,089 66.40% 551 33.60% 0 0.00%
1928 1,039 82.79% 216 17.21% 0 0.00%
1924 1,028 76.72% 305 22.76% 7 0.52%
1920 1,740 81.92% 384 18.08% 0 0.00%
1916 1,229 76.10% 386 23.90% 0 0.00%
1912 659 56.32% 427 36.50% 84 7.18%

Like all of Unionist East Tennessee, Hancock County has been overwhelmingly Republican since the Civil War. Since the Republican Party first contested the state in 1868, every official Republican nominee has gained an absolute majority of Hancock County's vote, even William Howard Taft during 1912 when the GOP was bitterly divided. The only post-Civil War Democratic presidential nominee to even reach forty percent of Hancock County's vote has been Bill Clinton in 1992, when he was aided by the local popularity of Senator Al Gore, a Smith County native.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 William G. Cook, "Hancock County," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved: 16 October 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 148.
  4. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  5. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  7. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  9. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  10. ↑ "2020 Census Data". data.census.gov.
  11. ↑ Based on 2000 census data
  12. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  13. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  14. ↑ Hancock County, Tennessee, Selected Statistical Information, Tennessee Advisory Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, accessed April 26, 2008
  15. ↑ State of Tennessee. "Distressed Counties". www.tn.gov. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Hancock County, TN". datausa.io. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  17. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 10, 2018.

Further reading

  • Johnson, Mattie Ruth (1997). My Melungeon Heritage: A Story of Life on Newman's Ridge. Johnson City, Tennessee: Overmountain Press.
  • Price, Henry R. (1966). "Melungeons: The Vanishing Colony of Newman's Ridge." Conference paper. American Studies Association of Kentucky and Tennessee. March 25–26, 1967.
  • Winkler, Wayne (2004) "Walking Toward the Sunset: The Melungeons of Appalachia," Macon, Georgia: Mercer University Press
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