Cocke County, TN elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Cocke County: 21 seats on 8 elected bodies.

County Commission

Cocke County Commission

OfficeWho holds it now
County CommissionerDanny Bright source
County CommissionerClayton Ellison source
County CommissionerJeff Eslinger source
County CommissionerTim Grigsby source
County CommissionerJudy Hensley source
County CommissionerTim Layman source
County CommissionerSid Mason source
County CommissionerBill Miller source
County CommissionerKenneth Norton source
County CommissionerDonnie Raines source
County CommissionerDaniel Reece source
County CommissionerCasey Reed source
County CommissionerNorman Smith source
County CommissionerJonanthon Templin source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
Assessor of PropertyMacie Reed source
Circuit Court ClerkKristy Nease source
County ClerkShalee McClure source
County MayorJoe Shults source
Register of DeedsMark McGaha source
SheriffC.J. Ball source
TrusteeMitch Fine source

How many local governments Cocke County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 5 local governments in Cocke County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government11
Cities, towns, villages and townships20
School districts (school boards)00
Special districts (elected boards)20

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments (2 in Cocke County), though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Cocke County

36,813people
45.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$48,016 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
21.9%below the U.S.: 12.5%
11%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$158,100median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.2%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.2%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8.2%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
12.7%U.S.: 8.4%
47.5%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
34%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 3.1% · White 92% · Black 2.2% · Asian 0.5% · Other or more than one race 2.2% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Cocke County

3.8%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.5%. Tennessee: 3.3%.
571people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
14,312people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
14,883in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Cocke County 0.0%2.7%5.4%8.1%10.8% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.8%57114,31214,883
August 20264.3%63114,18014,811
July 20264.3%63414,23214,866
June 20264.7%70214,24614,948
May 20263.9%57914,34414,923
April 20264.1%60214,14914,751
March 20264.6%67414,04214,716
February 20266.5%97013,94614,916
January 20266.4%95714,00014,957
December 20254.3%64514,23114,876
November 20254.6%68914,16014,849
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.5%68414,38115,065
August 20254.6%69314,50415,197
July 20255.0%77314,60615,379
June 20255.1%78114,58215,363
May 20254.3%64714,55515,202
April 20254.7%71014,41315,123
March 20255.4%80914,17614,985
February 20256.8%1,01713,99315,010
January 20256.9%1,03713,97415,011
December 20244.8%70113,96114,662
November 20245.0%73813,94714,685
October 20245.5%81313,88914,702
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)5.1%77114,32515,096
20244.6%69114,30314,994
20234.5%66414,13314,797
20225.1%74913,95914,708
20215.8%84813,84314,691
202010.3%1,53213,27414,806
20194.5%67214,32714,999
20184.7%69114,16314,854
20175.3%76513,79914,564
20166.3%91113,54214,453

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Tennessee's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.4% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Cocke County

312.8 per 100,0002025. Tennessee: 492.3.
1,319.7 per 100,0002025. Tennessee: 1,636.6.
1murders2025, 119 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2025119312.85021,319.7
2024156410.25941,561.8
2023205548.77101,900.5
2022158428.08262,237.3
2021250686.19052,483.5
2020197546.59502,635.5
2019214597.71,0462,921.3
2018150422.11,0002,814.0
2017247701.41,1873,370.8
2016243693.11,1813,368.5
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Cocke County Sheriff's Office20259127231,060
Newport Police Department2025282306,979

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Tennessee · the U.S.

Police staffing

2.10 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 38,039 people.
80sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
55civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Cocke County Sheriff's Office545131,060
Newport Police Department2646,979
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025802.10552
2024772.02552
2023731.95202
2022721.95472
2021762.09472
2020742.05462
2019671.87452
2018742.08342
2017641.82342
2016651.85382

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Cocke County Assessor of Property?
Macie Reed is the Assessor of Property of Cocke County, Tennessee.
Who is the Cocke County Circuit Court Clerk?
Kristy Nease is the Circuit Court Clerk of Cocke County, Tennessee.
Who is the Cocke County County Clerk?
Shalee McClure is the County Clerk of Cocke County, Tennessee.
Who is the Cocke County County Mayor?
Joe Shults is the County Mayor of Cocke County, Tennessee.
Who is the Cocke County Register of Deeds?
Mark McGaha is the Register of Deeds of Cocke County, Tennessee.
Who is the Cocke County Sheriff?
C.J. Ball is the Sheriff of Cocke County, Tennessee.
Who is the Cocke County Trustee?
Mitch Fine is the Trustee of Cocke County, Tennessee.
Who are the Cocke County commissioners?
Danny Bright (County Commissioner); Clayton Ellison (County Commissioner); Jeff Eslinger (County Commissioner); Tim Grigsby (County Commissioner); Judy Hensley (County Commissioner); Tim Layman (County Commissioner); Sid Mason (County Commissioner); Bill Miller (County Commissioner); Kenneth Norton (County Commissioner); Donnie Raines (County Commissioner); Daniel Reece (County Commissioner); Casey Reed (County Commissioner); Norman Smith (County Commissioner); Jonanthon Templin (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Cocke County?
About 36,813 people, with a median age of 45.3; the median household income is $48,016 and 21.9% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Cocke County?
3.8% in September 2026 (preliminary): 571 people unemployed in a labor force of 14,883, against 4.5% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Cocke County?
5 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 2 municipal and 2 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the county directory of the University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS); each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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