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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Hamilton County: 18 seats on 8 elected bodies.

County Commission

Hamilton County Commission

OfficeWho holds it now
County CommissionerChip Baker source
County CommissionerMontrell Besley source
County CommissionerJeffrey Eversole source
County CommissionerKatherlyn Geter source
County CommissionerLee Helton source
County CommissionerSteve Highlander source
County CommissionerWarren Mackey source
County CommissionerDavid Sharpe source
County CommissionerGene-O Shipley source
County CommissionerKen Smith source
County CommissionerJoshua Wichman source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
Assessor of PropertyMarty Haynes source
Circuit Court ClerkLarry Henry source
County ClerkBrooke Weaver source
County MayorWeston Wamp source
Register of DeedsMarc Gravitt source
SheriffAustin Garrett source
TrusteeBill Hullander source

How many local governments Hamilton County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 22 local governments in Hamilton 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 townships100
School districts (school boards)00
Special districts (elected boards)110

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 (1 in Hamilton 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 Hamilton County

376,192people
39.5median ageU.S.: 38.9
$76,183 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
13.1%below the U.S.: 12.5%
37.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$312,800median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.4%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
6.6%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.7%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
9.7%U.S.: 8.4%
45.2%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
20.1%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 8% · White 68.3% · Black 16.9% · Asian 2.1% · Other or more than one race 4.7% (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 Hamilton County

3.1%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.4%. Tennessee: 3.3%.
6,232people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
194,501people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
200,733in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Hamilton County 0.0%1.8%3.7%5.5%7.4% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.1%6,232194,501200,733
August 20263.5%6,940192,472199,412
July 20263.4%6,868194,884201,752
June 20263.6%7,299194,094201,393
May 20263.0%5,921194,482200,403
April 20263.0%6,060194,239200,299
March 20263.1%6,152192,500198,652
February 20263.6%7,224192,219199,443
January 20263.4%6,798192,820199,618
December 20253.2%6,484196,036202,520
November 20253.5%6,997195,277202,274
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.4%6,820196,752203,572
August 20253.4%6,912196,064202,976
July 20253.8%7,694197,442205,136
June 20253.8%7,715196,533204,248
May 20253.1%6,217196,854203,071
April 20252.8%5,719198,650204,369
March 20253.1%6,363196,844203,207
February 20253.1%6,301195,711202,012
January 20253.4%6,863194,569201,432
December 20243.1%6,188193,578199,766
November 20243.3%6,603193,322199,925
October 20243.2%6,497194,031200,528
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.3%6,735196,430203,165
20243.1%6,210193,549199,759
20233.0%5,922188,699194,621
20223.3%6,230182,161188,391
20214.2%7,713176,355184,068
20207.0%12,880170,749183,629
20193.1%5,835180,200186,035
20183.3%6,018175,599181,617
20173.6%6,393170,860177,253
20164.5%7,853165,171173,024

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 Hamilton County

436.7 per 100,0002025. Tennessee: 492.3.
1,920.8 per 100,0002025. Tennessee: 1,636.6.
18murders2025, 1,718 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
20251,718436.77,5571,920.8
20232,463646.510,6212,788.0
20222,479662.211,3473,031.2
20202,911779.314,5313,889.8
20192,341632.412,8063,459.7
20182,338636.514,0443,823.5
20172,443671.014,1843,896.1
20162,435677.113,2943,696.7
By police agency (8)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Chattanooga Police Department20251,3586,438193,881
Hamilton County Sheriff's Office2025213401127,498
East Ridge Police Department20259129321,911
Soddy-Daisy Police Department20252317013,526
Red Bank Police Department20252613512,110
Collegedale Police Department202569711,609
Signal Mountain Police Department20251208,883
Lookout Mountain Police Department20200181,892

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

1.91 per 1,000 residents2025, 8 agencies serving 391,449 people.
748sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
437civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (8), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Chattanooga Police Department397157193,881
Hamilton County Sheriff's Office188264127,498
East Ridge Police Department51521,911
Soddy-Daisy Police Department30313,526
Collegedale Police Department29011,609
Red Bank Police Department24212,110
Lookout Mountain Police Department1442,031
Signal Mountain Police Department1528,883
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20257481.914378
20247962.064068
20237922.093878
20227802.093658
20217451.983608
20207912.133658
20197892.143428
20188102.223728
20178062.233448
20167422.083498

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 Hamilton County Assessor of Property?
Marty Haynes is the Assessor of Property of Hamilton County, Tennessee.
Who is the Hamilton County Circuit Court Clerk?
Larry Henry is the Circuit Court Clerk of Hamilton County, Tennessee.
Who is the Hamilton County County Clerk?
Brooke Weaver is the County Clerk of Hamilton County, Tennessee.
Who is the Hamilton County County Mayor?
Weston Wamp is the County Mayor of Hamilton County, Tennessee.
Who is the Hamilton County Register of Deeds?
Marc Gravitt is the Register of Deeds of Hamilton County, Tennessee.
Who is the Hamilton County Sheriff?
Austin Garrett is the Sheriff of Hamilton County, Tennessee.
Who is the Hamilton County Trustee?
Bill Hullander is the Trustee of Hamilton County, Tennessee.
Who are the Hamilton County commissioners?
Chip Baker (County Commissioner); Montrell Besley (County Commissioner); Jeffrey Eversole (County Commissioner); Katherlyn Geter (County Commissioner); Lee Helton (County Commissioner); Steve Highlander (County Commissioner); Warren Mackey (County Commissioner); David Sharpe (County Commissioner); Gene-O Shipley (County Commissioner); Ken Smith (County Commissioner); Joshua Wichman (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Hamilton County?
About 376,192 people, with a median age of 39.5; the median household income is $76,183 and 13.1% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Hamilton County?
3.1% in September 2026 (preliminary): 6,232 people unemployed in a labor force of 200,733, against 3.4% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Hamilton County?
22 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 10 municipal and 11 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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