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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Unicoi County: 16 seats on 8 elected bodies.

County Commission

Unicoi County Commission

OfficeWho holds it now
County CommissionerPatrick Callahan source
County CommissionerGina Clark source
County CommissionerJamie Harris II source
County CommissionerJason Harris source
County CommissionerCorey Hatcher source
County CommissionerDebbie Lemmon source
County CommissionerTim Lingerfelt source
County CommissionerLoren Thomas source
County CommissionerTodd Wilcox source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
Assessor of PropertyTeresa Kinsler source
Circuit Court ClerkDarren Shelton source
County ClerkPatty Treadway source
County MayorGarland Evely source
Register of DeedsDebbie Tittle source
SheriffBobby Rutherford source
TrusteeKatie Bennett source

How many local governments Unicoi County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 7 local governments in Unicoi 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)40

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 Unicoi 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 Unicoi County

17,756people
46.9median ageU.S.: 38.9
$52,218 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
14.3%below the U.S.: 12.5%
21.3%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$189,600median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.3%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.5%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
9.6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
8.2%U.S.: 8.4%
49.3%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
22.9%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 6.7% · White 90.1% · Black 0.7% · Asian 0.1% · Other or more than one race 2.4% (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 Unicoi County

3.2%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.0%. Tennessee: 3.3%.
249people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
7,532people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
7,781in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Unicoi County 0.0%1.9%3.8%5.7%7.6% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.2%2497,5327,781
August 20263.6%2747,3647,638
July 20263.7%2817,4137,694
June 20263.9%3067,4657,771
May 20263.3%2547,5497,803
April 20263.4%2687,5537,821
March 20263.7%2877,5077,794
February 20264.4%3447,4907,834
January 20264.3%3337,4737,806
December 20253.9%3067,6057,911
November 20254.0%3167,6037,919
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.0%3147,6067,920
August 20254.2%3267,4537,779
July 20254.6%3657,5027,867
June 20254.8%3827,5337,915
May 20254.2%3347,6097,943
April 20255.2%4207,7208,140
March 20254.9%3897,6318,020
February 20255.1%4057,5657,970
January 20255.6%4457,4537,898
December 20245.1%4037,4587,861
November 20245.4%4277,4857,912
October 20245.2%4127,4967,908
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.6%3647,5717,935
20244.1%3197,4337,752
20233.7%2867,3607,646
20223.9%3017,3707,671
20214.6%3587,4207,778
20207.2%5557,2027,757
20194.4%3527,6447,996
20184.4%3457,5607,905
20174.8%3817,5047,885
20166.4%4987,3297,827

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 Unicoi County

156.5 per 100,0002025. Tennessee: 492.3.
503.0 per 100,0002025. Tennessee: 1,636.6.
0murders2025, 28 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202528156.590503.0
202431174.2122685.7
202329164.8121687.7
202253301.5107608.7
202152292.5106596.2
202048269.1147824.0
201952293.72071,169.2
201844248.91801,018.0
201767379.43151,783.6
201640225.02751,547.0
By police agency (3)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Unicoi County Sheriff's Office202519178,031
Erwin Police Department20258306,009
Unicoi Police Department20251433,854

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

2.68 per 1,000 residents2025, 3 agencies serving 17,894 people.
48sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
27civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (3), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Unicoi County Sheriff's Office29278,031
Erwin Police Department1706,009
Unicoi Police Department203,854
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025482.68273
2024412.30353
2023462.61303
2021462.59333
2020472.63353
2019422.37192
2018392.21172
2017382.15172
2016382.14162

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 Unicoi County Assessor of Property?
Teresa Kinsler is the Assessor of Property of Unicoi County, Tennessee.
Who is the Unicoi County Circuit Court Clerk?
Darren Shelton is the Circuit Court Clerk of Unicoi County, Tennessee.
Who is the Unicoi County County Clerk?
Patty Treadway is the County Clerk of Unicoi County, Tennessee.
Who is the Unicoi County County Mayor?
Garland Evely is the County Mayor of Unicoi County, Tennessee.
Who is the Unicoi County Register of Deeds?
Debbie Tittle is the Register of Deeds of Unicoi County, Tennessee.
Who is the Unicoi County Sheriff?
Bobby Rutherford is the Sheriff of Unicoi County, Tennessee.
Who is the Unicoi County Trustee?
Katie Bennett is the Trustee of Unicoi County, Tennessee.
Who are the Unicoi County commissioners?
Patrick Callahan (County Commissioner); Gina Clark (County Commissioner); Jamie Harris II (County Commissioner); Jason Harris (County Commissioner); Corey Hatcher (County Commissioner); Debbie Lemmon (County Commissioner); Tim Lingerfelt (County Commissioner); Loren Thomas (County Commissioner); Todd Wilcox (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Unicoi County?
About 17,756 people, with a median age of 46.9; the median household income is $52,218 and 14.3% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Unicoi County?
3.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 249 people unemployed in a labor force of 7,781, against 4.0% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Unicoi County?
7 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 2 municipal and 4 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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