Sevierville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sevierville
Shelbyville
Opportunity
61 · Top 39%
vs48 · Bottom 33%
Growth
71 · Top 15%
vs69 · Top 19%
Climate
77 · Top 23%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
45 · Bottom 35%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 19%
vs72 · Bottom 37%
Schools
20 · Bottom 11%
vs12 · Bottom 3%
Access
88 · Bottom 36%
vs81 · Bottom 23%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 22%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Sevierville | Shelbyville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,397 | 24,661 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,421 | $55,073 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,962 | $25,611 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 756/sq mi | 1,277/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $289,600 | $244,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,081 | $1,056 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.6% | 50.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.6% | 13.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.4% | 20.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 396 | 198 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 21.5 | 8.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 14.1% | 10.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.9" | 59.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 29.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 31.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 21 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 28.3% | 27.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 26.5% | 22.1% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Sevierville
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Shelbyville
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Sevierville
58
Your Score
57
Area Score
Shelbyville
56
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Sevierville, TN · Shelbyville, TN · How this is calculated: methodology