Cosby2, 2007
Cosby’s story
166 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2007.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1860Cosby is settled
CosbyTN
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 2.5
Population
779
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$268K
+4.7% in a year
Household income
$92K
median
Median age
34.3
years
Jobs based here
24
A commuter town
Is Cosby a good place to live?
Cosby’s mean commuting time is 53 minutes, where Tennessee’s towns sit at 25 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Among 178 Tennessee towns, just 5 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Cosby. Tyson McCarter Place and Shults Grove Methodist Church is on the National Register of Historic Places. Cosby has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Cosby stand out
Where Cosby beats most towns.
Small town
779 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Nearby attractions
All 50 attractions →Dollywood and 28 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Cosby. Close and well known come first.
Big draw16 mi Theme parkDollywood3.1M visitors a year
Big drawin town National ParkGreat Smoky Mountains National Park11.5M visitors a year
18 mi ParkwayBlue Ridge Parkway16.5M visitors a year
Big draw21 mi MountainKuwohi
Big draw40 mi Stadium & arenaNeyland Stadium
15 mi MountainMount Le ConteSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Dollywood: Brian Stansberry (photographer), CC BY 2.5 · Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Scott Basford, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Blue Ridge Parkway: Ken Thomas, Public domain · Kuwohi: C. Kenneth Dodd, Jr., Public domain · Neyland Stadium: Neomrbungle, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mount Le Conte: No machine-readable author provided. Blinutne assumed (based on copyright claims, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
Moving to Cosby: who provides what
Cosby is unincorporated, so Cocke County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerCity of Newport15.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterNewport Utilities BoardNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesCocke CountyCocke County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Tennessee you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCocke County Election CommissionCocke County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code3772237722 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Cosby.
Who lives here
More adults under 35 in Cosby than across Tennessee
Adults 18 to 34 are 45% of residents (23% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 22% of residents (38% statewide). College graduates make up 27% of adults 25 and older, against 31% across Tennessee. Among residents in Cosby, 19% are 65 or older.
34.3median age · TN 38.9
| Cosby | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.3 years | 40 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 27% | 23% | 29% |
CosbyTennesseeUnited States
Ages · share of residents
39%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school35%
Some college22%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s11%
Graduate16%
Women and men · all residents
58% women, 42% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±9.5 points. Across Tennessee, 50.9% of residents are women.
| Cosby | TN | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 5.1% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.9% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.1% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 39.4% | 13.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.8% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 3.6% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.1% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.8% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.1% | 6.7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.6% | 10% | 10.4% |
| High school | 34.7% | 31.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.2% | 19.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.5% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 10.9% | 19.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 16.1% | 11.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 800, single groups can be off by several points
Schools
The schools Cosby’s kids attend
Its one school is below. Public schools: the Cocke County school district. Enrollment at Cosby’s public school: 176 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoky Mountain ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 176 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
With only 0.1 jobs per working resident, most people in Cosby work out of town
Cosby’s typical household income stands at $92,000. Only 1% of working residents stay in Cosby for work; the rest commute out. The top destinations are Gatlinburg (21%), Newport (11%) and Pigeon Forge (9%). Half the trips to work are shorter than 17 miles.
1%work in town
| Cosby | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $92,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 14% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Cosby1%
Gatlinburg21%
Newport11%
Pigeon Forge9%
Sevierville7%
17 mi
median commute distance
24
jobs based in Cosby
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: high risk in Cosby, mostly inland flooding
On expected storm and flood damage, Cosby sits above 69% of U.S. communities. Expected losses in Cosby break down as 66% from inland flooding and 13% from cold waves. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Cosby after 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2024.
69risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers: that is Cosby’s year
July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 28° and about 6 inches of snow falls in a winter.
6″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter30–51°
Spring45–70°
Summer64–86°
Fall47–71°
Nov 1
typical first frost
Apr 6
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Housing
Homes in Cosby are worth about $268K, by Zillow’s estimate
In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 4.7%. 86% of Cosby households are owner-occupiers.
$268KZillow home value
Typical home value
Cosby$268K
Tennessee$331K
+4.7%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Health
How healthy Cosby is
The share of adults in Cosby who smoke cigarettes: 21%. On the CDC’s 31 measures, Cosby is ahead of Tennessee on 3 and behind on 10.
| Cosby | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 41% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 19% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 12% |
31 measures vs. Tennessee
3 better18 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Cosby | TN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.5% | 13.3% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7.9% | 9.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.1% | 8.6% |
Tennova Healthcare - Newport Medical Center
12.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cosby
17pages on Cosby
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Cosby; the nearest are
Haywood Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Clyde, NC25.8 mi$2,580 in-state tuitionWestern Carolina UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Cullowhee, NC33.8 mi$4,630 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Cosby residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Cosby for work
Where Cosby’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
24jobs based in Cosby
1%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Cosby
Census-designated place in Tennessee, United States
Cosby is a census-designated place (CDP) and unincorporated community in Cocke County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population of the Cosby CDP according to the 2020 census was 807. The community has given its name to the northeastern section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which forms its southern boundary. Cosby's zip code also extends to into Sevier County, and borders the town of Pittman Center.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,722 ft
- ZIP code
- 37722
Questions about Cosby
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Cosby, TN a good place to live?
Cosby has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.