Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,883, settled in 1838.
The best of Hampton’s subject grades are an A+ for cost of living, an A for the outdoors, and an A− for history; the weakest is a D for health. Only 16 of Tennessee’s 292 towns score higher on cost of living. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 91% of U.S. towns. Only 2 of the 178 Tennessee towns we compare have a lower January low than Hampton. 24% of the land in Hampton is conserved, above both the Tennessee town median (1.8%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Only 4 of Tennessee’s 292 towns score higher on the outdoors. Simerly-Butler House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Hampton has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Hampton beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Where Hampton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Hampton is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 2015 and 3 maps from 1935 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Hampton is unincorporated, so Carter County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Hampton.
Hampton beats the Tennessee average on 1 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 13. 19% of Hampton adults report frequent physical distress, above both Tennessee’s towns (16%) and U.S. towns (14%). 47% of Hampton adults have high blood pressure.
| Hampton | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 41% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 19% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 12% |
| What stands out | Hampton | TN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.6% | 13.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.9% | 8.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Carter County school district. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Hampton High School, with 368 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hampton ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 662 | C |
| Hampton High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 368 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
The typical Hampton home is worth about $210,000, about the same as a year ago, 37% below the Tennessee typical home. Hampton’s median rent is $676 a month.
| Hampton | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $676 a month | $947 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 63% | 66% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Hampton for work: only 2% work in town. 20% of residents live below the poverty line in Hampton. Only 7 of the 178 Tennessee towns we compare have a lower median household income than Hampton.
| Hampton | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 20% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $39,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.7% | 12% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The trail density in Hampton is 1.7 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Cherokee National Forest, at 595 acres. 7.2 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cherokee National Forest | 0.5 mi | 595 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 70% of U.S. communities. Since 1984, 30 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Hampton.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Hampton has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Only 6 of the 178 Tennessee towns we compare have a lower July high than Hampton.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hampton. Close and well known come first.
Big draw36 mi MountainMount Mitchell
23 mi ParkwayBlue Ridge Parkway16.5M visitors a year
23 mi MountainGrandfather Mountain30 mi Theme parkTweetsie Railroad18 mi Theme parkLand of Oz
15 mi National forestCherokee National ForestMount Mitchell: Unknown, Public domain · Blue Ridge Parkway: Ken Thomas, Public domain · Grandfather Mountain: Original uploader was KyleAndMelissa22 at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Cherokee National Forest: Ryan Rice at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
2 within 15 miles of the center of Hampton
About 2 of every 100 Hampton residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.
CDP in Tennessee, United States
Hampton is an unincorporated community and Census-designated place in Carter County, Tennessee, United States. Located a few miles southeast of Elizabethton and northwest of Roan Mountain, Hampton is surrounded on all sides by the Unaka Mountains. It is part of the Johnson City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area – commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region. The population of the CDP in 2020 was 2,030.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Hampton.
| Town | TN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampton | — | — | A+ | — | D | D |
| Valley Forge | — | — | A | — | D | D− |
Hampton and Valley Forge have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Hampton and Valley Forge report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Hampton with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.
