About Morristown TN

Brief History of Morristown

Located in the northeast corner of Tennessee, Morristown is the county seat of Hamblen County. The area was first settled in the late 1700’s by settlers of Scotch-Irish and German descent who moved into the region from Virginia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. The city of Morristown was incorporated in 1855 and at that time was part of Jefferson and Grainger Counties. Hamblen County was formed 15 years later in 1870 from portions of Jefferson, Grainger and Hawkins Counties and is the 3rd smallest county (of 95) in the State of Tennessee by size.

Today, Morristown is the principal city of the Morristown Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Hamblen and Jefferson Counties. Centrally located between eight counties, Morristown serves as the regional hub for employment, shopping, recreation, healthcare and educational opportunities. The community has evolved from an agricultural based economy to a manufacturing based economy, producing a wide range of products such as plastics, automotive parts, frozen cakes and many others.

For a deeper look at the history of Morristown, check out this StoryMap created by Ben Wilkerson at the City of Morristown.

Total land area – 174 square miles

Elevation – 1,351 feet above sea level

Climate –

Annual Avg. Temperature – 60˚ F

Annual Avg. Rainfall – 46”

Annual Avg. Snowfall – 11”

Transportation

Interstates – 81 & 40

U.S. Highways – 11E & 25E

State Routes – 66, 160, & 342

Air Service

Municipal

Morristown Regional Airport http://www.mymorristown.com/departments/airport/index.php

Commercial

McGhee-Tyson Airport (TYS) – Knoxville, TN http://flyknoxville.com/

Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI) – Blountville, TN www.triflight.com

Rail – Norfolk Southern Railway

Population (2019 Estimates)

Hamblen County – 64,934

City of Morristown – 30,193

Median Age – 40.4

Total Housing Units – 27,329

Dollars & Sense

Median Household Income – $43,619

Median Home Value – $137,900

Median gross rent – $735 per month

Retail Sales (2016) – $1,238,192,046

Cost of Living

Morristown and Hamblen County have consistently maintained a lower cost of living average compared to the nation. While the overall 2019 index for Morristown is 86.0 (compared to the U.S. average of 100), most notable is the cost of housing index of 70.8, which makes the initial capital needs for a move to Morristown much more feasible for a potential resident.

Government

City of Morristown www.mymorristown.com

Mayor and Six Council Members

City Administrator

88 Police Officers/100 Patrol Cars

85 Full-time Fire Fighters/14 Vehicles

Hamblen County www.hamblencountytn.gov

County Mayor and Fourteen Member Commission

County Sheriff and 107 Officers/47 Patrol Cars

Four Volunteer Fire Departments

Tax Structure

Local

Property Tax Rate per $100 of Assessed Value

City – $1.25

County – 1.90 (within City limits)

County only – $2.13 (outside City limits)

Rate of Assessment

Residential – 25%

Industrial/Commercial – 40%

Personal (equipment) – 30%

School Tax – None

Sales Tax – 2.75% (City and County)

Hotel-Motel Tax – 7% (City and County)

State

Sales Tax – 7% (4% on Food and Food Ingredients)

Income Tax

Salaries & Wages – None

Interest & Dividends – 6%

Corporate (Excise) – 6.5% of net earnings

Education

The Hamblen County Department of Education www.hcboe.net is committed to the belief that schools are operated for students, and that children have an enormous potential and curiosity. Great things can be achieved when parents, staff, students and the community are committed to working in partnership towards the provision of the best possible education for all students.

Elementary Schools – 11

Middle Schools – 4

High Schools – 2

Alternative School – 1

Student/Teacher Ratio – 14.5:1

Total Enrollment – 10,451

In addition to the public school system, there are 6 Private/parochial schools prepared to provide families in the Lakeway are with an education alternative for children from Pre-K to high school graduation.

Higher education opportunities are available throughout the area

Walters State Community College www.ws.edu

Tennessee College of Applied Technology www.tcatmorristown.edu

Tusculum College www.tusculum.edu

Carson Newman University www.cn.edu

Milligan College www.milligan.edu

Lincoln Memorial University www.lmunet.edu

King University www.king.edu

East Tennessee State University www.etsu.edu

University of Tennessee at Knoxville www.utk.edu

Child care & Early Learning Centers – 19

Healthcare