Hawkins County is a county in Tennessee, United States, on the Holston and Clinch river valleys of the state’s northeastern corner. It had a population of 56,721 at the 2020 census and covers 500 square miles (1,300 km2) centred near 36°26′N 82°57′W.
Rogersville is the county seat and its postal code is 37857. The county has three incorporated cities, four incorporated towns (two shared with neighboring counties), and a large number of unincorporated communities. It sits in the Eastern time zone and carries FIPS code 47073.
Towns & Villages in Hawkins County
Hawkins County has seven municipal places (three cities, four towns, two of which extend into adjacent counties) and dozens of unincorporated communities and rural settlement clusters, most dating to 19th-century mills, mines, and river crossings. Type key: City = incorporated city; Town = incorporated town; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rogersville | Town · seat | 4,671 | 37857 |
| Church Hill | City | 6,998 | 37642 |
| Mount Carmel | City | 5,473 | 37645 |
| Surgoinsville | Town | — | 37873 |
| Bulls Gap | Town | — | 37711 |
| Kingsport (partial) | City | — | — |
| Bean Station (partial) | Town | — | — |
| Allandale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Altonville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Alumwell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Amis | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Austins Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bays Cove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beech Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Belvins | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Big Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Block City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blossom | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brookshire Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Burem | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Camelot | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cartersville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chalk Level | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Choptack | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Christian Bend | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cloud Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cold Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coran | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cuba | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dykes Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eidson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Enterprise | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fisher Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Friendship | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Frisco | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Galbraith | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Galbraith Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Goshen | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Green Village | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Greenland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Greenvale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grigsby | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Guntown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Henard Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Henardtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Honeycutt | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kepler | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kinkaid Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Klondike | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lakemont Cabin Area | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lee Valley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lewis Lane | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Longs Bend | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marshall | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marshall Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McCloud | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McDonald Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McPheeter Bend | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Midway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Miller Flats | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mole | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mooresburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mooresburg Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mowls Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Murrelltown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Canton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Hope | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Okolona | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Otes | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Persia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Petersburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Phipps Bend | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pleasant Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ponderosa Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rotherwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rotherwood Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rotherwood Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Saint Clair | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Seven Oaks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shiloh | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spruce Pine | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stacy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stony Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Strahl | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Striggersville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Van Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Waycross | Unincorp. | — | — |
| West Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| White Horn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Zion Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
Kingsport and Bean Station are shared with neighboring counties: Kingsport is mostly in Sullivan County, and Bean Station is mostly in Grainger County; only their edges cross into Hawkins. The old page’s list also carried “Christian Bend” and “McPheeter Bend” — both are Holston River bend communities in the county’s east end, not duplicates of each other.
ZIP Codes
- 37857 — Rogersville (county seat, also serves most rural west-county communities)
- 37642 — Church Hill (also serves 37645 in the Mount Carmel area)
- 37645 — Mount Carmel
- 37873 — Surgoinsville
- 37711 — Bulls Gap
Most of the county’s unincorporated communities have no ZIP of their own and are served by the nearest town’s post office.
Geography
Hawkins County lies in the Ridge-and-Valley section of upper East Tennessee, between the Clinch Mountain ridge on the southeast and the Holston River, which crosses the county and forms much of its southern boundary. Of its 500 square miles, 487 are land and 13 are water.
It borders Scott County, Virginia to the north; Sullivan County to the east; Washington County to the southeast; Greene County to the south; Hamblen County and Grainger County to the southwest; and Hancock County to the west. Of these, live profiles exist for Sullivan County, Washington County, and Greene County.
Demographics
Hawkins County had 56,721 residents at the 2020 census, spread across a mostly rural landscape at about 117 people per square mile. Church Hill (6,998) and Rogersville (4,671) are the two largest communities. The county’s median household income runs below the Tennessee median of $67,631, consistent with its rural, manufacturing- and agriculture-based economy.
Economy & Local Life
Manufacturing, healthcare, and agriculture anchor the local economy, with Church Hill and Rogersville serving as the county’s retail and employment centers. Hawkins County is part of the Kingsport-Bristol “Tri-Cities” metro area, so many residents commute to jobs in neighboring Sullivan County. Tobacco and cattle farming remain active in the river bottomlands along the Holston.
History
Hawkins County was organized in 1786-87, one of the earliest counties formed after North Carolina ceded the region that became Tennessee, and was named for Benjamin Hawkins, a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. The Battle of Rogersville was fought here on November 6, 1863, a Confederate cavalry victory during the Civil War. The Hawkins County Courthouse in Rogersville, built around 1836, is the oldest surviving courthouse in Tennessee.
Getting There
U.S. Routes 11E and 11W cross the county, along with Tennessee State Routes 31, 66, 70, 94, 113, 344, 346, and 347.
- Kingsport — 15 miles east
- Bristol — 30 miles northeast
- Morristown — 25 miles southwest
- Knoxville — 65 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport is Tri-Cities Airport (TRI), serving Kingsport, Bristol, and Johnson City.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hawkins County?
It is in northeastern Tennessee, part of the Tri-Cities region, bordering southwestern Virginia.
What is the population of Hawkins County?
56,721 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Hawkins County?
500 square miles (1,300 km2), of which 487 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Hawkins County?
Rogersville.
How many towns are in Hawkins County?
Three cities and four towns, plus dozens of unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Hawkins County?
Main ones include 37857 (Rogersville), 37642 (Church Hill), 37645 (Mount Carmel), 37873 (Surgoinsville), and 37711 (Bulls Gap).
What is the oldest building in Hawkins County?
The Hawkins County Courthouse in Rogersville, built around 1836, is the oldest standing courthouse in Tennessee.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Tennessee.