Tennessee

Carter

56,356
2020 population
1800
first census record
23
census records

About Carter

Carter, Tennessee, first appears in the United States federal census in 1800, when it recorded a population of 4,813. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 56,356.

Its recorded population peaked at 57,424 in 2010, and has since declined by roughly 2 percent.

On the ground today, 8 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Battle of Fort Watauga (1776), Battle of Fort Watauga, Carter's Station Tennessee, and 13 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202056,356
201057,424
200056,742
199051,505
198050,205
197042,575
196041,578
195042,432
194035,127
193029,223
192021,488
191019,838
190016,688
189013,389
188010,019
18707,909
18607,124
18506,296
18405,372
18306,414
18204,835
18104,190
18004,813
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Carter

Military engagements that took place in Carter, Tennessee.

Battle of Fort Watauga (1776)
1776
Battle of Fort Watauga
1776
Carter's Station Tennessee
1863
Battle of Carter's Station
1863
Carter's Depot Engagement
1863
Action at Carter's Station
1863
Hampton Tennessee Skirmish
1864
Stoneman's Raid — Carter County Skirmishes
1865

Historic places in Carter

National Register of Historic Places listings in Carter, Tennessee.

Sycamore Shoals
Elizabethton
Sabine Hill
Elizabethton
Watauga Hydroelectric Project
Elizabethton
Simerly-Butler House
Hampton
Wilder, John T., House
Roan Mountain
Browse all Tennesseehistoric sites ›

Other counties in Tennessee

Explore census history and historic records for more Tennessee counties.

GilesGraingerGreeneGrundyHamblenHamiltonHancockHardemanHardinHawkinsHaywoodHendersonHenryHickmanHoustonHumphreysJacksonJamesJeffersonJohnson
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Everything a full report reveals about Carter County, Tennessee

This page charts the census history of Carter County, Tennessee. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Carter

When does Carter first appear in the US census?
Carter, Tennessee first appears in the federal census in 1800, with a recorded population of 4,813.
What is the population of Carter?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Carter had a recorded population of 56,356.
When did Carter's population peak?
Carter's recorded population peaked at 57,424 in 2010.
Were any battles fought in Carter?
8 documented military engagements took place in Carter, including Battle of Fort Watauga (1776), Battle of Fort Watauga, Carter's Station Tennessee.
How many historic places are in Carter?
13 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Carter, Tennessee.
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