Population49,730 (2025 est.)
A Courthouse Town With Cherokee Heritage Nearby
Monroe County, TennesseeMadisonville anchors Monroe County, with Sweetwater, Vonore and Tellico Plains adding other community identities. Cherokee memorials, Fort Loudoun and local historic places offer different perspectives, connecting the county’s civic center with a much longer and more varied regional past. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated 49,730 residents in Monroe County, Tennessee, on July 1, 2025. The county has approximately 636 square miles of land, according to the 2020 Census Gazetteer.
Monroe County at a Glance
Population49,730 (2025 est.)
County SeatMadisonville
Largest CitySweetwater
Established1819 (organized; NACo County Explorer)
ZIP CodesSee postal resources
Total Area, Including Water653 sq mi (total)
Major RoutesSee transportation resources
Area CodesVaries by community
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Discover Monroe County
Monroe County
Madisonville developed as the county seat in 1819, and the courthouse completed in 1897 became a lasting civic landmark. The county's visitor history also includes Cherokee places and Fort Loudoun's French and Indian War context. These histories belong to different periods and should not be reduced to the county's formal founding. The courthouse provides a visible civic landmark, while the other heritage places address earlier cultural and military histories. A fuller county account keeps those different narratives connected without flattening their chronology.
Begin with Madisonville's courthouse setting, then choose a public heritage destination for a wider perspective. The county's historic-place map includes private residences as well as visitor sites. Use established interpretation and current access information when exploring Cherokee history or the fort landscape. Choose a historical period before selecting the second stop, allowing its interpretation to stand on its own. This helps avoid reducing the county's varied heritage to a collection of unrelated buildings.
What Shapes Us
Local Character
Cherokee memorials, Fort Loudoun and local historic places offer different perspectives, connecting the county's civic center with a much longer and more varied regional past.
Community History
Madisonville developed as the county seat in 1819, and the courthouse completed in 1897 became a lasting civic landmark. The county's visitor history also includes Cherokee places and Fort Loudoun's French and Indian War context.
Explore Locally
Begin with Madisonville's courthouse setting, then choose a public heritage destination for a wider perspective. The county's historic-place map includes private residences as well as visitor sites.
Discover the different histories connected by one county landscape.
A Closer Look
Monroe County
Places and perspectives from Monroe County
Monroe County headlines via Google News
TBI investigating officer-involved shooting in Monroe County - WVLT
TBI investigating officer-involved shooting in Monroe County WVLT
Read the Story Oct 17, 2026 • 2 min read
Around Monroe County
Stories from every corner of Monroe County.
TBI investigating officer-involved shooting in Monroe County - WVLT
TBI investigating officer-involved shooting in Monroe County WVLT
Oct 17, 2026 • 2 min read
TDS completes Monroe County (TN) grant fiber project - Benton Institute for Broadband & Society
TDS completes Monroe County (TN) grant fiber project Benton Institute for Broadband & Society
Oct 16, 2026 • 2 min read
The Towns In Tennessee Where Retirees Are Moving To - WorldAtlas
The Towns In Tennessee Where Retirees Are Moving To WorldAtlas
Oct 13, 2026 • 2 min read
Motorcyclist killed in Monroe County crash, troopers say - WVLT
Motorcyclist killed in Monroe County crash, troopers say WVLT
Oct 9, 2026 • 2 min read
Barren County man killed in motorcycle accident in Tennessee - WBKO
Barren County man killed in motorcycle accident in Tennessee WBKO
Oct 9, 2026 • 2 min read
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Meet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.
County Resources
Find the Right Local Connection
Start with the organization responsible for the service you need. Follow its official link for current requirements, office locations and availability.
Government
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Schools
Public school contacts
Selected local schools from the NCES 2024-2025 directory. Contact the school or district to confirm enrollment, attendance boundaries and current services; this is not a complete school list.
Madisonville Intermediate School – Elementary; grades 03-05. 1000 Green RD, Madisonville, TN 37354. 423-442-2454.
Sweetwater Elementary – Elementary; grades 03-04. 301 Broad ST, Sweetwater, TN 37874. 423-337-7062.
Sequoyah High School – High; grades 09-12. 3128 Hwy 411, Madisonville, TN 37354. 423-442-9230.
Madisonville Middle School – Middle; grades 06-08. 175 Oak Grove RD, Madisonville, TN 37354. 423-442-4137.
Coker Creek Elementary – Elementary; grades KG-08. 130 Ruritan RD, Tellico Plains, TN 37385. 423-261-2241.
Vonore Elementary – Elementary; grades PK-04. 1135 Hwy 411, Vonore, TN 37885. 423-884-6485.
Madisonville Primary – Elementary; grades PK-02. 268 Warren ST, Madisonville, TN 37354. 423-442-2236.
Hospitals
Local hospital contacts
Facility contacts from the CMS Hospital General Information directory, updated July 22, 2026. Contact the facility directly to confirm current services and appointment arrangements.
Sweetwater Hospital Association – Acute Care Hospitals. 304 Wright St, Sweetwater, TN 37874. 865-213-8200.
Public Safety
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Emergency Services
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Parks & Public Lands
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Trails
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Utilities
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Libraries
Local library contacts
Locations and public phone numbers are from the IMLS FY2024 Public Libraries Survey. Call the branch to confirm current hours and services before visiting.
Vonore Public Library – 611 Church Street, Vonore, TN 37885. 423-884-6729.
Courts
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
DMV
Tennessee — Title and Registration
Tennessee — Renewing Your License or Identification
Transportation
Postal Services
USPS location finder — Search by street address, city or ZIP Code for nearby post offices, collection boxes and available services.
USPS ZIP Code lookup — Find the mailing ZIP Code for a specific street address.
USPS Hold Mail — Arrange a temporary mail hold and review identity-verification requirements.
USPS change of address and forwarding — Review forwarding options and submit an address-change request through USPS.
USPS package pickup — Check pickup availability for your address and schedule eligible shipments.
Veterans
National services available to local residents
VA accredited representatives — Find help with VA claims and benefit applications.
VA health care applications — Review application options and supporting information.
VA disability claims — Find the official steps for submitting a disability claim.
GI Bill and education benefits — Review how to apply for VA education benefits.
Veteran career and employment support — Explore VA employment, training and career assistance.
Employment
National services available to local residents
USAJOBS federal employment — Search federal openings by location and occupation.
Apprenticeship Finder — Search apprenticeship opportunities by location and occupation.
My Next Move career exploration — Explore occupations, industries and career interests.
Government job-training resources — Find routes to state training programs and support for different job seekers.
Unemployment benefit guidance — Find your state program and its application and eligibility information.
Get to Know Monroe County
Useful answers for residents, visitors and anyone planning their next step.
Local Questions
Monroe County Questions, Answered
Explore practical details about the county and the organizations that serve it.
49,730 (July 1, 2025 Census estimate). This is a dated Census Bureau estimate, rather than a live resident count.
652.587 square miles, including water (2020 Census geography). The total combines land and water area.
Start with Airport, linked from the government source used for this county. Check that page for current details before visiting or submitting a request.
Start with Madisonville Public Library, linked from the government source used for this county. Check that page for current details before visiting or submitting a request.
Start with these official Tennessee resources: Address Change; Title and Registration; Renewing Your License or Identification. Choose the page for the service you need, then check its office or online instructions before making a trip. These links cover state services; they do not establish that every transaction is available at a county office.
Use USPS ZIP Code Lookup for the mailing ZIP Code of a specific street address. Use the USPS location finder to search for nearby postal facilities and available services. An address lookup is more useful for mailing than assuming the entire county shares one ZIP Code.
The VA explains how to find and appoint an accredited representative for benefit claims. Contact a representative to confirm availability before appointing them. For education benefits, use the GI Bill application guidance. These are national VA services available to eligible local residents, rather than a listing of county offices.
Search USAJOBS for federal positions and the Apprenticeship Finder for apprenticeship opportunities, using location filters to narrow the results. USAGov job-training guidance points to training programs and state resources. Check each listing for current availability, eligibility and application instructions; a search result does not guarantee an opening in the county.
Madisonville developed as the county seat in 1819, and the courthouse completed in 1897 became a lasting civic landmark. The county's visitor history also includes Cherokee places and Fort Loudoun's French and Indian War context. These histories belong to different periods and should not be reduced to the county's formal founding. The courthouse provides a visible civic landmark, while the other heritage places address earlier cultural and military histories. A fuller county account keeps those different narratives connected without flattening their chronology.
Begin with Madisonville's courthouse setting, then choose a public heritage destination for a wider perspective. The county's historic-place map includes private residences as well as visitor sites. Use established interpretation and current access information when exploring Cherokee history or the fort landscape. Choose a historical period before selecting the second stop, allowing its interpretation to stand on its own. This helps avoid reducing the county's varied heritage to a collection of unrelated buildings.
The 2020 Census geography figures record 635.774 square miles of land and 16.813 square miles of water in Monroe County. The county’s total area includes both. These are geographic measurements for that Census vintage, not a measurement of current water levels or public recreation access.
Shop - Dine - Discover
Meet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.
My Local Guide
Local Businesses
Businesses Serving Monroe CountyExplore the businesses listed for this county.
Businesses serving Monroe County
Additional county facts: county overview and references.
Connect with local businesses.Monroe County