Unicoi, Tennessee
Unicoi is a town of 3,806 people in Unicoi County, Tennessee, founded in 1994.
Why visit Unicoi
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 2 parks and trails, 1 place to eat, 2 places to stay and 8 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Buffalo Mountain, Buffalo Mountain, Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site and Erwin National Fish Hatchery.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 24°F.
Weather in Unicoi
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Unicoi
Unicoi is a town in Unicoi County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 3,833 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Johnson City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol Combined Statistical Area – commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region.
From the Wikipedia article Unicoi, Tennessee (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do8
Museums and landmarks1
Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.0 mi
Museum and historical site in Tennessee
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
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Erwin National Fish Hatchery
Park · 5.1 mi
Fish hatchery and park in Unicoi County, Tennessee, United States of America
Restaurants and cafes1
Maple Grove
Diner · American · 1.7 mi
1207 Gouge Road, Unicoi
Tu-Sa 07:00-20:00; Su 07:00-16:00; Mo off
History
Unicoi was originally known as "Greasy Cove." In 1851, the Swingle brothers opened a post office in the community, and named it "Swingleville." In 1876, Dr. F.H. Hannum obtained control of the post office, and changed its name to "Limonite." When the railroads arrived in the valley in the late 1880s, the name was changed to "Unicoi City," and later shortened to its current form. The town developed in the early 20th century as a shipping point for area mining and logging operations. In 1994, the municipal government of Johnson City would purchase the Buffalo Valley Golf Course located in upper Unicoi County for $1.52 million. Residents of Unicoi speculated that the purchase was a sign of Johnson City seeking to begin annexations into Unicoi. As a result, a community group gathered to incorporate Unicoi into a town by public referendum vote the following year to prevent potential annexation.
From the History section of Unicoi, Tennessee on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship9
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Place of worship · Jehovahs Witness · 3.3 mi
2543 Zane Whitson Drive, Unicoi
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries4
Map of Unicoi
31 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°F | 24°F | 3.5 in | 3.4 in |
| Feb | 51°F | 27°F | 3.3 in | 2.5 in |
| Mar | 59°F | 33°F | 3.8 in | 0.9 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 41°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 76°F | 50°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 58°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 62°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 61°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 55°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 43°F | 2.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 59°F | 32°F | 2.8 in | 0.1 in |
| Dec | 50°F | 28°F | 3.6 in | 2.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Erwin 1 W (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Unicoi County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-02-06: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-02: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2024-10-02: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-27: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2020-04-24: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 18 miles away.
- Pine Crest 5 mi north, about 8 min by car
- Erwin 7 mi southwest, about 11 min by car
- Central 8 mi north, about 13 min by car
- Johnson City 9 mi north, about 14 min by car
- Banner Hill 9 mi southwest, about 14 min by car
- Elizabethton 10 mi northeast, about 15 min by car
- Jonesborough 10 mi northwest, about 16 min by car
- Hampton 10 mi northeast, about 15 min by car
- Biltmore 12 mi northeast, about 19 min by car
- Oak Grove 15 mi northwest, about 24 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Unicoi-town-hall-tn1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- Tipton-Haynes House, U.S. Highway 19, Johnson City vicinity (Washington County, Tennessee), W. Jeter Eason, Photographer, Public domain
- Erwin National Fish Hatchery 14 March 2022, Makenzie Foster/USFWS, Public domain
- ISS018-E-45218 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS062-E-115720 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS011-E-6368 - View of Tennessee, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS059-E-103052 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS038-E-63523 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS030-E-54343 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS018-E-45217 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- CSX ES40DC locomotive 5347 at Marbleton, TN March 2025, Mark Loewe, CC BY 2.0
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