| | Persons for Whom Poverty Status is Determined, 1980 | Persons Below Poverty Level, 1980 | Poverty Rate, 1980 | Poverty Rate, Percent of U.S. Average, 1980 |
|
| United States | 220,845,766 | 27,392,580 | 12.4% | 100.0% |
| Appalachian Region | 20,928,695 | 2,930,068 | 14.0% | 112.9% |
| Tennessee | 4,476,470 | 736,471 | 16.5% | 132.6% |
| Appalachian Tennessee | 2,072,728 | 344,986 | 16.6% | 134.2% |
|
| County |
| Anderson | 66,730 | 9,712 | 14.6% | 117.3% |
| Bledsoe | 8,682 | 2,102 | 24.2% | 195.2% |
| Blount | 76,682 | 9,722 | 12.7% | 102.2% |
| Bradley | 66,145 | 9,192 | 13.9% | 112.0% |
| Campbell | 34,765 | 8,628 | 24.8% | 200.1% |
| Cannon | 10,146 | 1,779 | 17.5% | 141.4% |
| Carter | 49,309 | 9,281 | 18.8% | 151.7% |
| Claiborne | 24,101 | 7,066 | 29.3% | 236.4% |
| Clay | 7,558 | 2,024 | 26.8% | 215.9% |
| Cocke | 28,662 | 7,894 | 27.5% | 222.0% |
| Coffee | 37,840 | 5,410 | 14.3% | 115.3% |
| Cumberland | 28,457 | 6,240 | 21.9% | 176.8% |
| DeKalb | 13,493 | 3,089 | 22.9% | 184.6% |
| Fentress | 14,709 | 4,926 | 33.5% | 270.0% |
| Franklin | 31,018 | 5,108 | 16.5% | 132.8% |
| Grainger | 16,576 | 3,797 | 22.9% | 184.7% |
| Greene | 52,836 | 9,491 | 18.0% | 144.8% |
| Grundy | 13,728 | 3,502 | 25.5% | 205.7% |
| Hamblen | 48,810 | 7,615 | 15.6% | 125.8% |
| Hamilton | 279,886 | 37,820 | 13.5% | 108.9% |
| Hancock | 6,883 | 2,963 | 43.0% | 347.1% |
| Hawkins | 43,653 | 7,993 | 18.3% | 147.6% |
| Jackson | 9,337 | 2,322 | 24.9% | 200.5% |
| Jefferson | 29,801 | 5,090 | 17.1% | 137.7% |
| Johnson | 13,687 | 3,627 | 26.5% | 213.6% |
| Knox | 308,152 | 45,343 | 14.7% | 118.6% |
| Lawrence | 33,791 | 5,608 | 16.6% | 133.8% |
| Lewis | 9,109 | 1,941 | 21.3% | 171.8% |
| Loudon | 28,206 | 3,624 | 12.8% | 103.6% |
| Macon | 15,534 | 2,571 | 16.6% | 133.4% |
| Marion | 24,214 | 4,547 | 18.8% | 151.4% |
| McMinn | 41,444 | 6,631 | 16.0% | 129.0% |
| Meigs | 7,424 | 1,064 | 14.3% | 115.5% |
| Monroe | 28,209 | 5,471 | 19.4% | 156.4% |
| Morgan | 16,124 | 4,138 | 25.7% | 206.9% |
| Overton | 17,407 | 4,414 | 25.4% | 204.4% |
| Pickett | 4,355 | 1,240 | 28.5% | 229.6% |
| Polk | 13,588 | 2,638 | 19.4% | 156.5% |
| Putnam | 44,249 | 7,406 | 16.7% | 134.9% |
| Rhea | 23,653 | 4,665 | 19.7% | 159.0% |
| Roane | 48,091 | 6,355 | 13.2% | 106.5% |
| Scott | 19,163 | 5,473 | 28.6% | 230.3% |
| Sequatchie | 8,522 | 1,906 | 22.4% | 180.3% |
| Sevier | 41,082 | 6,205 | 15.1% | 121.8% |
| Smith | 14,867 | 1,914 | 12.9% | 103.8% |
| Sullivan | 142,890 | 18,390 | 12.9% | 103.8% |
| Unicoi | 16,333 | 2,452 | 15.0% | 121.0% |
| Union | 11,689 | 2,845 | 24.3% | 196.2% |
| Van Buren | 4,713 | 802 | 17.0% | 137.2% |
| Warren | 32,503 | 5,603 | 17.2% | 139.0% |
| Washington | 84,575 | 11,968 | 14.2% | 114.1% |
| White | 19,347 | 3,379 | 17.5% | 140.8% |
