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Buying land in Cocke County, Tennessee: what to check

Cocke County covers 436 square miles of land and 7 of water in Tennessee, with about 37,596 residents in 2024 (up 4.4% since 2020). The 2020 Census counted 98% of its land as rural and 32% of residents as living in urban areas. Farms operate 20% of the county's land. Below: how much of Cocke County floods, what its soils allow, what farmland is worth and how often it's in drought, from free public data with every source linked.

Check a location in Cocke CountySee a sample report

Cocke County at a glance

In the 100-year floodplain

6.6%

Below the state's county median (7.2%)

FEMA National Risk Index

Hydric (wetland-type) soils

1%

Below the state's county median (1.1%)

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Soils very limited for septic

93%

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Farm land value, 2022

$6,181/acre

Above the state's county median ($5,222)

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Weeks in severe drought

under 1%

Share of weekly maps, 2021–2026

U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

Land classed rural

98%

Census 2020 Census urban and rural classification

What to check before buying land in Cocke County

Ordered by what Cocke County's numbers point to. Every parcel differs, so treat this as where to look first.

  1. 1.Check slope where you'd build and where the driveway goes

    72% of Cocke County's mapped soils have an average slope over 15% (USDA SSURGO).

    Steep ground means grading, retaining walls, longer driveways and erosion control. Compare the slope at the house site and along the access route, not just the parcel average.

    Guide: Terrain and slope

  2. 2.Budget for a perc test and maybe an engineered septic

    USDA rates 93% of Cocke County's mapped soils "very limited" for conventional septic absorption fields and 0% "not limited".

    Without city sewer you need a septic permit from the county or state health department. Make the offer contingent on a passing soil or perc test; mound and aerobic systems can cost several times a conventional one.

    Guide: Perc tests and septic systems

  3. 3.Confirm the flood zone at your exact spot

    6.6% of the county's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain FEMA's National Risk Index uses for inland flooding; 12% of its mapped soils flood occasionally or frequently.

    Even where little of the county floods, creeks and low spots do. Check the FEMA zone at the building site and the driveway route.

    Guide: Flood zones before buying land

  4. 4.Confirm legal road access and power

    The 2020 Census classified 98% of Cocke County's land area as rural.

    Rural tracts are often sold without recorded access or a power line nearby. Get the title company to confirm a recorded easement or public road frontage, and ask the electric co-op what a line extension costs.

    Guide: Road access and landlocked land

  5. 5.Sanity-check the price per acre

    Farm real estate in Cocke County averaged $6,181 an acre including buildings in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, and 8.4% of its mapped soils are prime or of statewide importance.

    Compare the asking price with recent sales of similar tracts, not the county average, which mixes cropland, pasture, timber and homesites. If an ag tax valuation applies, ask what the rollback taxes would be if you change the use.

    Guide: Land due diligence checklist

  6. 6.Rule out wetlands on the part you'll use

    About 1% of Cocke County's mapped soils are hydric (formed under saturated conditions, a federal wetland indicator) and under 1% are poorly or very poorly drained (USDA SSURGO).

    Open the National Wetlands Inventory mapper at the parcel. Filling or draining a wetland can need a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit, and wet ground limits septic fields and building pads.

    Guide: Wetlands on land for sale

Flood zones, wetlands and water in Cocke County

Area in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain
6.6%, 42nd lowest of 95 in Tennessee FEMA National Risk Index
Mapped soils that flood occasionally or frequently
12% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Hydric soils (a federal wetland indicator)
1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Poorly or very poorly drained soils
under 1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Surface water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs)
7 sq mi Census 2024 Gazetteer Files
Drought on 2026-10-27
29% moderate or worse, 0% severe or worse U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

The floodplain share is the area FEMA's National Risk Index counts as exposed to inland flooding, mostly mapped 100-year flood zones. It says how common flood-prone land is in Cocke County, not whether a given parcel floods. For that, look up the zone at your exact point on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center or run the free check.

Soils and terrain

Prime farmland
8.4% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Prime only if drained, irrigated or protected
1.3% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Farmland of statewide importance
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Average slope over 15%
72% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Very limited for septic absorption fields
93% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Not limited for septic absorption fields
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Shares of Cocke County's soil-surveyed land (about 275,492 acres, open water excluded), using each map unit's dominant condition in USDA's SSURGO soil survey. Soils change within a few hundred feet, so the soil at your building site is what matters.

Farms and land use

Farms (2022)
606 USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Share of the county's land in farms
20% USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average farm size
93 acres (median 45) USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average value of land and buildings
$6,181 per acre, 26th highest of 95 in Tennessee USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Cropland
21,466 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Pasture and rangeland
20,281 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Woodland on farms
15,965 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Natural hazard ratings

FEMA's National Risk Index rates each hazard for Cocke County relative to every other U.S. county. Overall risk: Relatively Low.

  • LandslideRelatively Moderate
  • LightningRelatively Moderate
  • Strong windRelatively Moderate
  • DroughtRelatively Low
  • EarthquakeRelatively Low
  • HailRelatively Low
  • River and inland floodingRelatively Low
  • TornadoRelatively Low
  • HurricaneVery Low
  • Heat waveVery Low
  • WildfireVery Low
  • Winter weatherVery Low

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Questions about buying land in Cocke County

How much of Cocke County, TN is in a flood zone?

About 6.6% of Cocke County's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain used by FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025), 42nd lowest of 95 counties in Tennessee. Whether a given parcel is in a flood zone depends on its exact location, so check the FEMA map at your pin.

How much does land cost per acre in Cocke County?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture put the average value of farm land and buildings in Cocke County at $6,181 an acre, 26th highest of 95 counties in Tennessee (the median Tennessee county was $5,222). It's a self-reported average across farms, so small homesites and recreational tracts often sell for more per acre.

Will a septic system work on land in Cocke County?

Often, but test first. USDA soil surveys rate 93% of Cocke County's mapped soils very limited for conventional septic absorption fields, usually because of wetness, slow permeability, shallow rock or flooding. A perc or soil test on the parcel decides what system the health department will permit.

Is there good farmland in Cocke County?

8.4% of Cocke County's mapped soils are prime farmland, 1.3% are prime only if drained, irrigated or protected from flooding, and 0% are farmland of statewide importance (USDA SSURGO). The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 606 farms averaging 93 acres.

How often is Cocke County in drought?

Since 2021, at least half of the county was in severe drought or worse in under 1% of weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps, and in extreme drought in 0%. On 2026-10-27, 29% of the county was in moderate drought or worse.

Can I check a specific property in Cocke County?

Yes. Enter the address or drop a pin anywhere in Cocke County on the free check. It shows which checks return data at that exact point, and the full report costs $29: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power lines, wildfire and more, each with its source. It is a screen of public maps, not a survey, title search or perc test.

Check the parcel, not just the county

County numbers tell you what to look for. The free check looks at your exact point in Cocke County: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power and more. The full report is $29.

Check a location in Cocke County

What these numbers can't tell you

  • County shares describe Cocke County as a whole; a parcel can be entirely in or out of a flood zone, wetland or poor soil.
  • It doesn't look at the whole parcel, its boundaries, title, easements, zoning or permits.
  • It isn't a survey, appraisal, elevation certificate, soil or perc test, or Phase I environmental site assessment.
  • It can't see local distribution power lines, driveways, legal access, wells or mineral rights.
  • Maps lag behind the ground, and distances are straight-line, not driving distance.

Sources and vintages

Summarized per county by our build script on 2026-10-31. County figures cover the whole county; checks on the report are at your point.