Are Sevier County Residents Migrating?

What’s the story behind the numbers?

RG Williams

Patty Lanke

igration – it’s not just for the birds. Recently released Internal Revenue Service data has been compiled by Forbes magazine tracks movements from county to county, even across state lines. The I.R.S.data tracks inter-county moves of more than 10 people, so very minor migration patterns are not included. (When your cousin Tim moved in with you for that year from Arizona, it’s not going to show up.)

As it would turn out, Sevier County residents aren’t moving – at least not in large numbers, and when they do they aren’t going too far from home. But people are coming here.

More than 10 million Americans moved from one county to another in 2008, and the interactive map on the Forbes website allowed us to get a detailed picture of those movements for Sevier County. Clicking on a particular county on the online map brings up lines (red and black, respectively) showing migration to and from other counties. Moving your cursor carefully across one of the other counties shows not only the number of people moving to and from the two counties, but also the average income of each group. (We found many cases of zero movement one way or the other, but none fewer than 10, so we must presume that "zero" actually means 0 to 9 people.)

Many of the moves made out of Sevier are to Counties within East Tennessee; Cocke, Knox, Sullivan and Hamilton are among the top destinations. It is difficult if not impossible to know with any certainty what the reasons for the moves are based upon number of people and income data alone. It may be assumed however, that moves to neighboring Jefferson, and Cocke counties are likely to be explained by more and cheaper housing available.

The county with the single largest influx of Sevier County residents was next door Cocke.

Residents did not move in significant numbers to any County North of Sullivan, South of Hamilton (Chattanooga), or west of Nashville (Shelby.)

And South Moves North…

The black lines speak a thousand words. On the accompanying map these lines of migration look like a giant tornado sucking up residents from central and south Florida and , after twirling them about, landing them here in Sevier County.

The Average income data provided indicates that these are most likely not retirees changing location.

Florida’s housing collapse and the slow down of the tourist industry there is the most likely trigger for the exodus from the Sunshine state, according to Scott Collins of Eden Crest Resort llc., based in Pigeon Forge.. Other people made the move to Sevier county from as far north as Michigan, and as far west as Chicago. At least ten South Carolinians traded the Ocean of Myrtle Beach for Sevier County’s Mountains.

It can be hoped, but not verified, that the little black lines running between Sevier and Knoxville, as well as Sevier and the Jefferson county area, represent students from the University of Tennessee and Carson Newman, returning home to Sevier County, Diploma’s in hand.

Visit the Forbes website at http://tinyurl.com/4rxeq3u